Sometimes cat owners notice that their pet's eyes begin to water. This is a kind of defensive reaction to certain irritants. They can be both external and internal. Tearfulness refers to the accumulation of tear fluid, which usually dries in the corners of the eyes. This is especially noticeable after sleep. You shouldn’t worry too much about your cat’s watery eyes, but you still need to pay attention to the problem.
Regular hygiene procedures
When assessing a cat's condition, you first need to pay attention to whether excessive tearfulness is causing concern. If the animal behaves calmly and the behavior has not changed, it is enough to carry out hygiene measures regularly.
If the kitten is very small, it does not know how to properly care for itself, so the owner is obliged to help it. You can use special herbal products.
Why are tears flowing?
When a cat's eyes water, there can be completely different reasons. Any disturbance in the functioning of the eye as a whole is accompanied by tearing. The main factors that provoke the problem include:
Unpleasant symptoms
When a cat's eyes are very watery, it is very difficult not to notice. In this case, you should not postpone going to the veterinarian. But the owner should be wary even if he notices even the slightest signs of illness. These include:
- Swelling in the eye area.
- Prolonged slight lacrimation, which is accompanied by hair loss in the eye area.
- When the nature of the discharge constantly changes, the tear can be either thin or thicker.
- If there is constantly dried discharge in the corners of the eyes, and a brown or reddish channel appears.
- The cat may rub the eye if itching is present. This traumatizes him even more, so you need to show the animal to a doctor.
- In particularly advanced cases, fever and photophobia appear, the cat is lethargic and hides all the time in the dark corners of the apartment.
As the inflammatory process increases, symptoms begin to appear more severe. If the tearing persists for a long time, the doctor should prescribe suitable treatment. 
How to make a diagnosis?
In the case when a cat’s eyes are watery, you cannot make a diagnosis yourself, since inadequate treatment will harm the pet’s health. History plays an important role, so it is necessary to tell the doctor all the details of the pet’s life, as well as honestly answer the veterinarian’s leading questions.
To establish an accurate diagnosis, analysis of the conjunctival sac may be necessary. It is sent to the laboratory, where the pathogenic origin is determined. Only after the reason why the cat’s eyes are watery is known, treatment can be prescribed. 
What medications can be used at home?
The treatment regimen is prescribed in each individual case individually, and only after examination by a veterinarian. But sometimes it is not possible to visit a doctor, so it is worth knowing how to help your pet before visiting the clinic.
For all types of conjunctivitis, washing the eyes with solutions that have an antiseptic effect is recommended. "Furacilin" must be used in the form of a 0.2% solution. If conjunctivitis is bacterial in nature, you need to drip your eyes with aqueous solutions of Levomycitin, Kanamycin or Sofradex. Dose - 2-3 drops in both eyes 5 times a day. Antibiotic-based ointments are applied 3 times a day.
If swelling is observed and it is noticeable that the cat is experiencing pain, it is necessary to administer a solution of hydrocortisone and novocaine. 
Sometimes the owner notices that a foreign object has entered the eye. Before removing it, you need to administer painkillers. Then the eyelids are turned outward and the procedure is carried out using tweezers and a cotton swab soaked in a solution of 8.5% sodium chloride.
Sometimes such measures are not enough to get the speck out on your own. If your cat is still feeling anxious, you should seek help from a veterinarian; surgery may be necessary.
Allergic reactions
If a cat has watery eyes due to allergies, it needs treatment with hormonal drugs. But in order to forget about the problem completely, it is necessary to find and remove the irritant. 
Tearing in kittens
Very often, the owners of newborn offspring are faced with the fact that at the stage of their discovery. If you notice clear or white discharge, you should not postpone a visit to the doctor, since the kitten’s body is very vulnerable to various infections.
In a kitten, conjunctivitis can only be a symptom of an inflammatory process caused by viruses or bacteria. You should not give your pet medications intended for treating people.
The reasons why a kitten's eyes are watery can also be of a mechanical nature. To prevent your pet from losing its sight, a doctor’s intervention is necessary. 
British cats and Scottish folds
Owners of cats of this breed often encounter watery or purulent eyes in their pet. First of all, this may be due to physiological characteristics: the nasolacrimal ducts are slightly shortened.
A more serious cause of your British cat's watery eyes could be worms. To exclude this option, it is necessary to undergo tests. All other factors are no different from those that cause excessive tearing in other breeds.
