THE CAT: Ch.6 - Sophie 'Mind Maps'

May 19, 20221 min read

So how does a blind cat navigate? In our Sophie's case ... like a 'Boss Ass Bitch'

think Rebecca Welton (Ted Lasso)

Sophie caused me to miss A LOT of sleep in the first few weeks we were together. It clearly wasn't her intention, and truth be told I probably got in her road a bit. Soph would hide away most of the day initially. Once all the humans retired for the night, then it was time to go-to-work!

Blind cats learn to navigate their surroundings using touch, scent, sound and memory. In Sophie's case a large dollop of OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cat), when added to the aforementioned ingredients, makes for an amazing recipe as it turns out!

Sophie was, and remains, a relentless, voracious learner ...

Home Base - where the initial 'mapping' began

Each night she would start her nocturnal activities in the sitting room where her food, water and scratch-pole were located. Around, and around, and around the perimeter she would go. Nose to the ground, nose in the air, whiskers near the walls, crouch up and down, ears up, ears forward, ears down ... then ... REPEAT.

This was followed by 'crossings' of the room as though she was colouring between the lines. As the nights went on, she would do cursory 'sweeps' of the rooms she had previously navigated, reassuring herself or updating her 'mind map' where necessary, and then move on to an adjoining, new part of the house. Then one night, after contemplating the longest hallway in the house, she began to RUN!