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Cat owners should always be on the lookout for eye problems as cats depend mostly on their eyesight for hunting and stalking their prey.
Watery eyes, frequent blinking, squinting or pawing at their eyes, may all be signs that the eye is painful.
Cats also have an extra eyelid, which is called the nictitating membrane. If this extra eyelid is visible then something could be wrong or your cat could feel unwell.
Signs Of Eye Problems In Cats
Signs and symptoms to look out for include:
- Discharge – A clear discharge without redness or pain could indicate a problem in the tear drainage system. A thick, sticky discharge combined with redness and inflammation could indicate conjunctivitis.
- Pain – Signs of pain include squinting, production of tears and avoidance of light. The nictitating membrane may protrude in response to pain. The common causes of painful eyes are injuries to the cornea and disorders affecting the inner eye.
- Cloudiness – Loss of clarity or transparency in the eye indicates an inner eye disorder. Disorders that can cause a cloudy eye are keratitis, glaucoma and cataracts.
- Fixed or dilated pupils – that do not react to light
- Eyelid Irritation – swelling, crusting, itching, or hair loss of the eyelids.
- Bulging or Sunken Eyes
- Abnormal Movements – eyes that focus in different directions or constantly move side to side
- Trauma – scratches, punctures or lacerations due to fighting. Other causes of eye trauma in cats can include foreign material that gets lodged under an eyelid, falls or being hit by a car