Scottish kittens attract owners because they do not require any special care. This also applies to inflammation of the mucous membrane. If your Scottish cat's eyes are watery, you need to show her to a doctor who will prescribe medications. Before visiting a doctor, you can use a standard treatment regimen.
Traditional methods of treatment
When the owner notices that the kitten’s eyes are watering, he can treat it using folk methods. Chamomile petals help well. They need to be brewed in a steam bath and the eyes should be washed twice a day. If you don’t have chamomile, you can try a solution of potassium permanganate.
When purulent discharge is observed, it is necessary to prepare decoctions of sage, calendula or St. John's wort. You need to apply compresses several times a day.
Rinsing with black tea has a good effect. Only it must be brewed; it is not advisable to use freshly brewed one. 
Prevention of tearing
To avoid problems with your eyes, you need to pay attention to them regularly. After preparing the herbal infusion, you need to wipe your eyelids and surrounding area with cotton swabs.
It is worth understanding that all these measures are not the main treatment. They can only be used as auxiliary methods to alleviate the animal’s condition. Particular care should be taken when handling medications that contain antibiotics. You shouldn’t experiment with your pet’s health, so at the slightest symptoms of illness, it’s better to show your cat to a veterinarian.
Among our smaller brothers, cats occupy a special place. We associate cats with something soft, warm, fluffy, and homely. These cute, affectionate creatures evoke an irresistible desire to pick them up, squeeze them, stroke them, and play with them. Cats usually enjoy this kind of attention, unless something is bothering them.
So, attention: if your playful pet is not happy to see you and prefers peace to ordinary fun, and besides, his eyes are watery, your four-legged friend may have health problems.
Causes of teary eyes in cats
There are many reasons for excessive tearing:
Symptoms of lacrimation
There is no reason for concern if your cat has “wet eyes” infrequently (once or twice a day), but if you notice that the animal “cries” quite often, wiping away copious discharge with its paw, you should closely monitor your pet. subject to identifying the following alarming symptoms:
- tears come out immediately as soon as the cat or you wipe the eye(s) and this repeats all the time;
- redness of the eyes;
- swelling of the eyelids that does not go away within several hours;
- the cat often squints, shakes its head, frequently washes its eyes, and may even meow pitifully at the same time;
- your cat has lost his appetite and doesn’t play like before;
- photophobia, in which the pet looks for a secluded dark place and can lie there most of the time;
- eyes contain foreign objects, small particles;
- there is cloudiness or a white film in the eyes.
As soon as you find one or more of the above symptoms in your furry friend, you should contact your veterinarian immediately, as delay may cause the condition to worsen and lead to a longer recovery time.
Treatment and prevention of lacrimation in cats
Treatment must be preceded by establishing a correct diagnosis, and only a qualified specialist can do this, so cat owners cannot do without a trip to the veterinarian.
Before going to the doctor you need to prepare:
- prepare an animal card that lists all previous vaccinations, anthelmintic treatments, and diseases suffered by the pet;
- On a piece of paper, write down all the symptoms of illness and any other nuances that you consider important;
- Refresh your memory of your pet’s diet and other important points that a specialist may need for a correct diagnosis.
Important! Feel free to share all this information with your doctor, and also try to more accurately answer his questions about your cat’s well-being and behavior.
And the veterinarian will most likely also want to know:
- how long do symptoms last?
- how the disease began and then how its course changed, for example, did two eyes immediately begin to water profusely or first one and then the other; whether other symptoms have appeared;
- How long ago were insecticidal measures taken against the animal?
Taking mucus and blood, as well as feces and urine, will help diagnose the disease more accurately. Therefore, it won’t hurt to already have feces and urine when going to the doctor. But to take mucus from the eye for analysis, you don’t need to treat your cat’s eyes with any medications or decoctions before going out, as this may interfere with correct diagnosis. You can wipe your eyes with a dry cotton pad or napkin.
Having established a diagnosis, the veterinarian will prescribe treatment and talk about preventive measures for lacrimation in cats. So, most often, ordinary eye drops are prescribed for treatment: special ones sold in a veterinary pharmacy, or sold in a regular pharmacy, for example for children. Also used to treat the eyes of cats and ointments, for example, based on tetracycline. If a cat is diagnosed with an allergy, specific treatment and exclusion of allergens from the cat’s environment will be required.
