My 3-month-old kitten's eye is tearing and sticky. What should I do?

Clarise’s eye discharge may be due to a viral infection, a problem with the drainage of the lacrimal duct or allergies. Infections are the most common cause and I would recommend to have her seen by her veterinarian as medication may be indicated. The doctor may use a special dye to stain the corneas and look for any ulcers as some viruses will cause this. If the doctor is not suspicious of an infection, she will recommend other tests or treatments. I recommend to get an appoint quickly as things can get worse. In the mean time, you can give her 250mg of Lysine twice daily. This supplement will help viral infections. You can often find this in pet stores. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

No this is normal, and it could be due to an eye infection, injury to the eye, or allergies. The eye is such a delicate and important structure that any problem with it should be considered an emergency. That's because leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. I would have Cookie seen by a vet tomorrow to diagnose what is causing her symptoms so she can be treated.

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.

Persians and Himalayan’s can sometimes have a rusty brown eye discharge that looks like blood but isn’t. This may be the same with Aegean cats. Some possible causes of the chronic eye discharge could be viral infections such as a chronic feline herpes viral infection for which VetriScience Lysine immune system supplements may help. Changing the litter to a dust free litter often helps as well. If the discharge is thick and Charlie’s eyes are sometime squinty, a visit to your vet for a fluorescein stain to rule out a corneal ulcer and topical ophthalmic antibiotic drops may be indicated. In the meantime wiping the discharge away with hypoallergenic sensitive skin baby wipes or warm water soaked clean tissues is recommended to keep the discharge from building up and causing dermatitis or raw skin around the eyes. Good luck!

Excess tearing can be caused by a few different things, commonly including allergies, blocked tear duct, bacterial or viral infection. If there is a creamy discharge, if Pipsi is squinting often or experiences light sensitivity, or her eye appears very red, I recommend that she be evaluated by a vet. If those symptoms are not present and she seems comfortable, you can continue to clean the area with water. Sometimes viral infections that cause eye issues can respond to a lysine supplement. You can try a product like Vetri-Lysine Plus, but it may take a couple weeks for the virus to stop replicating after starting lysine.

Hello. Most of these kitties have a viral infection of the eyes often complicated with a secondary bacterial component. Other than keeping the eyes clear by gently cleaning with warm water a few times a day, there is not much more you can do except having the kitten seen & treated by a veterinarian. With the proper medications, the kitten will start to feel & look better pretty quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, and thank you for your question! Seraphina is a gorgeous kitty. The eye discharge may be due to a mild herpes virus infection, blocked tear ducts, or environmental allergies. To rule out a herpes infection, you can try giving her a lysine supplement, which will help to strengthen her immune system and reduce the clinical signs of herpes such as runny eyes and sneezing: If this does not help after a few weeks, I would recommend visiting your veterinarian. They can confirm whether or not Seraphina has an eye infection, and discuss antihistamine options to treat environmental allergies, or recommend flushing the tear ducts under sedation. In the meantime, try to keep the eye area free of discharge by cleaning out the discharge daily with a warm soft cloth. I hope this helps, and that your little girl improves soon!