My nursing cat's eye color changed, and she won't eat. Is she sick?

It is common for kittens to undergo an eye color change. If your cat is an older cat though, it may signify infection or more serious underlying disease. Any sudden change in eye color should be addressed by your vet or veterinary ophthalmologist.

This can be a sign of a respiratory infection and nasal congestion. It can also be a sign of a corneal ulcer or other trauma to the eye that can be causing pain. Since he is not eating and has potential to have an ulcer, it is best if he gets seen at an emergency clinic tonight to get medication started before he gets dehydrated.

Hello! It's a good sign that Laadli is eating and drinking. Lethargy is a very general sign of illness in cats, and it can be caused by systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. A cat's temperature is normally higher than a humans(101-102.5F, 98.3-92.2C), so she may feel a little warmer due to that. As for the kitten, it sounds like it could have an eye infection. 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 take the kitten and Laadli into the vet right away. The vet can examine the kitten's eye, diagnose what is causing the eye discharge, and can prescribe treatment for it. While there, the vet can do a health check on Laadli to see if there is a medical cause behind her lethargy. If there is, the vet can prescribe treatment for her. You can capture them both when they come to feed.

Hello, sorry to hear about Nala. Both of those, giving too much food and changing her food may cause your kitten to feel sick. However, given her age and signs of eye discharge, I would also be concerned with an upper respiratory tract infection. Kittens may suffer from URIs intermittently and signs may last 3-5 days. If she is otherwise eating, drinking, and acting like her self then you can continue to monitor her at home. However, if you note any lethargy, persistent vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing, or a decreased appetite then she needs to be re-revaluated by a veterinarian. You may continue feeding her the new diet for now. You can also try to offer plain white rice and boiled skinless and boneless chicken with her new food. Hope this helps and best of luck.

I’m sorry to hear about Mystic. This probably has nothing to do with the food and more to do with a serious eye infection- often due to feline herpes virus. See your vet as Mystic very likely needs some eye medication and may need other treatments. Best of luck to you and Mystic!

Absolutely. If she is ordinarily playful, normal kitten behavior, her lethargy may be a sign of illness or injury. Your vet will do an exam, probably labwork, possibly x-rays if indicated, and based on these results will be better able tot ell you what is wrong and how best to treat it.

Color changes in the eye can be something benign like iris freckles but it can also indicate a cancer called an iris melanoma. I recommend to get Prada into the veterinarian right away for an exam. If you catch things early, you have a much better prognosis. Other issues, if its not the iris, could be conceal edema, or glaucoma. Both require treatment. Cats don't generally go blind like dogs can. I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to post any additional questions.