To prevent eye diseases in pets in general, and excessive lacrimation in particular, it is necessary, first of all, of course, to pay attention to those who have been tamed and timely veterinary care.
It is also recommended to wash the animal’s eyes with a weak solution of furatsilin or tinctures of various herbs, in particular chamomile. But you should remember that if the methods used do not give positive results within 1-2 days, a trip to the doctor is mandatory, because a problem noticed in time will be solved much faster, and your pet will suffer less and will delight you and your loved ones more. And, conversely, advanced cases can lead to irreversible processes in the animal’s body.
How to properly wipe a cat's eyes
If your pet is prescribed eye sanitation in the form of washing, and you decide to carry it out at home, then in addition to the medicine itself or a liquid solution, which should be at room temperature, you will also need some improvised means: cotton swabs or disks - directly for manipulation, a piece of fabric or an assistant - to fix the animal, a pipette or syringe without a needle - for medicine, a treat - to reward the pet for showing courage, as well as calmness - for you.
So, first, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and place everything you need at a convenient distance to reduce the process time. Then secure the cat with a cloth (soft towel) and sit it on your lap or ask an assistant to hold the animal with its back to him with one hand, and with the other hand to hold the cat's face straight.
Soak a cotton swab or pad in the liquid and move from the outer corner of the eye to the inner corner, first moisten the crusts that have formed, and then remove them with the same movements. Then take a clean swab or pad and wipe your eyes again in the same way.
Important! If you then need to drip the medicine into the eye, then with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, open the cat’s eye, spreading the eyelids, and with the other, drip the solution or apply a special gel either directly under the eyelids or in the upper corner of the eye.
Finally, blot the eyes a little with a dry cloth to remove moisture from the cat's eyelids. Do the same manipulations with the other eye. After unswappling the cat, treat it with the prepared treat.
But the main thing is to remember that treatment without consulting a specialist may lead to unwanted negative results and may do more harm to your pet than help. But the health of your pet is the key to the good mood of you and your family members.
For various reasons, the furry favorite or. We will discuss in more detail what to do and what to do in this article, which will tell you when such a condition is normal, and when you should run to the veterinarian. This could be anything from a simple allergy to scratches that require immediate veterinary attention. A cat's eyes are a complex platform that does not tolerate experimentation.
Why do my cat's eyes run?: reasons
There is no need to panic and think that your pet is very ill. Below we have compiled a list of the most common reasons, which may cause discharge from the eyes of cats.
This is not a complete list of reasons why a cat’s eyes are running, there can be a great many of them.
Treatment: cat's eyes are running
As mentioned above, a cat’s eye can leak for a variety of reasons. For each case, individual treatment is prescribed in accordance with the cause and symptoms. However, the most universal advice that veterinarians can give is to treat the mucous membranes with furatsilin or potassium permanganate, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5000.
- Treatment if your cat's eyes are running:
- If you suspect conjunctivitis caused by bacteria, then aqueous solutions using chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and sodium sulfacyl give excellent results. They are prescribed 2-3 times a day in both eyes.
- It is recommended to use eye ointments with antibiotics 3 times a day, as well as specialized eye films.
- If there is obvious swelling of the eyelids and their pain, then a solution of novocaine and hydrocortisone should be rubbed into the eyeball.
- Everything is much more complicated if the lacrimation is caused by a foreign body that has entered the eyeball or under the eyelid. In order to stop the flow, it is necessary to remove the foreign body. Before this, the eye must be numbed. Of course, all this should be done by a veterinarian from the YA-VET veterinary center.
- Watery eyes in a cat can also provoke ectropion or entropion. Both of these diseases require emergency care. But remember that our article is in no way a guide to action. The last word belongs to the attending physician.
- Among other circumstances, there may be, for example, hereditary predispositions (the eyes of certain breeds of cats produce more tear fluid than usual), and therefore this does not mean that they need treatment.
- In most cases, you can manage with conservative methods (use of drops, ointments, painkillers), however, these drugs also have their drawbacks. As a rule, they do not help from the first use; treatment can take a long time. You must be patient. Keep in mind that any surgery is a major shock to your pet. The owners also suffer from such interference, worrying about the health of their four-legged friend. Any ophthalmological problem requires immediate attention, especially watery eyes. They can tear for various reasons. Any case, without exception, requires an in-person examination by an experienced veterinarian.
