Why does my cat have eye boogers and discharge after waking?

Cats can get the sleep discharge that humans can when they wake up in the morning. As long as Nala's eyes are not red, she doesn't have excessive discharge, and it's not greenish in color, I would not be worried about it. It is always ideal, however, to have any eye problem checked out by a vet just to be safe, and you can have Nala seen by a vet this week for a health check.

The pictures are quite dark, so it's not possible to actually see the eye, but this type of case is usually due to a scratch to the outside of the eye, or a foreign body stuck under the eyelid. Scratches to the outside of the eye are not usually easy to see and we often need to apply a special stain to the eye in order to detect it. For now, it's best if you can flush the eye with normal saline. Saline flush can be bought at the pharmacy, or supermarket in the eye care section. Flush the eye 3-4 times daily and gently wipe away the discharge with a warm/moist cotton or cloth. Below is a link to a good video that demonstrates how to flush the eye. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXVNMcPzhs If the eye is still swollen tomorrow, then it's best to take him to the vet for an exam. It's also possible that there is an infection in the eye, or conjunctiva that is causing this. The vet should be able to narrow-down the cause of this rather quickly and provide the necessary treatment. I hope that helps and Simba gets better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to an eye injury or conditions such as a corneal laceration, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, dry eye (also known as KCS), among many other conditions. That lump could represent the site of an infection like a tooth root abscess which could also explain the eye discharge. I highly recommend that you have Simba evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. Good luck and best wishes!

Hi there. Simba could have a bacterial or viral infection, or something within his eyelid that is irritating the eye and causing the discharge. I would recommend having him checked by your vet. They will be able to test the eye and look for a cause, as well as prescribe meds to get it cleared up. I hope that helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Simba. Most eye problems in cats are due to some upper respiratory viruses, other organisms, and trauma to the eye resulting in corneal scratches, ulcers. Herpes virus, Calicivirus, Chlamydia, and Mycoplasma cause most of the common eye problems. I would have her evaluated by your veterinarian. Your vet can take a history, perform a physical exam, and recommend a diagnostic/treatment plan. Corneal eye stain is usually performed to make sure the cornea is not damaged. Once a diagnosis is made, the eye can be treated properly. The skin problem near the eye is due to the constant moisture draining from the eye. Once the eye problem is addressed, this should heal. Good luck

Clear eye discharge is not uncommon. I would not be worried about this unless the discharge turns yellow or green which would indicate an infection. You can use saline solution or a commercial eye wash to rinse the eyes out daily if he will let you. Otherwise just wiping the discharge away when you see it is fine. I would use a cotton ball soaked in warm water to wipe the eyes and not a Q-tip. They also have pre-made eye wipes for cats if you would rather use that. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/well-and-good-cat-eye-wipes ) ( https://www.petco.com/category/cat/cat-health-and-wellness/cat-ear-and-eye-care ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

fbIf you notice squinting, rubbing at the eye, increased discharge, redness, decreased vision, or if the eye appears to be protruding, please get Rose to a vet right away. Do not apply anything to the eye without checking with your vet first. You can clean underneath the eye with a cloth dipped in clean warm water twice a day to help prevent buildup.