Why are my cat's inner eye corners showing? Is it a problem?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The white tissue in the corner of the eyes is the third eye lid. It goes up like this when a cat is unwell. It is not a specific sign for one particular disease but it often means that a cat has fever, has breathing problems, has abdominal discomfort, muscle or joint pain. Please, take Lancelot to your local vets tomorrow for full clinical examination. Your vet may recommend a blood test or abdominal scan to find out what is going on. Good luck !

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Winston is a cutie and I am not concerned about this. I actually see this in many relaxed cats. Unless the watering is lasting more than a day, there is full-on squinting or rapid blinking, redness, cloudiness, or other worrisome signs, I am inclined to ignore it. If you have any concerns, definitely see your vet to make sure everything looks normal. Best of luck to you and Winston!

Having the third eyelid up is often a sign of a systemic disease from a virus or infection, not an eye problem itself. This can also be caused by intestinal parasites. I recommend a veterinary exam and testing of his blood for feline leukemia and aids and a fecal test for intestinal parasites. They will also check him for anemia and make sure his organs are functioning properly. Once they find the reason then they can prescribe the correct treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mochi.

What you are seeing in the inside corner of Nala's eye is a normal structure called the third eyelid (or nictating membrane). However, it is not normally up as much as Nala's are in the picture. There are a few possibilities of why a third eyelid will be up more than normal. Some drugs will make them go up more, tapeworms (https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951442) can sometimes make them go up in cats, and any irritation of the eye can make them go up. Since it appears to be getting worse, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine her to see if they can find a cause. If Nala is squinting or rubbing at her eyes, she should see a veterinarian ASAP. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Leroy. Oh my, he is adorable! He has the cutest cross eyes. Typically the third eyelid should not be out all the time, and it can be a sign of a problem. Now if the vet examined him and said he was fine, then it may be normal for him due to the shape of his eyes. It could also be a sign of intestinal worms, so make sure he is up to date on his deworming treatments. Please give him a cuddle from me, he is beyond cute!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see that Scarlett is having problems. This can indicate a few things such as something called Horner's Syndrome, Haws Syndrome, or some type of injury to the eye or eyelids. It's not likely Horner's because that is usually one eye and is a neurological disorder of the eye and facial muscles. Haw's syndrome is more likely since it's both eyes. This is an odd syndrome of elevated third eyelids and often times diarrhea. Some people suspect tapeworm infestation or a viral cause for this syndrome. It's usually not treated and is most times self limiting and will resolve. Eye and eyelid injuries are often again only one eye but could less commonly be both eyes. If you don't notice any discharge, rubbing of the eyes, redness of the eyes, or pain I would just advise monitoring the situation. I did notice that her left third eyelid and eye looked redder than the right which could mean that she does have something going on with that eye, such as conjunctivitis. I would advise seeing your veterinarian and let them evaluate her. They can take a detailed history and perform a thorough examination. Once those are done, your vet can advise you on a diagnostic/treatment plan based on their clinical findings. Possible tests include a corneal stain, conjunctival scrape, etc. Conjunctivitis is commonly viral and/or bacterial in nature in young kittens. Also, your vet can advise you on a good preventive health care program for Scarlett. Good question. I hope this just resolves on it's own like most cases do.

It sounds like you may be describing an elevated third eyelid - it looks like a thin membrane, that covers part of the eye near the inner corner. This is often associated with an eye infection or an injury to the cornea (such as a scratch or ulcer), but can also be seen with other types of illnesses. I would recommend taking her to the vet for an eye exam tomorrow, if possible.