Causes Of Watery Eyes In Cats
Watery Eyes in cats can be caused by a number of underlying health complications, but it is commonly seen in short faced cats. Short faced, or brachycephalic cat breeds, are genetically predisposed to have short noses and bulging eyes. The bulging eyes are not protected from dirt, pollen and other elements that can scratch and inflame the eye, causing the eyes to water. Other causes of watery eyes in cats include the following:
- Eyelid Tumors
- Squamous cell carcinoma : extremely rare, but the most commonly seen eye-associated tumor in cats. White cats are the most commonly affected group.
- Glaucoma: increased pressure within the eye
- Trauma
- FIP
- FeLV
- Tear duct blockage due to a structural deformity of the tear duct or inflammation caused by a secondary condition.
- Distichiasis: irregular growth of eyelashes
- Entropion: turning inward of the eyelashes
Cat Eye Infection Treatments For Watery Eyes
If your cat is diagnosed with an infection or damage to the eye, you may be given some eye drops or ointment to put in the eyes. Your vet will show you how to use the medicine, but these tips will help you deal with this stressful treatment for your pet.
Keep your cat calm and work in a quiet environment. Place the cat on a table and reward him/her during the treatment. Speak calmly as you put the drops or ointment in the eye. Try not to touch the surface of the eye with the tip of the applicator.
Are you looking for a holistic way to treat your cats anxiety or other therapeutic issues? Check out this article on Using CBD Oil for Cats. If the problem is motion sickness or car sickness, these Tips for Treating Car Sickness might help. If you just feel that you and your cat need some quiet time to destress, check out these Top 10 Cat Movies.
My Cats Eyes Are Red And Inflamed Whats Wrong
Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, will cause the eyes to become extremely red and irritated. This is commonly seen in cats. It can be caused by not only viral infections , but also allergies. The eyes may also progress to swelling and light sensitivity. Conjunctivitis tends to occur in times of stress or seasonal . Although easy to treat, if left untreated, serious consequences may occur.
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Are There Any Other Physical Reasons Why My Cat May Be Crying
Similar to humans, if something gets stuck in your cats eye or in their tear duct this may cause the cat to cry. Its very important to take note of debris stuck inside of your cats tear ducts as it may lead to infection or inflammation if not dealt with. Dry Eye is also a common problem. If your cat has a lack of tear production, their eyes may become inflamed if left untreated. This may also lead to blindness. Dry Eye is commonly treated with ointments, antibiotics, artificial tears, eye drops, or immune-suppressing drugs.
Why Do My Cats Eyes Look Like They Are Crying
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If your cat looks like she is crying, it may be due to one of the conditions described above, but it may be due to other things such as pain or swelling or related to nasal discharge and sneezing.
If your cat is pawing at her eyes, and her eyes seem to be painful, contact the veterinarian as soon as possible. If the eyeball is bulging, or if the eye is cloudy or red, these could be serious signs that warrant a vet visit. Conditions such as glaucoma are very painful for pets, and demand immediate medical attention as this painful condition can get worse very rapidly and cause permanent blindness.
Watery eyes, sneezing and a runny nose are all signs of an upper respiratory infection or a cold and can make your cat look like shes crying. Cold symptoms are typically clear up within a week however, if the symptoms become worse, make an appointment with your veterinarian.
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Is My Cat Crying
Epiphora, or excess tearing, is caused by the abnormal drainage of tears or irritation to the eye. It is very common to see epiphora in flat-faced breeds, or brachycephalics, such as Persians or Himalayans. Due to a shortened muzzle, the tears can no longer properly drain into the nose, which consequently causes the tears to roll down the face. These breeds also tend to have shallow eye sockets, causing the eyes to bulge. This increases exposure of the cornea causing greater environmental irritation to the eye. In response, the eyes will increase tear production to remove any debris stuck to the cornea surface.
Eyelid conditions, such as entropion and ectropion , can cause the hairs around the eye to rub the cornea when blinking and/or collect debris. Each of these conditions cause further eye irritation and excess tears.
Common allergens can also cause epiphora. Environmental irritants from dust, dirt, household cleaning products, and scented items , to seasonal pollens, molds, etc., can cause eye drainage just like in people. If your cat has clear eye drainage, but is eating and drinking well, and still acting playful, you are likely fine to monitor for 48 hours to see if the drainage clears without vet care.
Treatment For Weeping Eyes In Cats
As the causes of watery eyes in cats can vary so greatly, so can the treatment options. When you take your cat to the vet, theyll examine your cat, and may carry out some diagnostic tests which will help them to prescribe the appropriate treatment. Examples of some possible treatments for watery eyes in cats include antibiotic eyedrops and ointments for bacterial infections, and pain relief which may also act as anti-inflammatory medications these may be oral or can come as an eyedrop or ointment.
