My cat has red eyes. Is it allergies, stress, or needs a vet?

If your pet has tested negative and has been vaccinated for feline leukemia and feline aids, you shouldn't have to worry about those. This could simply be an upper respiratory infection (if sneezing or nasal drainage have been seen), allergies are common this time of year, feline herpes (if you've seen an ulcer or bump), or maybe even something going on with just the eye. You'll want to visit your local Veterinarian for an exam. He/she may prescribe an antibiotic depending on Zoey's condition.

What a cutie! I am sorry to hear about Kalli's issue. Allergies is one possible cause. Abnormally positioned eyelashes or facial hair touching the cornea can also cause this, as can blockage of the nasolacrimal duct which normally drains tears off the eyes. You can read more about this issue at https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951527 (the article says dogs but applies to cats as well). I would recommend wiping the tears from her face several times a day with a wet cloth. If she seems bothered by the tears, she squints or rubs her eyes, or the eyes look red or develop a green or yellow discharge she needs to see the vet. If she is stressed by travel to the vet you can see if there is a housecall vet in your area, or you can ask her vet for medication to give her prior to her visit to make her less stressed. You can also use Feliway spray on her carrier and give her a calming supplement such as Composure or Zylkene beforehand to try to help her be less stressed. These products are available online or at your vet's office.

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. I highly recommend that you have Puma evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. He may be pawing at the eye due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively! Good luck and best wishes!

This actually sounds more like a viral upper respiratory infection. Herpesvirus and calicivirus are very common in cats and many cats are exposed as kittens then continue to have mild outbreaks throughout their lives, particularly during times of stress. Symptoms include watery or red eyes with clear discharge, squinting, sneezing and clear nasal discharge. If this is new for Cass I'd recommend having your veterinarian take a look at her to see what they think. I would not recommend using any eye washes or giving antihistamines - this would be unlikely to help and could make the symptoms worse.

If her third eyelid is up, it could be something more concerning such as a scratch on her cornea. If she is pawing at her eye, please put an e-collar on her to prevent her from causing significant damage to the eye but rubbing it. You can use an eye wash to rinse the eye (here is a great one for pets https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-eye-wash-for-dogs. If its just allergies, this will usually help. Also, Benadryl can be safely given to cats and may help if its an allergy, however most cats HATE the taste, so giving it can be a challenge. Here is an article including dosing information: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-eye-wash-for-dogs If her eye is still bothering her, and/or if the 3rd eyelid is up, take her in to your vet. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. She may be experiencing an allergic reaction to something in your new place or she may be developing an eye infection. She should see her veterinarian tomorrow to have her eyes addressed. You can ask about her hair loss as well. Stress can cause an increase in shedding which could have been brought on by your move. Allergies, mites or ringworm can all cause hairloss as well. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. This could also be something like mange. This is something that it is typically differentiated based on a physical examination and basic cytology which your veterinarian could do. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!