It is very important for our veterinarians at “YA-VET” to save any animal that comes to us. That’s why we undertake to treat even the most advanced eye diseases, so that the owner no longer wonders: “Why can a cat’s eyes leak?” Any untreated eye disease threatens your four-legged friend with complete blindness.
Why should you choose our veterinary center “YA-VET” if your cat’s eyes are running?
Currently, competition between veterinary centers is breaking all records.
If you are lucky and the YA-VET veterinary clinic is located near your home, we strongly recommend that you do not litter the Internet with queries on the topic, for example, “Why does a British cat have watery eyes?”, but rather go to a veterinary center as soon as possible to get quality help the doctors. It doesn’t matter to us who you have - a Briton or a high-breed Sphynx, or maybe just a mongrel cat. If you don’t know how to treat your friend, be sure to go to the doctor, who will definitely help in a difficult situation, and your story with treating your cat will end well.
The cat's eyes are running: what to do if you cannot visit the doctors yourself
Especially for such a case when a cat’s eyes are running, but it is not possible to visit a veterinarian on your own. If you are not indifferent to the health of your four-legged friend, we offer a home visit service for a veterinarian. It will be appreciated by every modern person who sits late at work and does not fit into the schedule of the veterinary center. In such cases, we have our emergency veterinary care for animals. We are ready to come around the clock and do what is required for a speedy recovery of your pet.
Sometimes owners notice that one cat's eye is watering. When an animal is in pain, it often tries to communicate this through its behavior, and its body itself signals the slightest malfunction with discharge from the eyes, an increase in temperature and some other factors. But situations arise when increased tearfulness in a cat is the norm and even a sign of improvement. To help your pet, you need to understand the causes of this symptom and take the necessary measures.
Causes of tearfulness in cats
There are many reasons for tearfulness, but cats almost always have watery eyes after sleep, and this is normal. But if your pet has watery eyes in one or both eyes during the day, and there is also purulent discharge, then this indicates a disease. In this case, you must definitely go to the veterinarian. There are a number of reasons why a cat may have watery eyes:
Kittens up to a year old do not yet know how to properly care for themselves. Mom does everything for them. For a British kitten, everything is even more difficult than for the Persians. The British have such features as an incorrect incision, trichiasis (entropion of the eyelid, itching, discomfort, eyelashes grow inward, surgery is necessary), and eversion of the eyelid.
In case of helminthic infestation (penetration of worms), lacrimation may also be observed; treatment must be carried out systematically. If the bathroom was not securely closed, the cat had access to household chemicals, the medicine or food did not “fit”, the pet may develop problems with the eyes, including burns.
When a cat's eye is watering due to mechanical damage, this indicates healing. Even in this case, you should take the animal to the veterinarian, otherwise vision deterioration will inevitably occur. With rhinitis, in addition to lacrimation, a runny nose is observed. This occurs due to infection entering the nasopharynx.
What to do if your pet has a watery eye?
First of all, it is necessary to assess the condition of the animal: is there diarrhea, fever, how are things going with the appetite, is the eye red, how is the animal behaving, is there any discharge from the nose, is the animal squinting its eye, is it sneezing.
If the pet has not been injured or poisoned by household chemicals, the next step is to wash the eye with a light solution of furatsilin or a decoction of medicinal herbs. The cat needs to be shown to a veterinarian. Only a specialist can prescribe effective treatment and conduct additional research.
Basic treatment methods
Competent treatment should be prescribed by a veterinarian. All medications are prescribed only to them. You can do something at home only after examination and consultation with a specialist, and carelessness in using medications can deprive the cat of her vision. However, some general guidelines should be followed:
- You need to rinse the healthy eye first, and then the sore eye. Even if there is only one problem, it is necessary to rinse both eyes with furatsilin solution.
- In the case of an allergy, it is necessary to establish the cause of its occurrence and remove what causes the reaction.
- The eyes should be lubricated with medicinal ointments. If the discharge is purulent, antibiotics will be required. Use 2 times a day.
- In case of infection, the veterinarian will prescribe the necessary medications, but usually tetracycline ointment is used and chloramphenicol is instilled into the eyes.
- In case of trichiasis and eversion of the eyelid, the clamp cannot be removed in the postoperative period.
It's not uncommon for pet lovers to find that their cat's eyes are watery. Attentive owners, of course, will immediately want to rid their pet of this problem. So why do my cat's eyes water and what can I do about it?
