Why are my kittens' eyes watering and shutting? What to do?

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.

This is probably an upper respiratory infection. it's very common in young cats and is very contagious to other cats as well. It is treated with antibiotic eye drops/ointment and oral antibiotics for about 2 weeks. if left untreated many cats will end up blind or even die from the disease. I advise going to your vet asap to start the treatment right away.

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!

Your kitty likely is suffering from an upper respiratory infection and should be seen by a vet for an exam and deworming. It will likely need prescription antibiotics. In the meantime (until you can take her to a vet) you can tak a cloth with warm water an soak the eyes. This should help with opening them. You can then gently wipe off the purulent discharge.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is quite unusual. This may be a birth defect for example. Regardless, they need to see a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment as soon as possible as this is likely causing significant discomfort. They would be able to evaluate the eye and see what the functional condition of the eye is. They can make treatment recommendations based on that. Good luck and have a great day!

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.

Kittens will naturally open their eyes at around 7-10 days of age. If your kitten has an eye that is still shut, or appears to be blocked by debris or discharge, it is best to schedule a veterinary appointment as this may indicate a congenital issue or infection causing the problem.