Concerned Owner Thinks Cat Is Going Blind and Speechless After $700 Vet Diagnosis

A Dallas cat owner revealed how he spent hundreds of dollars at the vet on his cat to get a surprising diagnosis: too many treats.

Trey Yates noticed a change in his 6-year-old cat Niles’ eyes and rushed him to the emergency vet.

“I was asked to take him to the vet because last Sunday I noticed his eyes started to get a little cloudy,” Yates told Newsweek. “He has been ill for the last two weeks with some mysterious infection and fever. I’ve also read Reddit stories about how if your cat’s eyes suddenly turn gray, you need to get them to the vet ASAP. Later, when his eyes became cloudier and even grayer, I rushed him to the emergency room.”

At the emergency vet, Niles was diagnosed with uveitis, an inflammation of the eye, and prescribed steroid eye drops. However, the next morning, Niles’ condition seemed even worse.

“His eyes reached peak cloudiness and were extremely gray, to the point where I thought he was blind,” Yates said.

Concerned, Yates took Niles to his regular veterinarian, who performed more tests. The blood test revealed the presence of a cloudy substance, which the veterinarian determined was linked to the cat’s eye problem.

“This cloudy substance is just a bunch of fat and blood cells,” Yates said.

The condition was ultimately attributed to Niles’ diet, caused by excess fat on his body.

“Since Niles was sick, I certainly expected something lethal, not something that called him fat,” Yates said.

After spending $700, Yates was surprised and decided to share his story on TikTok (@tr8ss) in a video that has already received more than 3 million views.

“I’ve never heard that treats can do something like this to a cat,” Yates said. “I know they’re bad for cats, but the stories of many treats I’ve heard have ended in fat cats or bad blood pressure. Never cloudy eyes.”

The fatty deposits that cause cloudy eyes in cats are often associated with a condition called “corneal lipid dystrophy.” This condition affects the cornea – the clear front surface of the eye – creating a milky or blurry appearance.

Fortunately, it is typically not life-threatening. But if left untreated, it can cause vision problems and affect the cat’s quality of life. Dietary management is often the quickest way to reduce lipid deposits, and in some cases, medications can be used to manage the condition.

“How many treats is too many? Asking for my cat,” one TikTok user joked in the comments of Yates’ video.

“Well… you just saved me $700,” said another commenter.

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