A watery eye in cats
Perhaps you have noticed in your cat that a clear or slightly reddish-brown fluid runs from one eye and leaves a streak on the face. Sometimes, small crusts can form around the eye. If one or both of your cat's eyes are watering, there can be many different causes, and it can therefore be either harmless or serious. Find out what a watery eye in your cat could indicate.
Harmless watery cat eye
Normally, the tear fluid, which is important for moisturizing the eyes, drains through the nasolacrimal duct. If the eyes are healthy, your cat has a clear gaze and the fur around the eyes is dry. There is nothing cloudy or slimy in the eye, and your cat does not squint.
Epiphora is the term for eye discharge in cats. If your cat starts to tear more than usual, this can initially be a natural protective reflex to flush out possible foreign bodies from the eye.
Symptoms of impaired tear flow in your cat
However, if you observe discolored discharge, redness in the eye, stickiness, or squinting in your cat, this may indicate inflammation or irritation. Other accompanying symptoms of impaired tear flow in cats are:
Tear streak or matted fur around the eyes
matted eyes
swollen eyes
increased blinking
redness of the conjunctiva
eye tremors
squinting of the watery eye
itchiness (increased rubbing with the paws or dragging the head along the floor)
A watery eye in cats can indicate many things. For safety, have it examined by a veterinarian.
Meaning of color and consistency of tear fluid in cats
Different consistencies and colors of tear fluid can indicate different medical conditions.
Clear and watery: allergies, drafts, blocked tear ducts, corneal diseases
Bile-like to purulent: →conjunctivitis, infection with fungi, viruses or bacteria, →cat flu
Bloody: injuries
Brownish: often breed-related in flat-faced cats such as Persians
When should I see a vet for a watery eye?
A watery eye in your cat can be harmless and disappear on its own after a few days. Therefore, observe your cat for 2-3 days. If the tearing does not improve or gets worse, you should see a veterinary clinic. The same applies if your cat shows other unusual behaviors.
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Possible causes of a watery eye in cats
If you're not quite sure whether your cat's eye looks normal, wait for a calm moment when your cat is relaxed and look deep into her eyes. Pet your cat and try to gently pull down the lower eyelid. Redness of the conjunctiva, swelling, tear stains in the facial fur, and stickiness are signs of something more serious.
Possible causes of watery or teary eyes in your cat could be:
cold or heat, very dry air
sand or dust
contact with sprays and gases
foreign bodies in the eye, such as small hairs
rolled-in lower eyelid
infection by fungi, viruses or bacteria as in conjunctivitis
blockage of the nasolacrimal duct and impaired tear drainage
inflammation or injury of the cornea, for example after cat fights
glaucoma
Conjunctivitis is just as uncomfortable for your cat as it is for us humans and requires a special ointment or eye drops.
How is a watery eye in cats treated?
Depending on the cause of the tearing, the therapy will differ. An infection with bacteria such as chlamydia, for example, is often treated by veterinarians with antibiotic anti-inflammatory agents. These are usually a ointment or drops that must be administered to the cat several times a day. A surgical procedure is necessary, for example, in the case of a rolled eyelid (entropion) or in cases of glaucoma (glaucoma).
Treating a watery cat eye with home remedies – is that possible?
The only thing you can do to help your cat with a watery eye is to keep it nice and clean. To do this, you can gently clean the eye with a lint-free cloth and some warm water. However, if you notice redness or any of the other symptoms mentioned above, you should seek veterinary advice instead. An infection or inflammation of the eye cannot be cured by home remedies or cleaning alone and requires proper treatment!
Are there cat breeds that are more prone to watery eyes?
Due to certain breeding characteristics, there are indeed breeds that are more prone to watery eyes and conjunctivitis. These are usually short-nosed cat breeds such as purebred Persians or Exotic Shorthair. Over the years, these breeds have been bred with increasingly shorter noses, which can cause the nasolacrimal duct to become blocked .
