My cat has a red, discharging eye with bald skin. What's wrong?

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!

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!

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.

Hello. This could be any number of things such as a flare up of a herpes virus very common in cats, or he has as infection, possibly from a small scratch on his cornea, or even a bit on conjunctivitis. Wil should see his veterinarian to make sure there is nothing more serious with the eye, & usually, with the proper treatments & medications, eyes clear up very nicely. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Simba's eyes do not look red and swollen in the picture, and the discharge may just be sleep. Humans get it too when they wake up. I'd keep an eye on him for now. If his eyes starts discharging a lot, or it becomes red or swollen, have him seen by a vet. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes a scratch can be naked to the visible eye and you need a special stain to see it. I would recommend having a vet check that first. If negative, he may have herpesvirus. This is common in cats and can flair up in times of change or stress. If so, there are antiviral oral and eye medications if needed. Good luck and kisses to Onyx!

Hi, and thanks for your question. That is likely to be due to a moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. 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!