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Why is my kitten's eye squinting and watery? When should I see a vet?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Maine Coon | Female | unspayed | 1 month and 15 days old

My cat Luna is a kitten maybe a month old. She was a early Christmas gift. Recently her left eye she has been squinting and it's watery. What's wrong.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 25th, 2017

Young kittens very commonly have bacterial and viral ocular issues. They can also be squinting from an injury to the cornea. I suggest you get her to your vet ASAP so they can diagnose the issue and provide the proper treatment. Eyes are very delicate organs and can go from bad to worse very quickly. You should not wait a long time to seek treatment.

The only thing you can do at home while waiting to get her to a vet is to rinse the eye with saline solution. That is the only safe thing you can put in there for now without knowing what the underlying problem is.

Hope this helps. Best wishes.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Makenzie Kurth, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on February 1st, 2018
I have small children too so I understand your concern! We can never guarantee that something underlying isn’t going on- especially in runts. If she is eating and happy, those are both great signs. If she is squinting either or both eyes, I’d say this little darling has herpes virus. It is very common (the vast majority of cats have it and likely your other cat has had it before too. It is NOT transmissible to people). It tends to be a problem in kittens and sometimes in older cats during times of illness or stress. If she is squinting, you’ll need to see the vet to get the right eye ointment/drops for her. If the eyes don’t seem to bother her (no squinting, thick discharge, etc) then perhaps it is a problem with tear drainage (often nothing is done about this) or something else entirely. Hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Joy Fuhrman, DVM, MBA, CPA
Veterinarian
Published on February 25th, 2017
It is not normal for kittens to have tearful eyes for a duration of time and it could indicate an infection. Your veterinarian should be able to figure out what is going on and provide treatment options for the kittens. Good luck! I hope they are feeling better soon.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Amy S. Eutsey, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on November 6th, 2017
If these kittens are showing signs of an eye infection or upper respiratory infection, they should be on medication- including eye medication and an oral antibiotic. Any kitten of any age can use prescription eye medication if it is the proper medication. There is no minimum age or size that is required. I would recommend that you take them to a veterinarian for an exam . If the shelter has a veterinarian on staff you can ask for them to look at the kittens, but medical advice and treatment needs to come from a veterinarian.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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