Is a stray cat with eye ulcers contagious to my other cats at home?

Hi there and thanks for posting! It is hard to say exactly what the lesion above the stray cat's eye may be without examining it first, but some possibilities may include a bite wound or abscess, bacterial infection, or a fungal infection such as ringworm which can be contagious. You may want to call your local animal control and let them know about the stray cat around your area. Perhaps they may be able to get the cat seen by a veterinarian for treatment and also to have the cat scanned for a microchip (if it has one) which may provide information about its owner. Until more information can be found out about the stray cat, I would recommend limiting your cat's contact with the stray. I hope this helps!

Unfortunately, without a physical exam, this cannot be determined. The discharge may be due to bacterial or viral infection and the black may be dirt or debris. An exam with your veterinarian would be needed to diagnose any infection or medical conditions. The safest option would be to keep him/her separated from other cats and wash your hands before and after handling the kitten.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Depending on what the cause is, it is possible this could be due to a viral cause. If viral, it is definitely possible that it can be transmitted from cat to cat. Toxoplasmosis is another possibility that I wou ld suspect and this also can be transmitted to your other cat through infected feces. I would recommend that Lucy be tested for toxoplasmosis and go on a course of an antibiotic. I would keep the 2 cats separated for about a 7-10 days if possible. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It's always tough trying to deal with feral cats. The best option would be to take her to the vet (maybe they could spay her at the same time? Not all vets would be able to do that, but might be worth asking). The vet could sedate her, check out her eye, and vaccinate her for rabies at least. There is a risk of her biting, but we usually can take appropriate precautions to avoid this. If you do take her in, ask your vet ahead of time what preferences they have for type of carrier etc so that they have the best chance of successfully looking at her. It will probably end up costing you a decent amount of money to take her in, because of the extra time +/- sedation that will be required (plus costs for testing, vaccines, medications), so just be aware of that ahead of time. That said, to answer your question about care at home - she could have a viral eye infection (very very common in cats), or it could have gotten worse and become a bacterial infection or an ulcer. She could have issues with the pressure in her eye or have a congenital problem. All we really know is that her eye hurts for some reason. All you can really do at home is keep the eye clean with a warm wash cloth and maybe put some lubricating drops in (GenTeal severe is best for this, it's an OTC human eye drop). You can also give her L-lysine treats which will help fight off a viral infection. That won't be enough if she has a bacterial infection, an ulcer, or really any issue other than a mild viral infection. Eye issues can get bad fast she risks losing sight or the eye itself, so definitely consider going the vet route if at all possible. I hope she's feeling better soon! Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Some illnesses can be transmitted from one cat to another from your hands or clothing. I recommend washing hands and possibly leaving shoes away from your cats if the stray sneezed on or near them. Basic good hygiene will help prevent disease transmission to your kitties. If you are able please take the stray into the vet as soon as you are able as it sounds like she may have a significant respiratory infection. Be sure that she is tested for feline leukemia and FIV before you ever let her near your cats to be safe.

If you are able to catch the cat the best option is for it to have a veterinary exam. Whether the speed through your veterinarian or if you have a stray or feral cat consortium in your area that may help. He likely needs systemic antibiotics and all alarm may potential he require surgery to remove any remnants of the globe if the eye ruptured. If he's difficult to handle or you're on shore please contact your local Humane Society group or animal control. Do not get bitten. Rabies in stray cats is a very real possibility. Thanks for looking out for the sky. Good luck and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

It's difficult to know what this is without seeing it. This could be a bad case of conjunctivitis, an infection within the eye, or a problem with the skin surrounding the eye. Either way, this sounds very severe and it's important that Kitty be seen by a vet soon. If you can get her into carrier and take her to a vet, that would be best. Sometimes, you have to catch them in a trap (non-harmful) in order to get them to a vet. If you have trouble doing this, or are unable to take her to a vet, then I recommend calling the local shelter and asking for assistance. The shelters have vets on staff and will ensure Kitty gets the necessary treatment. I hope that helps and Kitty gets better soon.