Rascal: My Sweet Old Man with Horner’s Syndrome

hoomane
Oct 17
2 min read

Rascal…

My 17-year-old, second-oldest, & possibly sweetest cat (confirmed by the vet—not just biased old-man-cat propaganda).

A few weeks ago, I noticed something was off with his eye. His third eyelid was creeping out like it was auditioning for a horror film, & his right pupil was half the size of the left.

Naturally, I did what any responsible pet parent does: full-scale panic, frantic Googling, & then a mad dash to the vet.

The Diagnosis: Horner’s Syndrome

What the fluff is Horner’s Syndrome?

Basically, it’s when your cat’s nervous system decides to play a practical joke on their face. It can show up as:

A droopy eyelid (instant emo look)

A sunken eye (creepy chic)

A constricted pupil (tiny flashlight mode)

A third eyelid cameo (classic horror jump scare)

It looks dramatic, but the real story is buried deep in the nervous system.

The Science-y Part (Stay With Me)

Cats (like Rascal… & their humans with anxiety disorders) have something called an autonomic nervous system—the behind-the-scenes wiring that keeps your body functioning while you’re busy doomscrolling or stress-snacking.

It’s made up of two branches:

Sympathetic Nervous System (“Fight or Flight”)

→ The body’s panic button. It dilates pupils, widens eyes, & preps you to either bolt from danger or lie awake replaying every awkward conversation you’ve ever had.

Parasympathetic Nervous System (“Rest & Digest”)

→ The “it’s fine, chill out” mode. It slows things down, constricts pupils, & whispers, “Take a nap. Eat the cookie. Everything’s fine.”

Normally, these two systems balance each other out like a seesaw. But if the sympathetic nerves to the eye get damaged, the parasympathetic side wins the tug-of-war.

Result? Rascal’s current pirate cosplay.

Why Did This Happen?

That’s the thousand-dollar question (literally—thank you, vet bill).

Ear infection? Nope.

Trauma? Rascal pleads the fifth.

Random idiopathic nonsense? Bingo.

(Translation: “We have no clue, but here you go.”)

So, What Now?

We did the full senior-cat workup—blood tests, pokes, prods, the whole spa day. Everything came back normal. He’s not in pain, his vision’s fine, & his new look doesn’t bother him one bit.

Now we wait. Horner’s often resolves on its own. His third eyelid has already retracted since our vet visit.

In the meantime, Rascal continues his reign of sweetness—currently curled up beside me while I spiral down another late-night rabbit hole of feline neurology articles. He’s unbothered. I’m feral. Business as usual.

What You Should Do If You See This

If your cat suddenly has:

A droopy eyelid

A constricted pupil

Or their third eyelid decides to make a surprise appearance—

Don’t ignore it. Horner’s itself isn’t life-threatening, but it can be a symptom of something else. Get your cat checked by a vet ASAP.

Rascal might look like he’s trying to join a ghost ship, but he’s still the same goofy, lovable old man he’s always been. Honestly, he wears it well.

With fur, fangs & fight-the-system energy,

– a

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Blog: hoomanepetcare.com/blog