How to rinse a cat’s eyes are watery

Author: Alyona Bazhenova, co-author: veterinary expert Natalia Kornilova

A cat’s eyes are pusy – how and what to treat.

Pets, no matter how we do not take care of them, also occasionally suffer from various diseases and ailments. Often enough animals suffer from eye disease. One common pathology is suppuration of the eyes. There are many reasons for the fact that the cat’s eye is festering.

It is worth understanding that after a pet sleeps at night, dry crusts appear in the corners of the eyes, which will be cleared after a cat wash. But when for several days there is a yellowish discharge from one or both eyes, here you will need your help.

If your cat’s eyes are pusy, it is important to find out the cause and start treatment right away, because this symptom can be a sign of serious illness.

Causes of pus-filled eyes in cats

Purulent discharge from the cat’s eyes can appear for a variety of reasons. It is important to pay special attention when the discharge is thick with a greenish or yellowish tint. Such secretions indicate deviations from the norm and may indicate severe inflammation in the body. So, let’s sort out why a cat’s eyes are pusy.

• Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva). This is one of the most common causes of pus in a cat’s eyes. Viral infections, allergies, and trauma to the eye can cause inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye.
• Blepharitis . This is an eye disease caused by trauma or chemical burns, which is accompanied not only by purulent discharge, but also appears the most severe swelling of the eyelids.
• Keratitis . This disease is characterized by inflammation of the cornea, which results in tears with an admixture of pus.
• Chlamydia . The first symptom of this disease may also be a purulent discharge from the mucosa of the eye.
• Trauma mucous membrane of the eye. Any injury to the mucosa will cause an infection to enter the wound, and the first indication of this will be a purulent discharge. Therefore, if you notice that your pet’s eye is swollen after an injury, it is likely to be followed by a purulent discharge.
• Allergies . In the case of an allergic reaction, you may observe sparse or thick discharge from the nose and eyes, sometimes with traces of pus. Allergies in cats can be to detergents (shampoos, soaps, the smell of powder), flower pollen, medications, food, food. Allergy to flea bites or glue can lead to the development of eosinophilic granuloma in cats.

If a cat’s eyes have been pus for a long time, and the owner does not carry out any treatment, the pet’s condition can worsen. In addition to the fact that pus causes a lot of discomfort, depending on the cause, complications will develop.

Important points

Tears in a cat should not always be a cause for concern, because normal visual function is impossible without it. Tear fluid cleans and disinfects the eyes, softens the friction between the inner surface of the eyelid and the cornea. Natural secretions protect the eyeball from dust, debris and other foreign bodies that can traumatize it.

Excess fluid collects in the inner corner of the animal’s eye, where the so-called lacrimal lake is located. From there, they are disposed of through the lacrimal ducts. However, dirt particles in the fluid may clog the ducts, accumulate and dry out. Often they can be found in the inner corners of the eyes of a newly awakened cat. Usually the animal gets rid of the crusts formed on its own by washing.

A small amount of transparent or gray-white discharge in the corner of the cat’s eye is considered normal. They have a semi-liquid consistency and are devoid of unpleasant odors. If the pet has not washed thoroughly, the discharge may become brownish in color. This is not dangerous. To simply help the cat with hygiene, the owner will only need to rinse her eyes with boiled water or a weak vegetable broth.

It is advisable to examine the cat’s eyes regularly, especially if the cat has the opportunity to walk outside and socialize with congeners. You should be concerned if the tears became profuse, the eyes are red, the cornea is clouding, the eyelids are swollen or there is a purulent brown discharge. Such symptoms usually indicate an inflammatory process. In this case, not hygiene procedures, but treatment will be needed.

Many owners, confident that they know how to deal with ophthalmic problems of cats, carry out treatment procedures themselves. Special eye wash preparations are used. However, not every owner is able to diagnose their pet accurately. If the symptoms of the inflammatory process do not disappear within 3 days of starting therapy at home, the help of a veterinarian will be necessary.

Causes and manifestations of the inflammatory process

Short-term profuse lacrimation can be caused by various reasons. For example, the animal has a trivial cold. Or on the cornea of the pet got a seed, and his body triggered a defensive reaction, manifested in lacrimation. Such a condition usually lasts a couple of days, after which the cat recovers without human help.

There are a number of serious causes of cat eye inflammation.