Its important to understand that certain conditions, such as issues caused by brachycephaly, have no cure, but your vet will be able to help you and your feline manage the symptoms. Its also important to be aware of the potential problems that can arise with brachycephalic breeds when you are deciding which type of cat is right for you. Responsible breeders will avoid breeding from cats that have health problems due to their inherited brachycephalic conformation, as their offspring will also be likely to suffer from the same problems.
Now you know the most common causes behind watering eyes in cats! Looking for more cat health advice? Read our guide on abscesses in cats next.
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Reasons Why Your Cat’s Eyes Might Water
If your cat has watery eyes it likely means that the eye is attempting to fight off some form of health threat such as a virus or a foreign body. In many cases the cause is minor and will clear up without veterinary care. That said, there are a host of more serious reasons that your cat’s eyes could be watering. To find the cause of your cat’s eye issue it’s necessary to look for other symptoms.
Symptoms Of Eye Issues In Cats
Water and Glassy Looking Eyes
Allergies are a surprisingly common issue for cats and can certainly lead a cat’s eyes to become irritated and watery. Common allergies that could affect your cat’s eyes include pollen, mold and mildew dust, household cleaning products, perfumes, and some medications. Keeping your cat away from the allergen could help to clearup the issue. However, if you are unable to pinpoint what is causing your cat’s watery eyes a trip to the vet is in order. Your vet will be able to rule out more serious causes for your cat’s watery eyes and be able to recommend ways to help make your cat’s eyes feel more comfortable.
Blinking, Squinting and Pawing at Eyes
If your cat has watery eyes and is blinking excessively, squinting or pawing at their eyes a visit to your vet is required. Your cat could have a foreign body trapped and irritating the eye, or a blocked nasolacrimal duct . Although nasolacrimal obstructions aren’t as common in cats as they are in dogs they can result in tears overflowing and running out of the eye.
Red and Inflamed Eyes
Sticky, Yellow or Green Discharge
Obvious Pain or Swelling
Nasal Discharge and Sneezing
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Other Signs Of Eye Problem In Cats
When it comes to your cats health, its important to keep tabs on the health of her eyes as well. Eye problems in cats should be addressed by your veterinarian as soon as possible because infections, trauma, viruses, and metabolic conditions such as diabetes can cause permanent damage to the eye. Dont let it go untreated if you notice other signs such as redness of the sclera , inflammation and swelling of the conjunctiva or eyelids, or green, yellow or goopy discharge.
How Your Vet Can Help
Your veterinary team will do a complete eye exam to evaluate your cats eye structures and eye function. This can include testing your cats tear drainage, done by dropping a bit of green fluorescein stain in your cats eye to see if it flows out through the nose or out onto their face. They may also measure your cats eye pressure, and take a sample of eyeball discharge to look for an infection.
Treating leaky cat eyes will depend on whats causing the leak. Bacterial eye infections can be treated with antibiotic eye medications, while blocked tear ducts may be opened up and flushed.
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Treatments For Your Cats Watering Eyes
One of the most common treatments for cats with watering eyes is prescription eye drops. After assessing the cause of your cats symptoms, your vet will prescribe eye drops that will both soothe your cats discomfort and treat the root cause of their watering eyes.
If your vet determines that your cats eyes are watering due to bacteria-induced conjunctivitis, theyll also prescribe an antibiotic to eradicate the bacteria. In the case of the Feline Herpes Virus, your vet is unlikely to prescribe an antibiotic, since they cant eradicate viruses.
Regardless of whether your cats watering eyes are due to a bacterial or viral infection, you can supplement your cats eye recovery with Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Eye Wash. Our non-stinging formula gently cleans your cats eyes, restores natural moisture, and helps prevent future irritations.
For cats with congenital allergies, your vet will likely prescribe eye drops and recommend making changes to your cats environment. However, if your cats allergic reaction also caused them to excessively scratch at their skin, you can treat their wounds, rashes, and irritated skin with Vetericyn Plus Feline Antimicrobial Hydrogel. Our hydrogel will clean out any bacteria that infiltrated your cats vulnerable skin and provide soothing relief. This temporarily answers the question, How can I treat my cats eye infection at home? But only if you cant go to the vet yet.
How Long Will Recovery Take
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Recovery from watery eyes could be as short as a few hours or days or as long as several weeks.
It is completely dependent upon the root cause of the watery eyes.
