5 Reasons Why Your Cat's Eye Discharge Increases
Cat Eye Discharge Reason 1 - Physiological Phenomenon
When humans wake up, there may be discharge from the corners of their eyes, and cats are no exception! Owners can first check if their cat's secretions only look like a small amount of eye droppings and can be easily cleaned, and if so, don't worry too much because this is a normal physiological phenomenon!
Cat Eye Discharge 2 - Trauma
Fights between cats or bumps and scrapes can cause eye injuries. When a cat's eyes are irritated and injured, they are prone to inflammation, which can lead to an increase in the discharge from the cat's eyes. If the increase in eye discharge is caused by trauma, it's best to take your cat to the doctor as soon as possible to prevent the wound from worsening and causing more serious problems.
Causes of Increased Eye Discharge in Cats 3 - Eye Infections
When your cat's eyes are infected with bacteria or viruses that cause conjunctivitis, the discharge from the eyes may also increase. Regardless of the cause, it is recommended that you bring your cat to your veterinarian for a checkup to determine the cause of the problem and then treat it. If it is a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be used; if it is a viral infection, the veterinarian may prescribe antiviral medication to give your cat a healthy pair of windows to its soul.
Causes of Increased Eye Discharge in Cats 4 - Disease
A common disease that can cause discharge from your cat's eyes is the highly contagious feline herpes virus. In addition to tearing and eye discharge, feline herpes virus can also cause upper respiratory tract infections such as sneezing and cold symptoms such as loss of appetite and poor energy.
Cat Eye Discharge Cause 5 - Dietary Problems
Diet is also a common cause of eye discharge in cats. If your cat's diet is heavily salty and greasy, and if she drinks too little water, she may develop discharge from her eyes. For both cats and dogs, a balanced, healthy diet that is not overly salty and greasy is essential.
4 Common Cat Eye Discharge Colors
Cat Eye Discharge Color 1 - Dark Red, Dark Brown
If your cat's eye discharge appears to be dark red or dark brown in color, it is more likely to be one of the following two common conditions:
Dark red or dark brown eye discharge caused by food and drink
If your cat's diet is too oily or salty, and the calorie intake is too high, and the amount of water consumed is too low, it is easy for dark red or dark brown discharge to occur. You can help your cat hydrate more and adjust its diet to improve the eye discharge.
Feline Herpes Virus Causes Dark Red, Dark Brown Discharge
If your cat's eye discharge appears dark red or dark brown, and is accompanied by sneezing, tearing, or even poor appetite, we recommend that you seek medical attention.
Cat Eye Discharge Color 2 - Yellowish Green
Yellowish green eye discharge with a sticky feeling and odor is likely to be caused by conjunctivitis, keratitis, or other viral or bacterial infections.
Cat Eye Discharge Color 3-Yellow
When your cat's eyes or body are inflamed, yellow colored discharge may appear around the eyes. When yellow discharge appears, it is recommended that you take your cat to your veterinarian for a checkup to see if antibiotic ointment is effective in relieving the inflammation.
Cat Eye Discharge Color 4 - Dark Red, Dark Orange
If your cat's eye discharge is dark red or dark orange, or if it appears to be frozen or orange with blood, it is more likely that your cat's eyes are injured. Take your cat to a veterinarian and treat the injury to prevent it from getting worse.
5 Common Cat Eye Diseases and Symptoms
Common Cat Eye Diseases and Symptoms 1 - Conjunctivitis
Causes of Conjunctivitis in Cats
Conjunctivitis is a common eye disease in cats. It can be caused by feline herpes virus, blocked nasolacrimal ducts, drug allergies, or irritation from foreign objects.
Symptoms of Conjunctivitis in Cats
Symptoms of conjunctivitis in cats include a yellowish-green discharge, accompanied by congestion of the conjunctiva. Cats with conjunctivitis may also be photophobic.
