My white cat has brown tear stains. How can I clean and prevent them?

Oh, I feel your pain! I also have a Persian, and I clean his face regularly as well due to his tear stains. You can try using a glass, porcelain, or stainless steel food bowl. Plastic bowls can crack and harbor bacteria, which can then cause facial irritation. There have been reports that bottled water instead of tap water can reduce tear stain formation, but it hasn't been proven scientifically. You can feed them a high quality cat food. Royal Canin has a Persian formulated food, which my Persian loves. Hope this helps :-)

I have a Persian as well, and face the same problem you have with Smooshee. Because a Persian's face is so flat, they have a shortened nasal cavity. The result of that if they experience more drainage from their eyes, and it is common in cats and dogs with flatter faces. I also clean my Persian's face daily, and I use Fido's tear stain remover for dogs and cats. I got it at Animates pet store here in New Zealand, and I'm sure you can find that product or something similar in Australia. I find with using that I don't have to clean up Mao's face (my cat) every day, and it helps get rid of the tear stains. I recommend using a product like that. Another thing to consider is that Smooshee could be suffering from chlamydia. Don't worry, you can't get it! It's a bacteria respiratory infection in cats that manifests as conjunctivitis. It can be a chronic condition, and it becomes worse in times of stress. Mao has it as well, and it makes his tear stains worse sometimes. A course of doxycycline can help clear up an outbreak of chlamydia in cats, and you can have Smooshee seen by a vet to see if she does suffer from it as it may help with her tear stain problem.

Tears typically cause changes to the color of the hair. Keeping the area clean and making sure you clean off areas of accumulation from the tears should help. Angel's Eyes is a supplement that may help reduce this staining.

Great question! There are tear stain removers you can buy from a pet store that helps remove Luna's tear stains. Some people report that quality of water affects tear stains, so you can give her purified water. Clean her face twice a day with a damp cloth to remove excess tears. I'd recommend using a glass, porcelain, or stainless steel bowl instead of plastic, as plastic bowls crack and can retain bacteria. I'd also recommend having Luna seen by a vet, as excessive tear stains can be caused by ingrown eye lashes or abnormally large tear producing glands, which can be treated surgically. Finally stress and poor diet can contribute to the product of tear stains, so make sure to feed her a high quality puppy formulated food. I recommend Royal Canin or Hills Science diet.

Persians have very flat faces, and eye tearing and improper tear drainage due to their face structure. Bacteria causes the discharge to become rust-brown and can stain the face of white or light colored cats. You should clean Simba's face daily to prevent this from happening. You can eye use wipes, sold in pet stores, to keep them free of tears and the build up. You can also use a slightly damp cotton ball one to two times daily to wipe the area around the eyes, removing any dried, crusty tears that have formed overnight. Also have him checked out by a vet to make sure he doesn't have an eye infection, as that can also be cause of excessive eye discharge. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Due to the Persian being a brachycephalic breed ("smoosh-face"), it is not uncommon for them to develop brown discoloration or crusting in the facial fold above their nose. The most important part of the daily routine for Billu is to clean the facial fold. This can be done by using a warm, moist cloth to remove debris build-up. If the area ever appears red, painful, or has a discharge or odor then it could possibly be infected. When this occurs it is best to have them evaluated by a veterinarian so that a medicated cleansing wipe can be prescribed to help decrease the occurrence in the future.

Unfortunately you cannot get rid of them completely, but there are a few things you can try. You can use a metal water and food bowl instead of plastic. Some people think filtered water can help. I find that a tear stain wipe, such as the Angel Eyes brand, helps remove them. I'd also have Moki seen by a vet for the smell, that may mean an infection.