Emily Shotter stumbled upon a Twitter post shared by her friend about a blind cat at a shelter in California. The cat’s fluffy white fur reminded her of her own feline, Moet.
Emily was immediately smitten with the special needs cat and was determined to learn more about her. Despite many other people expressing interest in adopting the feline, no one had been considered suitable. Despite not looking for another cat, Emily’s friends encouraged her to apply, which was successful. However, since Emily lives in Oman, she was faced with the challenge of transporting the cat from SNAP Cats in Santa Rosa, California, to her home in southwestern Asia. Undeterred, she raised the necessary funds within eight days and eagerly awaited the arrival of her new furry companion.
When Emily took in Moet, her first blind cat, she was a little worried about taking care of a visually-impaired feline. However, after seven years, she realized that having an eyeless cat wasn’t much different from having a cat with sight. This made the process much less stressful for her. Emily explains that she knew adopting another cat would be easy, even if the new cat had a different personality.
In January 2022, the lovable blind cat, who lost her vision due to buphthalmos (enlargement of the eyeball caused by untreated glaucoma), arrived in Oman, and Emily decided to give her a new name to celebrate her fresh start. Emily shares that the shelter had originally named her Andie, after the woman who rescued her.
Emily named her cat Chandon due to its resemblance to Moet. The name was appropriate as it could be shortened to “Chandie,” which sounded similar to Andie. Chandon adapted quickly to its new home and had no trouble finding its way around despite being blind. Emily often receives questions about whether the blind cats have trouble locating their food, water, or litter, but that has never been an issue for Chandon or Moet. It is astonishing how blind cats can navigate their surroundings. Though Chandon settled in quickly, it took some time for it to become friends with the other cats in the house as its personality was quite different from theirs. Chandon was more feisty, which made bonding a bit of a challenge.
Chandon is thriving in Oman after a few months of settling in. Despite her lack of vision, she behaves like any other ordinary cat. Emily loves spending time with her furry companion while grooming Chandon’s coat. However, like most cats, Chandon has some preferences when it comes to receiving affection. She enjoys chin rubs but is quite selective about where she wants to be petted. In Emily’s words, “touching other parts of her body is a risky endeavor.”
Chandon is a cat who loves to snuggle and eat, just like any other feline. Despite being blind, she is not all that different from other cats. Emily, Chandon’s owner, warns those who are considering adopting a blind cat to be prepared to be amazed by their incredible nature. She believes owning a blind cat is like owning a sighted one, but with even more rewards. Emily feels fortunate to have found Chandon and considers herself lucky to be her mom, as Chandon means the world to her.
If you’re interested in getting to know this lovely cat better, you can keep up with Chandon by following their Instagram account.
