My cat has red, puffy eyes with discharge. Could it be ear mites?

With the redness of his eye plus the discharge and irritated third eyelid, this can be signs of an eye infection. I would have Gatsby seen by a vet as soon as possible for this. The vet can diagnose if he is suffering from an eye infection and can prescribe medication for it. It's very important to have any eye problem checked out promptly because leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. Have Gatsby seen first thing in the morning.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sully. The area around his lips could be a mild case of feline acne. The area near the ear can be seen if with an ear infection. If the ears are itchy, the cat will scratch. This can cause wounds and debris near the canal opening. He will need to see his veterinarian to have an examination. The ear canals curve deep into the skull. So a special instrument is needed to look inside. If an infection is suspected, a swab is typically taken from each ear canal and evaluated under the microscope. I hope this information helps!

It is difficult to diagnose an ear infection without examining the discharge under a microscope to see if there are any bacteria, yeast, or mites. Based on the pictures, it does not appear to be a large amount of discharge. There aren't any OTC ear medications for infections but you could clean the ear with just an ear cleaner labeled for cats and see if that helps. Clean three times a week for now and then once weekly and see if that gets rid of all the discharge. If not, he really needs to go to a vet for treatment.

Hi. Poor baby. This could be an infection or a corneal ulcer. Both which are red and painful. I would recommend getting him seen today or tomorrow. Nothing over the counter besides saline is safe. Good luck

Your cat's eyes appear to be quite inflamed with a clear, watery discharge. The reddish-brown discoloration is more likely a reaction between the enzymes in the tear film with the hair rather than blood. This issue could be related to infection (bacterial or viral), allergic, or due to trauma (such as a corneal ulcer). She will need to be examined by a vet to determine the cause of her eye discharge so that the appropriate medication can be prescribed. Keep an e-collar (cone) on her until the time of her appointment to prevent her from rubbing/scratching her eyes. For your kitten, the picture is quite blurry, so I'm having trouble seeing the white lesions on her ear very well. These scabs could be a result of an ear infection, ear mites, ringworm or other fungal infection. If the scabs come off easily, you can try removing them. However, if they come back or spread elsewhere, your kitten will need to take a trip to the vet for evaluation. I hope that all goes well for both cats!

Hi, and thanks for your question. That is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a trauma or 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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Mojo is having eye issues. Discharge from the eye can have a variety of causes, including an infection, a lack of normal tear production, or a virus, for example. If the eye is worsening and looks red, I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his eye issue and start any treatment (eye drops or antibiotics) that he may need. Good luck!