Hi everyone, it's mes, Carmine!
Guess what today is?! Today is mes 16th birthday!
The Mom says a few friends sented mes prezzies! And there bes a rumor that wes are gonna has chicken later! And bad man is bringing mes a lap to sit on! Mes loves to sit on hims lap.
Mes is so excited!
But the Mom says wes has to get some rest before the celebration. How does hers expect mes to settle down and has a nap when there's so much celebrating to do?
We hope and pray that this year is so much better than last for everyone!
We wish you love, peace, health, and happiness.
Love,
Carmine, Tylan, and Mom Sierra
A cataract developed on Carmine's left eye when he was young. As time went on, the cataract continued to grow in his left eye, and he eventually developed a cataract in his right eye, too. Now, at nearly 16 years of age, Carmine is completely blind in his left eye and can see very little out of his right eye.
Carmine and I have always shared a very special bond. I believe his progressive vision loss has only brought us closer. As someone who is legally blind and struggling with progressive vision loss myself, I can relate to what Carmine is going through in a way few other people can.
Despite the challenges progressive vision loss brings, Carmine has adapted quite well to being nearly completely blind. In fact, if you didn't know him, you probably wouldn't guess that he has any vision issues here at home.
Over the years, I've learned quite a few ways in which I can make life easier on Carmine. I want to share what I've learned in hopes that it will help others with blind cats, too.
My cat, Tylan, is a handsome seal-point Siamese. Tylan was rescued from Bangkok, Thailand. He was being cared for by a cat hoarder who rescued him from Bangkok's streets. True to a Siamese's nature, Tylan is loving, affectionate, and people-oriented despite the extraordinary challenges he's faced in his life.
I've been owned by Siamese for more than 15 years now. While their gorgeous appearance is what initially drew me to the breed, it is the breed's personality characteristics that stole my heart. I have no doubt that after you read about the Siamese, you'll fall in love with them, too.
History
Siamese cats originated in Siam, which is now Thailand. The Siamese was first depicted in an ancient manuscript called, “Tamra Maew” (Cat Poems), which dates from 1350. The breed made its first appearance in Europe in 1871 at London's Crystal Palace Cat Show. The first Siamese cat arrived in the United States in 1879. The cat, named Siam, was a gift to President Rutherford B. Hayes from the American Consul in Bangkok.
The Siamese occurred as a result of a natural genetic mutation. The Siamese have been instrumental in the development of several other cat breeds over the years, including the Balinese, Havana Brown, Javanese, Colorpoint Shorthair, Burmese, Tonkinese, Birman, Savannah, Bengal, Snowshoe, Oriental, Himalayan, and Ocicat.
