When The Student Becomes the Teacher
Decoding my blind cat Scout’s relationship with my other cats
When I adopted Scout in 2020, she stayed in quarantine for almost two months due to some nasty upper respiratory issues that took hold of my little girl and refused to let go. Undoubtedly, she got incredibly bored during her time in quarantine and yearned for her freedom.
My other two cats watched as I spent more and more time away from them in my office caring for this unknown creature. Their curiosity got the best of them and they slid their paws under the door to meet this new housemate.
That was the extent of the relationship.
Once Scout was freed, her introduction to the other two cats was gradual. I considered the feelings of all parties involved and gave each cat their own space. Even so, the transition was messy, filled with hisses, paw swipes, and bruised kitty feelings.
That first year was a rough one.
Hermione Granger softened first. She kept an eye on Scout from a distance, partly to ensure she was okay and partly because she was still unsure of this new housemate.
Scout, being blind, didn’t react to traditional visual cues so the other cats didn’t quite know how to interact with her at…
