A pet owner who recently adopted a gorgeously fluffy white cat has discovered their new feline companion may be harboring a secret.
In a video posted to TikTok, viewers were introduced to Enoki the cat who, according to the account's bio is "fluffy, chunky, probably blind."
Proof of that last claim can be found in the clip shared under the handle enokitheblind which has been watched 18 million times and highlights several mishaps that might well have been avoided had Enoki been able to see.
In a follow-up clip, the cat owner confirms that, after a veterinary consultation, Enoki is evidently a "little blind." However, even without that assessment, the original video speaks for itself. Watch it here.
Cat eyes are designed differently to many other species, in part because our feline friends have evolved in a way that enables them to see more clearly during both day and night.
Having such finely tuned vision does come at a considerable cost though with cats found to be more vulnerable to eye injury and a variety of ocular diseases that can impact their eyesight and, on occasion, lead to blindness.
Dr. Thomas Kern, DVM, a former associate professor of ophthalmology at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine said he used to see cats "that are either blind or going blind several times a week."
Dr. Kern said in an article from Cornell University: "Most of these animals have eye disease as a primary disorder—they have no other health problems. And most of them are middle-aged or elderly cats whose vision loss has been progressing for years."
According to Dr. Kern, the leading cause of feline blindness is inflammation of the uvea (uveitis), the middle area of the eye where the iris, ciliary body and choroid sit. A chronic condition that results in gradual blindness, symptoms include inflammation of the eyeball, some squinting, swollen third eyelids and enlarged eyes.
Other common blindness-causing disorders include retinal detachment, which is often associated with high blood pressure and an overactive thyroid gland, or kidney disease and injuries such as corneal lacerations.
The cause of Enoki's blindness is not clear but it's not holding him back. In the viral TikTok video, he can be seen moving around his new owner's apartment with confidence, even if he does end up bumping into the occasional bit of furniture and, at one point, a wall.
Regardless of any impaired vision, Enoki's efforts earned him plenty of fans and plaudits on TikTok. Some offered sympathy having been in the same position before as a pet owner. "Our cat is deaf," one user commented. "We didn't know for five years."
Others had wise advice. "Please don't change the layout of your house," one user suggested. "He will remember where everything is as long as you don't change anything in the house."
More than anything though there was a lot of love for Enoki. "Oh yeah he's blind," one commented. "Looks sweet though." Another added: "Take care of her."
Newsweek contacted enokithecat on TikTok for comment.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
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