One of the things that makes cats so irresistibly lovable are their mesmerizing eyes. Cat owners will tell you that their feline friend’s wide-eyed gaze is its way of getting you in the palm of their paw. So what if a cat loses its eyes? Would it still be an irresistible, lovable ball of fluff worthy of our love? The mental image of a sightless cat may seem odd to you, but this is pretty normal sight for Dr. Emily Shotter, as she has a blind Persian cat. Dr. Shotter’s blind cat Moet came into the world with a pair of healthy, fully functional eyes. However, an unfortunate circumstance of extreme neglect robbed her of the ability to see when she was only several weeks old.
Moet may have lost her ability to see, but that doesn’t mean that the world can’t see her. In fact, she’s already got quite an impressive online presence that boasts thousands of fans and followers through various social media networks. The beautiful blind cat has over 25,000 followers on Instagram, nearly 10,000 fans on Facebook and over 36,900 Twitter followers. And aside from these platforms, you can also find Moet on Youtube and TikTok. All these accounts are ‘meow-naged’ by Moet’s mom, Emily. But all this is not just for the sake of fame. Dr. Shotter is using Moet’s story and fame to support an Oman-based volunteer group that’s been lobbying for the implementation of animal welfare legislation.
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Moet became blind because she was grossly neglected
This fluffy white Persian cat wasn’t born blind. She just had the misfortune of being born into a litter owned by an unlicensed breeder in Oman. The unlicensed breeder took Moet and her littermates to the pet shop when they were only a few weeks old – far too young to be separated from their mother. There, Moet was held captive in a filthy and cramped wire-floored cage. And to make matters worse, food and water were sparsely provided by the unscrupulous pet shop. The playful kittens, being stuck together in a tiny, filthy cage were also denied toys or any form of engagement unless there was a prospective buyer.
You don’t have to be an animal welfare expert to know that this pet shop was inhumane in their practice. Many of Moet’s cage-mates were eventually bought and brought to a better environment by their new owners. However, the decrease of the cage’s occupants wasn’t enough to prompt the pet shop to at least clean the cage and look after their remaining kittens. And it got so bad that young Moet began developing severe health issues that prevented her from being picked. It got so bad that by the time she was rescued, her eyes were already beyond saving. They were so badly infected that the vets had no other choice than to remove both eyes.
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The now blind Persian cat met her loving human Emily Shotter right after she was saved from danger
“Six days after my ‘surgery’, a new lady appeared from nowhere. She also spoke to me in a very kind voice and kneeled down to stroke my cheek. I rolled over for the next stage – the belly rub. She cooed and ahh-ed and said, ‘Yes, I’ll take her’.” – excerpt from Moet’s story
Six days after the veterinarians removed Moet’s severely infected eyes, Dr. Shotter swooped in and gave the blind cat a new chance at life. They had to wait two days to get Moet’s stitches removed and after Dr. Shotter took Moet and her other rescue cat, Luna, back home with her to Nottingham, United Kingdom. Moet may be shrouded in darkness due to her blindness, but her second life is more colorful than ever. Nowadays, this snowy white cat is living her best life as the apple of her mother’s (and the internet’s!) eye.
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This blind Persian cat is now living her best life with her family
Six years after being rescued from an unfortunate fate, Moet now lives like royalty. This blind Persian cat is also making a difference. Just this year, Dr. Shotter published a book entitled Moet the Blind Cat’s Rules for Cat Owners. The book is cheekily described as ‘a little book of rules for “cat staff” from a cat’s perspective. Aside from this book, Dr. Shotter has also written several nuggets of wisdom for those with blind pet cats like her on Moet’s website. After all, caring for a disabled pet requires more attention and effort than normal. But it’s clear that Moet’s blindness hasn’t gotten in the way of her coming into her own.
“Moet is a bit of a diva and a sassy girl. While she’s generally very sweet-natured, she hates to be bored and will squeak (not meow) for attention instantly!”
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Moet the blind Persian cat requires more care than the average cat
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“If I’m ever on the phone… well, nightmare. She doesn’t like me speaking to others, so the squeak-meow gets voiced loudly and without break. And in fact, when I’m on work video calls or in virtual meetings, she can typically be heard in the background. I never know whether to laugh or apologize!”
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“Anyway, I guess because she can’t see, she gets bored easily, so lots of playtime is a must. Moet loves her food and her favorite treats are Thrive freeze-dried treats and Nutripockets. She also loves to go out in the garden, which I’ve had fully enclosed for her safety.”
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She also has other feline friends
Moet didn’t arrive in Dr. Shotter’s home alone. In fact, she arrived together with another rescue – Luna. “Both ended up at Al Qurum Veterinary Clinic, who do amazing work with strays and abandoned animals or injured animals,” Dr. Shotter said. “They had taken Luna in – she was abandoned, and I’d seen her on their Facebook page and been lured in. Moet was saved by them also as they nursed her back to health and removed her poorly eyes to save her life. They’re absolutely amazing and do so much in Oman.”
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Naturally, both cats needed some time to get used to one another, but they eventually got along. The two rescues from Oman joined Dr. Shotter’s cat Lily. Unfortunately, Lily crossed the rainbow bridge in February, a month after Moet’s book was published. So now it’s just Dr. Shotter, Moet and Luna.
Dr. Shotter is a member of Oman Paws
Since she can’t possibly take in all the animals in need, Dr. Shotter volunteers with Omani Paws instead. And one of the group’s missions is to make the government implement an animal welfare legislation. “There is some,” she noted. “But it only applies to farm animals, not pets. We desperately need this. So far, the group has had no luck, but the efforts will not stop and in the meantime, the group and supporters do a huge amount to help out animals relying on donations.” In an effort to support the group, Dr. Shotter has donated 100% of her book and merchandise profits to them. So if you’re looking for a fun and informative read, go ahead and grab a copy of Moet the Cat’s Rules for Cat Owners here today!
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Moet had a difficult and painful start in life. She’s very lucky to have been rescued and given a second chance at life. This blind cat’s story is definitely one that gives us hope and make us believe in the goodness of people. Dr. Shotter and the Omani Paws deserve all the praise and good will we can send their way!
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