• Infectious diseases caused by viruses, fungi, bacteria, helminths, which settle, including in the eye area. Such ailments include conjunctivitis, blepharitis, keratitis, uveitis, and chlamydia. They are often accompanied by narrowing of the eyes, their swelling, clumping of the eyelids, and profuse, often with pus, discharge of light brown, dark brown, yellow, greenish color. May ooze cloudy mucus.
• Trauma to the head, eyes, ingestion of a foreign body. Symptoms in these cases are profuse lacrimation, reddening of the whites, swelling of the eye. The cat begins to blink frequently, it may have photophobia. If the pet does not manage to get rid of the foreign object in the eye on its own, there may be a twisting or eversion of the eyelid, sometimes there are pus-like secretions. In this case, the help of the owner or the veterinarian will be needed.
• Allergies. Cats, like humans, are characterized by allergic reactions, such as to pollen, flowers, household chemicals. The cat may experience itching in the eye area and begin to rub them intensely with its paw. This causes inflammation, which causes profuse lacrimation. The secretions are usually transparent.
• Anatomical features. Short-mouthed cats with large round eyes are characterized by a feature such as a tear lake that is too shallow to retain a tear. This causes the fluid to flow directly onto the fluffy cat’s face, creating tear paths. The same effect is seen in cats with a congenital tear outflow disorder and pets whose eyelashes grow on the inner corners of their eyes. Some cat owners with impaired tear outflow choose surgical treatment, but most limit themselves to hygienic procedures, cleaning excess fluid from the pet’s eye area.

How to perform the procedure?

For adult cats.

It is difficult to flush the eye organs of a cat by itself, so it is better to perform this procedure with someone else who will hold the animal. The correct way to do the flushing is as follows:

1. Prepare the necessary equipment. Take absorbent cotton, bandages or gauze napkins and a syringe without a needle.
2. The animal is secured so that it does not scratch the person by wrapping a towel around it.
3. A gauze cloth is moistened in the healing solution and squeezed over the cat’s eyes.
4. Wait a few minutes for the crust to become soft, and then wipe it off with a cotton pad. The movements should be from the edge of the eye to the inner corners.
5. If the eyelids are glued, then the movements of the cotton disk are done from the nose to the ear, changing dirty disks with clean ones.
6. The medicine is poured into a syringe and poured on the cleaned cornea.
7. Excess medication is soaked with absorbent cotton or a bandage tampon without touching the eyeball.

Persian cat’s eyes are convex, so they are washed daily to prevent inflammation.

Newborn kitten

Kittens come into the world completely blind, and begin to see well after 2 weeks. The iris has a gray cloudy color, after some time its color changes according to the breed of cat. In the first days of life, kittens secrete mucus from their visual organs, and the mother cat removes it. When babies grow up, they wash their own eyes, but there are times when they need outside help. A small kitten is washed the organs of vision in the same way as an adult cat, only the treatment should be more careful and gentle. The procedure can be done by one person. After washing, the prescribed eye ointments are applied after 5-10 minutes, so as not to cause a negative reaction of the two active substances.

Diagnosis of cat eye inflammation

Let’s repeat: only a veterinarian can correctly diagnose an eye disease. For an accurate diagnosis, the specialist may require the following tests and procedures.

Ultrasound of eye organs

Ultrasound of the organs of vision allows to exclude the presence of neoplasms, to detect a foreign object and to assess the overall condition of the visual apparatus. Ultrasound does not require special preparation, this diagnostic method is safe and painless for the pet.

Fluorescein test

The fluorescein test is used to diagnose corneal lesions and can identify erosions, ulcers, keratitis, and assess the extent and severity of disease.

During the test, the veterinary ophthalmologist drops a couple of drops of fluorescein into the surface of the pet’s eye and then flushes it liberally with saline. “Sore” areas of the eye are colored green, and based on this, the veterinarian can determine the extent and severity of the disease, its nature and location. The fluorescein test can detect eye disease in its earliest stages.

Intraocular Pressure Measurement

Intraocular pressure measurement is performed when glaucoma and uveitis are suspected. The procedure is performed with a special device, does not take much time and is painless for the pet.

Lacrimal duct patency test

The test is performed using fluorescein dye. The solution is put into the eye and the pet’s head is tilted slightly downward. If the passage of the canal is normal, the area of the nostrils turns greenish after 1-2 minutes and if it is difficult, after 5-10 minutes. If the staining is completely absent, this is evidence of an obstruction of the lacrimal duct.

