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Why is my kitten's eye crusted shut and what can I do to help?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 17 days old

My one of my kitten eye keeps closing and getting stuck while the other one is open. He has crust in his eye and hard to get all the way out. Can you give me some advice on how to keep it open.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 4th, 2018

Hello, I am sorry to hear about Tom.

The discharge and crusting you describe could be signs of an eye infection. Kittens are prone to getting eye infections secondary to a viral infection. You could try gently wiping some of the crusts away with a warm facecloth/towel. If the discharge continues and is significant enough that it prevents him from opening his eye fully I would recommend having Tom seen by a veterinarian so that they can perform an ocular examination and prescribe antibiotics if needed.

Hope this helps, good luck!

8Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on December 30th, 2016
Without seeing the kitten, it's hard to say for sure if this is a problem or not. Eye infections are extremely common in young kittens, so you will need to monitor her closely for the next day or so. If the crusting and discharge come back again, or if the eye appears red or swollen, these are signs of an infection - in that case, she should be examined by a vet since she will need prescription eye ointment to treat the infection.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on May 28th, 2017
Poor Bella! What a beautiful kitty she is. I can see that her eyes are definitely very crusty. Eye infections are very common in kittens, and often cause the kind of crusty discharge that you are seeing. She will need prescription eye drops from a vet to treat the infection, so I would recommend taking her for a vet exam as soon as you are able to.

Ideally, it would be best to have her seen today at an emergency clinic if possible, because severe eye infections can cause permanent damage and even vision loss in some cases without prompt treatment. If you aren't able to take her to an emergency vet over the holiday weekend, then I would definitely see a regular vet on Tuesday morning so that she can get started on medication to treat the problem.

In the meantime, you can use plain saline eye flush to gently rinse her eyes, and clean away the crusty discharge a few times a day with a warm washcloth. This will not treat the underlying infection causing the discharge, but it may help to make her more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on March 29th, 2018
I would not put antibiotic ointment on the eye without consulting your vet. Moist compresses on the eye in order to soften the crusts and then wipe them off should suffice. If the eye starts to get a yellow or greenish discharge, take the kitten to the vet for an exam and some prescription antibiotics.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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