A few examples may be the most effective way to get a handle on this:
- If your cat has something stuck in her eye and you remove it you can usually expect a recovery within only a couple of hours
- When your cat ends up with something like Conjunctivitis then as long as you apply the appropriate medication consistently you can usually expect a recovery within a week or two
- Cats with Upper Respiratory Infections that are treated properly usually recover within a couple of weeks as well
- If your kitty recently got in a fight and has a scratched or damaged eye and requires a surgical procedure then you may be expecting an extended recovery period
Your veterinarian will be most well equipped to help you understand how long the recovery will take based on the severity of the issue causing the watery eyes.
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My Cats Eyes Are Watering Should I Worry
My cats eyes are watering. This is common for my cat Beast. It is pretty much a weekly if not daily occurrence.
I was going to the vet for a checkout though so I had questions to ask. Is it dangerous? Do I need to worry? Is there anything I can do to help? Should I clean them?
In this article we’ll look into why cats eyes water and what you can and should to to help.
How To Prevent Eye Problems In The Future
Preventing eye problems in cats means scheduling regular check-ups with your veterinarian to ensure that your cat is in overall good health. If your cat has been diagnosed with a particular eye condition, your veterinarian may recommend certain treatments such as eye drops or ointments. As they say, prevention is the best medicine, and its essential to make sure that your cat is up to date on her vaccines, has a safe and clean living environment, and has access to a healthy diet and lots of fresh water.
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Promote Cat Eye Health With Vetericyns Preventative Products
It can happen to even the most responsible pet parents: Youre lounging on the couch, watching your furry friend play with their favorite toy, when all of a sudden you realize, My cats eye is watering!
Luckily, most causes of cats eyes watering are common and treatable. A few days after a trip to the vet, your cat will be back to normal. But, prevention is the best medicine, and treating your cat with Vetericyns slate of antimicrobial products can protect their eyes from future irritation.
At Vetericyn, we want to help keep your pets comfortable, healthy, and happy. Thats why our products wont sting or burn, and are safe to ingest . Check out our products in-store and online to protect your cats health and wellness and keep those eyes tear-free.
What If I See A Flat Or Swollen Area Of Pink Flesh In My Cats Eye
Cats have three eyelids. The third eyelid resides at the innermost corner of the eye and is normally not visible. Sometimes, it can be seen with infections or certain parasites. Other times, the eyelid may pop out of its normal position and swell due to lack of blood circulation. This is known as a cherry eye. This swelling can alter normal tear drainage, causing tears to run down the face instead. An appointment should be scheduled with your vet for treatments, but these conditions are not emergencies.
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What Can I Do For The Staining
There are many remedies that have been recommended for removing or eliminating the facial staining associated with excess tears. None of these has proven to be 100% effective. Some over-the-counter treatments may be harmful or injurious to the eyes.
Low doses of some antibiotics are no longer recommended due to the risk of developing bacterial antibiotic resistance rendering these valuable antibiotics worthless for human and veterinary use. Some over-the-counter products have been suggested but have not been proven to be effective in research trials.
Do not use any product without consulting with your veterinarian. Avoid using any product containing hydrogen peroxide near the eyes, since these products can cause severe damage if inadvertently splashed into the eyes.
Treatment: What Do You Do When Your Cats Eye Is Watering
The right course of action to take if you discover that your cats eye is watering depends on what other symptoms they may have. For example, if you just notice a bit of wateriness for a couple of days, which eventually clears up on its own, you probably dont need to do anything.
However, if you notice other symptoms, such as irritation, redness, squinting, or swelling around the eye, this could be a sign of something more serious, such as pink eye, allergies, an eye infection, or even glaucoma. Noticing other symptoms, sustained watery eye symptoms, or visible pain or discomfort in your cat is a sign that its time to make a visit to the vet.
If your cat does have an infection or other serious cause of irritation in their eye, your vet will likely prescribe one of the following:
- Eye drops
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Reasons Why Cat Eyes Water
If you notice that one of your cat’s eyes is watering, this generally indicates that their eye is attempting to fight off some kind of threat to their health. This can range from a virus to a foreign object.
In many cases, if one or both of your cat’s eyes are watering, the cause will be minor and should clear up on its own without veterinary intervention. That being said, there are a number of more serious causes and symptoms associated with your cat’s eyes watering that could require more intensive care.
Why Are My Cat’s Eyes Watery
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The moist outer layer on your cat’s eye protects it by washing away dirt and debris. If your kitty’s eyes have started to water excessively, or if your feline friend is squinting, it could be a sign that there is a more serious issue. Today, our Gaithersburg vets explain a few reasons why cats’ eyes might water.
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Diagnosing The Watery Cat Eyes
The diagnosis of the cat will consist of a full examination and some tests:
- Blood tests, which can indicate if there is an infection in the cats body
- Radiographs can help identify any foreign objects stuck in the cats system and may also be needed if the cat has an infection, to determine if the lungs are affected in any way