Smear or scrape

Smears and scrapes can detect viral, fungal and bacterial flora and examine the eye for tissue changes.

Types of eye discharge

In a healthy pet, a clear liquid secretion comes out of the eye in small amounts. This secretion cleanses the eye of dust and other small environmental contaminants. During hygiene procedures, the cat itself gets rid of the remaining secretions.

If the color and character of the eye discharge changes to brown, greenish-yellowish or other shades other than normal, the behavior of the pet should be closely monitored: its health may require the help of a specialist.

• Brown discharge with an admixture of pus is a signal of bacterial infection. If festering eyes are followed by other symptoms, such as lethargy, nasal discharge or loss of appetite, see your veterinarian immediately;
• Profuse and thick, transparent discharge is often a symptom of a viral infection;
• Dark, pus-free discharge may occur if the tear ducts are malfunctioning;
• If the discharge looks like normal tears, the cat is probably allergic. Allergies can be recognized by swelling and redness of the eyes.

A number of tests and examinations are necessary to make an accurate diagnosis. Treating a cat without a doctor’s recommendation, based only on the color and nature of the discharge, is dangerous to her health.

? What to do if your cat has watery eyes. Possible causes

Excessive secretion of lacrimal fluid (tearful eyes) is quite common in cats. Kittens suffer from this symptom more often than adults.

In cats of the Persian, Exotic Shorthair breeds, tearfulness is a characteristic feature. Their flattened nose deforms the nasolacrimal duct, which leads to a constant discharge of fluid from it.

Owners of Persians and Exots must constantly monitor the condition of the eyes of their pets, periodically wiping them with cotton disks moistened with decoctions, solutions of appropriate drugs.

If the eyes are watery in cats of other breeds, the owners should not ignore this fact.

• Allergies (to home care products, plants, pollen, perfumes, shampoos)
• Mechanical damage to the eye (ingestion of sand, lint, damage to the eye by various objects during games and walks)
• Infectious diseases (conjunctivitis or other infections for which tearfulness is a symptom)
• Parasite infestation
• Side effects of certain medications
• Lack of proper care (kittens, early weaned from their mother, do not know how to take care of themselves, clean their eyes from foreign particles).

In any case, a doctor will help identify the cause of tearful eyes and eliminate it.

Caring owners try to prevent the appearance of the symptom of watery eyes. To prevent this, it is recommended to periodically wipe the cat’s eyes with special lotions or decoctions of herbs (chamomile, calendula, succession).

If excessive lacrimation is a symptom of any disease of the cat, eye care is carried out with the same remedies in parallel with the main treatment.

Solutions of furacilin (1: 5000), manganese, boric acid (2%) can also be used.

1. Wash your hands with soap and water under running water.
2. Prepare cotton pads (preferably cotton) and washing solution.
3. Sit the cat on your lap and fix its head (It is better if a family member helps you to do this).
4. Open the eyelids and wipe the eye with a tampon soaked in the solution from the outer corner to the inner one. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times, replacing the discs.
5. If necessary, drip the eye with the drug (using a pipette or syringe without needle), bringing it into the outer upper corner of the eye.
6. After finishing treatment of the eyes, wipe the cat’s eyelids and fur with a dry sterile napkin.

Therapy of pathological lacrimation in cats

Self-treatment of abnormal lacrimation may harm the pet and distort the clinical manifestations of the disease, making it difficult for a specialist to make a diagnosis. If for some reason you can not get to the vet quickly, you can try to alleviate the condition of the pet with the help of folk medicine.

Only a doctor can determine the cause of tears in a cat and prescribe therapy after examination

Folk remedies

Decoctions and infusions of plants can be used to wash the eyes of the pet, including if the discharge has a purulent nature:

1. Decoction of three herbs. You need to mix a tsp each of St. John’s wort, calendula and sage, pour 200 ml of boiling water on the mixture and boil for 15 minutes. Use a remedy in a warm form.
2. Decoction of chamomile. Pour 2 tsp. flowers in a glass of boiling water and hold in a water bath for 15 minutes. Cool and use as often as possible.
3. Black tea. Brew black tea – 2 tsp. per half cup of boiling water, let stand for half an hour. The remedy will rid the animal of discomfort and reduce inflammation.