Common Cat Eye Diseases and Symptoms 2 - Cataracts
Causes of Cataracts in Cats
Cat cataracts occur when the crystals in your cat's eyes become cloudy, preventing light and images from penetrating the crystals. Cataracts can be caused by a number of factors, including genetics, eye injuries, inflammation, aging, and diabetes.
Cat Cataract Symptoms
The symptoms of cat cataracts in cats vary depending on the course of the disease. Initially, the cataracts may only appear as a small white spot in the eye, which does not affect vision. However, as the cat cataract progresses, it may eventually lose its vision if not treated as soon as possible.
Common Cat Eye Diseases and Symptoms 3 - Corneal Ulcers
Causes of Corneal Ulcers in Cats
Corneal ulcers in cats can be caused by dry eye, entropion or ectropion of the eyelid, abnormal eyelash growth, trauma, eye rubbing, or bacterial or viral infections.
Symptoms of corneal ulcers in cats
Corneal ulcers in cats can cause a variety of symptoms, including prolonged squinting, frequent blinking, eye discharge, photophobia, etc. Corneal ulcers in cats can also be caused by the sensation of the cornea. Because the cornea is densely populated with sensory nerves, cats with corneal ulcers may also experience eye pain.
Common Cat Eye Diseases and Symptoms 4 - Uveitis
Causes of Uveitis in Cats
Uveitis is commonly known as inflammation of the inside of the eye. There are many causes of uveitis in cats, but systemic diseases and infections are the most common. Bacterial infections such as bacteremia, viral infections such as feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus, and feline coronavirus, as well as parasites, toxoplasmosis, and mold infections are all possible causes of uveitis.
Symptoms of feline uveitis
Excessive tearing, reddening of the whites of the eyes, eye pain, photophobia, smaller pupils, and increased eye discharge are all common clinical symptoms of feline uveitis.
Common Cat Eye Diseases and Symptoms 5 - Glaucoma
Causes of Glaucoma in Cats
There are three main causes of glaucoma in cats:
A rise in pressure in the eye, resulting in damage to the nervous system.
When the drainage function of the eye chamber is blocked, water accumulates in the eyeball and compresses the intraocular structures, causing ischemia and hypoxia in the eye and triggering neurological changes.
Glaucoma can also be caused by structural abnormalities of the eye, eye infections, inflammation, eye injuries or tumors.
Symptoms of Glaucoma in Cats
In the early stages of glaucoma in cats, there may be asymmetric slight pupil dilation, localized corneal edema, and reddening of the white part of the eye. In the middle stage of glaucoma, the cat's eyes may feel painful and tearful, and the cat may scratch and squint because of the discomfort. In the later stages, cats may be prone to bumping into furniture due to impaired vision.
6 Steps to Properly Clean Your Cat's Eyes
Step 1 - Relaxing your cat
Allow your cat to sit or lie down, and pet her to calm her down. Do not touch her face directly during this step to avoid making her feel bad.
Step 2 - Use cotton swabs or wipes to clean your cat's eyes
Dampen a cotton swab with saline, or use a pet wipe, and keep it in your cat's line of sight, but don't touch her for a while. You can offer a snack as a reward, so that your cat will become familiar with the cleaning items and have a positive association with cleaning her eyes.
Step 3 - Touch your cat's eye area
When your cat is not too reluctant to do so, try using a cotton swab or a wet tissue around the eye area, wiping along the edges of the eye from the top to the bottom of the eye. If there is any dried secretion, don't press hard, use a clean, wet towel to apply a little moisture, and then wipe again after the secretion has softened. You can also reward your cat with a snack when you're done.
Step 4 - Saline Eye Wash
If your cat has some secretions in its eyes, you can rinse them out with saline solution, and remember not to clean them by hand to avoid eye injuries.
Step 5 - Drying Your Cat's Eyes
After the above steps are completed, use a clean towel or cotton ball to soak up the moisture.
Step 6 - Massage with a warm towel
Wring out a warm washcloth soaked in hot water and place it on either side of your cat's nose. Gently press it three to four times to massage your cat's tear ducts.