My indoor cat has a red scratch near her eye. Should I worry?

It doesn't look too bad in the picture. Poppy may have injured herself by rubbing her face against something in the home. I would keep an eye on it for now. if it gets bigger or appears infected (redness, swelling, warm to the touch, pus), then have her seen by a vet. I hope this helps!

Scratching around the ears or eyes may indicate an allergy, or may even indicate a problem with the ears themselves such as an infection or ear mites (very common in cats). Signs of [ear mites](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/ear-mites/) include dark or dirty debris that is black or deep red in appearance, or you may see other debris that is foul-smelling in the ears. Ear mites and infections usually require a sample being taken by the vet to determine the exact cause, as well as a regimen of [cleaning the ears](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-clean-your-cat-s-ears-what-you-need-to-know/) with a medicated cleaner for 7-10 days. Ear mites can be spread to other pets, so treating any other dogs or cats in the house at the same time is best. If the ears are clear but you are seeing redness, it may indicate an allergy, or even possible problems such as [ring worm](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/ringworm/) (which appear as a red "target" ring that will gradually increase in size over time, and IS contagious to other pets and people). Your vet can provide you with an allergy medication dosage to treat minor allergies, or may ask you to bring in your cat for an exam if you suspect ringworm or other skin infections.

This is a common place for kitties to develop lesions when they are having a chronic allergy. Some possibilities include food allergy, flea allergy, medication allergy, or environmental allergy. The first step is to ensure he is on a good course of flea preventative. Dietary allergies are usually ruled out by performing a diet trial - feeding a special prescription hypoallergenic food for a period of time. If it turns out he has an environmental allergy, he may need seasonal or lifelong allergy treatment. A short course of anti-inflammatory steroid medication may be needed to resolve this inflammation. A local veterinarian can examine Benny and help determine which course of action is best based on his history and what seems the most likely cause.

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!

If Cali is behaving normally otherwise, you can try using an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent scratching or rubbing. This may allow time for healing. Also, check her over for fleas or flea dirt. If she is sensitive, just one flea bite could make her very itchy. A pheromonal product, such as Feliway spray or diffuser, may decrease any stress or anxiety due to your new addition (Congratulations, by the way!). Keep the Ivy out of reach if possible. While not high on the toxicity scale, ingestion or chewing of a leaf or two may cause irritation in and around the mouth and/or GI upset. Monitor for worsening of symptoms, squinting of the eye(s) or discharge. See your veterinarian for a physical exam to address non healing or additional symptoms.

Poor girl. If she is indeed closing the eye and seems bothered by it, there is a good chance she has a scratch or ulcer on the the from some unknown trauma she may have caused herself. She will need prescription antibiotics from your vet to get this to heal properly. I would recommend taking her in soon to get this treated before it gets any worse. Best wishes with Millie and I hope she feels better soon. Take care.

Keep an eye on it and if it does not look better by tomorrow, or if he starts to scratch at it or rub his face, then get him seen by your vet as soon as possible. The worry is that if he starts rubbing or scratching, that he'll injure the eye itself and that will require more intensive treatment than a simple scratch or mild eye infection.