Drugstore remedies

If the cause of tears was the ingress of a foreign object, a specialist will perform its removal. Depending on the cause that caused the discharge from the eyes, drugs are prescribed to relieve inflammation, reduce swelling, get rid of infection. The therapy regimen usually includes irrigation, such as with a solution of Furacilin, followed by the use of eye drops or the application of antibiotic-based ointments. Effective ophthalmic drops, may include:

1. Iris. It is used for lacrimation caused by infectious pathologies, conjunctivitis – acute, purulent and chronic, eliminates the effects of trauma. The basic element of the drug is gentamicin sulfate, which is effective against many types of bacteria and viruses. Put 1-3 drops in each eye for 7-10 days.
2. Levomycetin. This antibiotic destroys bacteria that are resistant to penicillin. The drug is effective in a humid environment – it concentrates, having therapeutic effect on the cornea, vitreous body, and iris. It does not penetrate into the lens. The drug is used for 5 days or more, dripping 2-3 drops 3-4 times a day.
3. Ophthalmosan. The brown drug contains chlorhexidine, succinic acid and plant extracts – chamomile, calendula, eyebright. It has antiseptic, bactericidal action, eliminates inflammation and swelling. Its use helps to relieve pain, itching, redness. The product is used for irrigation and subsequent injection – 2-3 drops 1-3 times a day for 7-14 days.
4. Diamond eyes. The preparation of complex action contains chlorhexidine, taurine and succinic acid. Effective against the majority of bacteria, prevents disturbances in the structure of the eye. Eliminates inflammation and relieves swelling. One drop of the drug twice a day is enough. The course of therapy can be from 5 to 14 days.
5. Bars. Universal tool for irrigation, prevention and therapy of various eye pathologies. It contains furacilin, levomycetin and auxiliary components. The product relieves swelling, inflammation and has a bactericidal effect. Therapy requires 1-2 drops 3-4 times a day for 14 days.
6. Ciprovet. The main element of the remedy is ciprofloxacin. It has a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect. It is used for many eye pathologies – one drop 3-4 times a day.

Preventive measures

To avoid problems with the eyes in cats, it is necessary to pay regular attention to their examination and hygiene. Do not neglect quarterly deworming and vaccination. To prevent the development of any pathology, you should show your pet to a specialist once every six months – as you know, disease is easier to cure at an early stage.

At the slightest problem with the cat’s eyes it is better to show the pet to a specialist – you should not experiment with the health of your pet. On the competent and timely conducted therapy depends largely on the favorable outcome of any disease.

Hello, my name is Elena. I am 35 years old. Education: higher education, department of economics and management. I worked as an accountant in a bank and agro-industrial holding.

When do I need to see a veterinarian?

Determining the cause of lacrimation without the help of a veterinarian can be difficult. The situation is aggravated if the eyes are not only watery but also inflamed. An examination by a specialist is necessary if there are any doubts.

• The tearing continues for more than a day;
• a foreign object has been detected on the mucous membrane;
• there is pus or blood in the discharge;
• The eyelids and mucous membranes are swollen and red;
• There is evident clouding of the cornea;
• a prolapse of the third eyelid is detected;
• The cat is squinting or does not open its eyes;
• nasal discharge has appeared;
• the animal has a fever.

Even if the listed symptoms do not overlap, but only one of them is noted, you should not delay a veterinary examination. When a cat has watery eyes, help should be immediate. On the timely reaction of the owner depends on the pet’s vision and its general well-being.

Why a Scottish lop-eared cat has watery eyes

Breeders and cat lovers know that kittens and adult cats of the Scottish breed often have watery eyes. In childhood, this sign is more pronounced than in adulthood. The anatomical structure of the head and eyes of these cats has special differences. The canal going from the lacrimal gland is shortened, so the tears do not stay in the ducts and quickly go out. The predisposition is due to the flattened shape of the skull, which accounts for the non-standard structure of the eye analyzer.

The Scots’ eyeballs are large, so they require regular flushing with tear fluid. Otherwise, the cat may dry cornea. That said, cats with suspicious signs should definitely be examined, as eye disease is no less common in them than in other breeds.

