Why is my cat's eye discharging and breathing heavier than usual?

If Felix's abnormal breathing occurred when he was sleeping, then I would be inclined to think he was dreaming and that caused the change in breathing. Cats dream, and can twitch in their sleep and have changes in breathing in response to their dreams. As for the eye discharge, I would monitor it for now since you report it a very little amount. Should there be more of it, or it becomes greenish, then I would take Felix into the vet for an eye exam.

He does need to see a vet as soon as possible, as he could have a severe respiratory infection, heart disease, or possibly even cancer if he's an older cat. I would call the RSPCA to come out and get him. They can get him the medical treatment he needs.

Excessive discharge and crusty nose as well may be due to an upper respiratory tract infection possibly due to a viral infection. These infections can be quite severe and cause superficial keratitis when they affect the cornea as well. That may be the reason for the cloudy appearance of the left eye. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hello and thank you for your post! With your description, it sounds as if Sammy is dealing with some sort of respiratory problem. This could be a respiratory infection (bacterial, viral or fungal), allergies, asthma, etc. He does have some dry, crusted discharge in his right eye in the pictures so that may be more indicative of some sort of infection. If you are able to, I would get him into a veterinarian to be seen. The longer you wait, the more this will potentially cost to treat. If you can catch it early on, the cost will likely be less. Of course this depends on what the primary problem is. Please feel free to contact me with further questions / concerns.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kreso. I agree that the lining of her eye is a bit red. She also appears to have some discharge. Respiratory tract infections with eye involvement are common in kittens and young cats. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian to determine if this is the case or if it is something else. She may need medication. I hope this information helps!

Sometimes colds don't go away on their own, and I would have him seen by a vet. He may need medications to treat his symptoms, and the vet can prescribe that. It also sounds like he has an eye infection, and those are considered quite serious because leaving them untreated can lead to vision loss. That requires an immediate trip to the vet, and if you don't want to assume financial responsibility for him, you can take him to the SPCA. They can treat his symptoms, and can find a home for him. If you do want to take him to the vet, I would have him seen ASAP. There is few things you can do at home for him that will work well in conjunction with medications from the vet. First, you can try starting him on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If he's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing him into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections.

It looks like Kitty might have an upper respiratory infection causing conjunctivitis. A viral infection is most common, although secondary bacterial infections can also occur. A scratch on the surface of the eye could also cause redness and discharge but would not cause sneezing. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian for an exam. They can check for a scratch on the cornea or prescribe medications to treat a respiratory infection.