Instagram | @my_boy_belarus

Fluffy Kitty Named Belarus Is Winning Hearts With Goofy, Cross-Eyed Gaze

When I first saw a pic of Belarus the cross-eyed cat, I fell in love with his goofy floof. When I read that Belarus has an eye condition called strabismus, I knew we had a connection.

You see, I also have strabismus, which is when one's eyes don't align naturally and can wander off in strange directions. It doesn't necessarily affect the quality of vision itself, but can cause vision problems long-term and made the 3D movie fad of the early 20-teens The Worst.

Thankfully, I can wear glasses that force both of my eyes to focus straight, but Belarus doesn't have that option.

Instagram | @my_boy_belarus

Although, I am now imagining him wearing pair of tiny cat glasses and I require them to be a thing, like...yesterday.

Strabismus is not the same as lazy-eye.

Lazy-eye, or amblyopia, is actually a vision issue where one or both eyes don't develop clear vision. It isn't obvious when you look at a person.

But long-term strabismus can cause amblyopia, since a tendency to favor one eye over the other can affect vision development. (Also me. My right eye has basically given up at this point.)

As of right now, Belarus seems to have perfectly good, if wonky, vision.

Instagram | @my_boy_belarus

Double-vision is a thing when your eyes don't align and focus together, but if he's never known any differently, it probably doesn't bother Belarus much.

Just imagine: you don't need to buy as many toys, because he always assumes he has two of everything!

Belarus and his human, Rachel have put his internet fame towards a good cause.

Together, they host fundraisers for animals in need and generally promote the idea that adopting perfectly-imperfect pets can be a wonderful thing.

If you'd like to keep following Belarus' adventures, you can do so on Instagram @my_boy_belarus.

Filed Under: