A Blind Cat & His Guide Cat

Do animals know when another animal needs help? Do they understand handicaps? Can they understand what to do to help? Yes.

Hiss and his friend, PJ, came into my life when the home across the street was sold to a flipper who demanded these two cats be removed. Unfortunately, the previous owner fed them but couldn’t take them along when she moved. They weren’t tame housecats. However, they were not natural hunters and were friendly but preferred a bit of distance. So it seemed like a simple project to trap them, get them fixed, and get them used to coming to us for food. How wrong we were.

Hiss and PJ

Hiss, on the left, sports gorgeous black eyeliner and plush gray fur. PJ, on the right, looks alert and regal with pretty highlights on his dark face and a dark coat. They went everywhere together, a bonded pair. Looking back, I can’t believe I didn’t understand their situation sooner. Humans can be so dense!

Their saga started when my neighbor and friend sold her house to move closer to her children after her husband died. She loved these guys, but she also wanted them safe. Her new home couldn’t offer that, and unfortunately, the home flipper that bought her house demanded they be removed. Her next-door neighbor (renting) offered no help either. However, I got permission from the neighbor’s cat-loving owner in Oregon to be on the property for trapping and feeding while we worked on relocating the boys.

I got busy feeding them in a trap to get them used to it. They were smart and avoided it until I covered the trap with a camouflage of leaves. Getting close enough to pull the door spring on the trap I used as a drop trap involved more challenges. There was no place close enough to see a cat enter the trap, especially when the sun was going down, and I needed to see to be sure the cat was inside the trap before I pulled the cord to drop the door. Finally, I backed my car into the driveway, put very good food into small bowls, attached the string to the door, left the passenger window open a couple of inches, and arranged the mirrors to see the trap. Then, I put the seat back and laid down to quietly watch for the cats, using a mirror to see another mirror with a rope in my hand to pull the trap door shut.

With their senses on alert, any noise from movement might scare them off. They were very nervous, and as usual, both came together. The trap was large and could easily accommodate both if they went in together. They didn’t, but we got PJ that night. The poor fellow was terribly distraught and cried loudly all night—way more inconsolable than any cat I ever heard. I knew he wanted his friend, and I worried for his friend, too. I worked harder than ever to catch Hiss. About three days later, he finally reappeared, and I managed to trap him.

Our neighbor and friend contributed to the cost of building a catio for them. We had decided they would need to be confined for a while to keep them away from the construction and get them used to depending on us because she would be gone. When I released Hiss into the catio that would be their new home, Hiss and PJ hugged and nuzzled. I had no idea yet how lucky I had been to get these boys back together.

When I picked them up at my vet’s office after they received an exam, vaccines, and neuter surgery, the doctor informed me that Hiss was blind. My heart almost stopped. He had been without his friend for several days in an area with large drainage tunnels, aggressive feral cats, and coyotes. Worse, he had run away scared when PJ was trapped, so he may not have been well-oriented. I instantly understood why they were so bonded. PJ took care of Hiss and acted as his defender and guide. That Hiss found his way home was a miracle, partly due to PJ calling loudly day and night until they were reunited. I have no doubt his calling helped guide his friend home.

You may wonder at their names. Hiss and PJ came from a Robinhood movie, but Hiss also lived up to his name—he didn’t meow. Soft hisses were the only noise he made.

Once they were back together, all was well again for both of them. PJ showed Hiss how to navigate the shelves, litter, food, and a kitty house big enough for both of them inside the catio. I had the privilege of watching PJ patiently teach Hiss. It was amazing. Hiss and PJ lived many more years together in safety and comfort.