When and why do you need a lavage

Animals are not always able to remove accumulated secretions from the outer and inner corners of the eyes. Therefore, the owner should periodically help the pet with hygiene. Other times, flushing becomes one of the therapies when an eye disease needs to be treated.

Causes and symptoms of eye disease

Don’t panic if your pet’s eyes start to water – perhaps a speck of dust has landed on the cornea and the body has triggered a defensive reaction in the form of profuse lacrimation. Such conditions stop quickly, within a day, without human help. But there are also more serious cases. Eye injuries or diseases:

1. Scratches and wounds. Eye injuries can be sustained by a pet during a fight, a game, or a fall. Symptoms include redness, swelling, and in rare cases, bleeding.
2. Ingestion of a foreign body. Accompanied by strong lacrimation, redness of the eyelid and cornea, if the particle remains in the eye for a long time – pus may appear.
3. Eyelid inflammation, or blepharitis. If it’s an ordinary inflammation, the cat scratches the eyes, which causes the eyelids to become red. With phlegmosis, the eyelid swells and cloudy mucus oozes from the eye. Blepharitis often occurs after severe scratches and wounds, i.e. it is a secondary infection.
4. Eyelid eversion and protrusion. An abnormal position of the eyelid occurs when a foreign body gets in, when exposed to strong chemicals, when burns occur. Conjunctivitis or keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) can develop from this. Symptoms: lacrimation, photophobia, reddening of the conjunctiva.
5. Parasitosis. Some types of helminths settle in unexpected parts of the body, including the eye area.
6. Infections – One of the most dangerous conditions. It can be concentrated only in the eye (viral conjunctivitis) or affect the whole body (plague, chlamydia, etc.). The infection is characterized by swelling and narrowing of the eye, profuse discharge with pus, crusting and sticking of the eyelids.
7. Allergy – As with humans, a cat may have watery eyes due to allergies to pollen, citrus particles, perfume, etc. In this case there is redness of the eyelids and a strong clear discharge.

What to wash the cat’s eyes with

In most cases you won’t need to specifically buy medication – just open your medicine cabinet at home. It will certainly contain some of the remedies listed below.

What medicine should be used to wash a cat’s eyes out

Any human drugstore can provide products suitable for rinsing a pet’s eyes. You may have them you already have them:

Always pay attention to the percentage! If you make a mistake, you can provoke severe chemical burns.

Other medicines from human pharmacies should not be used for cats – you can miscalculate the dosage or intolerance. If you need to treat a serious illness, your veterinarian will write you a prescription.

You can purchase Eye wash for cats and kittens at a drugstore:

• “Diamond eyes” with chlorhexidine, taurine and chlorocid C, that is, the action of the drug is complex: bactericidal and healing;
• “Bars” are medicinal drops containing furacilin (disinfects) and novocaine (analgesic), often used in the form of lotions.

If the cat becomes allergic to any of the medicines – stop using it immediately.

Folk remedies

For the prevention of disease and with minor discharge, you can use weak decoctions of herbs from the home medicine cabinet. Eye washing for kittens with herbs is best done after consulting the veterinarian – so as not to provoke an allergic reaction. What folk remedies you can use to wash a cat’s eye:

• a small amount of strong black tea;
• Marigold can be brewed: 1 tablespoon of flowers – one cup of boiling water;
• Decoction of St. John’s wort, on the same principle;
• Chamomile is also suitable for a single procedure – 1 sachet / tablespoon per mug of boiling water.

Diagnosing the problem

If your cat’s eyes have been flowing for more than a day and you notice signs of inflammation, go to the vet immediately.
As a rule, the cat is tested for herpesvirus and chlamydia, the nasolacrimal duct is checked (fluorescein test), blood, urine and stool samples are examined, and an eye ultrasound or ophthalmoscopy (examination of the fundus) is performed.

Note. Do not wash the cat’s eyes with antiseptic solutions or put antimicrobial ointments behind the eyelid until you have the test results. Taking medications can change the clinical picture and lead to a misdiagnosis.

Treatment of the disease

When a diagnosis is made, the doctor may prescribe conservative treatment. For example, with an infectious disease, the cat is prescribed a course of antibiotics. With inflammation – washing with antiseptic solutions. Allergies – antihistamines. However, in some cases the problem of lacrimation can only be solved by surgical intervention.
The duration of treatment and rehabilitation depends on the strength of the cat’s immunity and the complexity of the case.