What to do first?
First, you need to calm down. If a small foreign object gets on the eyeball, it can cause one of the cat's eyes to water. Fluffies love to roll around on the floor, where tiny particles are almost inevitably present. If dust or hair gets on the surface of the eye, then an unconditioned protective reflex is triggered. The lacrimation increases and the foreign object is washed away. Most likely, the cat will cope with this problem on its own, but you can help it by simply washing it with warm boiled water. You need to drip water so that it flows from the outer corner of the eye to the inner one.
This makes it easier to wash foreign particles from the surface of the eyeball.
Often, a cat may accidentally touch the sclera while washing. This may also be the reason why your cat's eye is watering. In these cases, you need to observe the animal for at least several hours. If tearfulness is caused by these reasons, and the cornea is not damaged, then it will soon go away on its own.
Other external reasons
Why else do cats have watery eyes? As you know, cats are territorial animals. Therefore, they zealously defend their territory and the cats living on it from other cats. Often cats fight fiercely. During a fight, animals can damage their eyes. In addition, mechanical damage can occur when running through bushes or colliding with a foreign object. Such reasons are confirmed by the presence of other injuries in the cat. Mild damage to the cornea may only result in excessive tearing. But in order to avoid the development of complications in this case, it is better to show the animal to a veterinarian. If necessary, he will prescribe anti-inflammatory drops or drops that enhance the regeneration of eye tissue.
Why do my cat's eyes water? This phenomenon can be caused by too bright light. By nature, cats are nocturnal animals. The visual system of cats is designed in such a way that they can see perfectly in the dark. But even in the light of a sunny day, cats see well. However, the bright light from fluorescent lights causes them to squint, and irritation from too much light can cause your cat's eyes to water. Bright light is also harmful to the human visual system. Therefore, it is worth making sure that the lighting at home is comfortable for both the owners and their pets.
Causes of lacrimation in kittens
What to do if a kitten's eyes are watery? If the kitten has tears in its eyes after sleep, in this case there is no need to worry too much. In kittens, clear discharge is not a symptom of any pathology. This happens only because the kitten has not yet learned to properly and regularly care for its eyes.
The anatomical features of the skull of some cat breeds, such as the British Fold, Persian, which are expressed by shortened lacrimal ducts, are the reason that cats of these breeds have watery eyes throughout the first year of their life. By the time the shape of the skull is finally formed, lacrimation, as a rule, stops.
Another cat breed is characterized by increased tearfulness. Don Sphynxes often have a genetically inherited anomaly - entropion of the eyelids. This deviation causes the cilia to constantly scratch the surface of the cornea, causing a foreign body effect. This is why a cat of this breed has constantly running eyes. This problem is eliminated by the surgical method.
Experienced owners know that kittens must be wormed for the first time before the age of one month.
Diseases that cause lacrimation in cats
Lacrimation is a normal physiological process characteristic of all healthy animals. Normally, it is almost invisible. Only after the animal sleeps can small discharge be detected in the corners of the animal’s eyes. But if a cat has been watering in one eye or both for quite a long time, then the reasons may not be so harmless.
If a cat's eyes are running, and at the same time the pet is sneezing and coughing, then this may be a symptom of a cold. You can catch a cold in cold weather; wool that gets wet during rain cannot warm the animal, and a cold draft is an additional factor that increases the risk of a cold. A cat with a cold, in addition to watery eyes, coughing and sneezing, has the following symptoms:
- lethargy;
- lack of appetite;
- hot and dry nose;
- runny nose;
- elevated temperature.
It happens that only one eye of a cat is watery.
The cause of this phenomenon may be an eye disease such as keratitis or conjunctivitis. This bacterial inflammation is treated with special eye drops that contain a broad-spectrum antibiotic. In severe cases, your veterinarian may prescribe antibiotic injections. If a cat's eye is watering, but the animal feels well and does not refuse to eat, treat it with Anandin, Tsiprovet, Bars, Iris or Diamond Eyes drops. These drugs have an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, and it is quite possible that several treatments will solve the problem. If pus flows from the eyes, special eye ointments, such as Tetracycline or Levomycetin, can be used for local treatment. But in any case, if there is pathological discharge from the eyes of a cat, the animal must be shown to a veterinarian. He will show you how to properly treat a watery eye, determine the cause of the disease and prescribe effective treatment.
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