Why does a cat get watery eyes and what to do?

The secretion of tear fluid in cats is not uncommon, because this condition is a kind of protective reaction of the cat's body to various irritants. At the same time, if a cat's eyes are watery, then the cause is not always a disease. However, the presence of pathology should not be ruled out - in some cases, tearing is really caused by dangerous painful conditions. In order to "know the enemy by sight", it is necessary to familiarize yourself with general information regarding this problem.

Epidemiology

According to statistics, kittens under one year of age have watery eyes in 70% of cases. There are no such statistics for adult cats.

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Causes cat's teary eyes

What can cause tears in a cat? There are quite a few such factors:

• Breed characteristics.

Some cats have a peculiar structure of the cranium, with a short tear duct. For example, this is observed in Persians, British, exotic shorthaired breeds. Experts say that this condition normalizes by about one year of age of the animal, when the skeletal system stabilizes. However, in some cases, this sign remains with the cat for life.

• Mechanical action.

Often cats, especially those who have access to the street, have mechanical damage to their vision. This can happen after cat "showdowns", when "hunting" for birds or rodents, or when in contact with sharp branches or other objects.

• Allergic process.

A cat is no less susceptible to allergies than a person. Allergies can occur for almost the same reasons as in people: when eating allergenic food, when inhaling dust or pollen, when in contact with detergents, chemicals. As a result, lacrimation develops from allergic conjunctivitis.

• Eye burns.

Cats are also not immune to eye burns. Thus, a cat can easily "stick its nose" into a solvent or alkaline solution, into an acid, etc. It is not necessary for the aggressive liquid to get into the animal's eye. Sometimes the vapors of the solution are enough to make the cat "flow" with tears.

• Helminthiasis, fleas.

Both worms and fleas can cause tears in cats. This is explained by a specific response of the body.

• Inflammatory process.

Inflammation of the conjunctiva can be caused by viruses, fungal or microbial infections. In addition to conjunctivitis, the development of blepharitis, tumors, etc. is not excluded.

Sometimes, the secretion of tears occurs in newborn kittens who do not yet know how to take care of themselves, and also have a weakened immune system. In addition, the secretion of tears in adults is possible if the animal walks outside in windy or frosty weather.

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Risk factors

Most cases in which a cat's eyes water occur under the influence of the following risk factors:

• animal has a cold;
• allergic processes;
• helminthiasis;
• external eye injury;
• eye diseases, inflammatory processes;
• hereditary and congenital defects, breed characteristics;
• viral and microbial eye diseases.

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Pathogenesis

Tears from a cat's eyes are a protective response of the body to irritants, both internal and external. It is considered one of the normal variants when a small amount of discharge accumulates and dries in the inner corners of the pet's eyes - this becomes especially noticeable when the animal wakes up after a long sleep. The natural mechanism necessary for wetting and washing the eye organ in cats is not dangerous, so transparent tears are considered normal. If the cat's tears are secreted in large quantities, or if they contain traces of pus or blood, this may indicate the development of a serious pathology.

Generally speaking, the most common reasons why a cat's eyes may water are: mechanical damage to the organ of vision, the introduction of viruses, microbes, and allergies. The severity of certain symptoms, as well as the choice of treatment tactics, largely depend on the cause.

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Symptoms cat's teary eyes

Cats may shed tears clearly: transparent or cloudy drops are found in the corners of the eyes. If tears are shed irregularly or in small quantities, they are recognized by characteristic changes near the eyes: dry spots, crusts, or a peculiar weeping halo appear, especially noticeable in cats with light fur.

The first signs of tear production in a cat may appear:

• swelling of the eyelids;
• changes in hair growth around the eyes;
• discharge of pus;
• itching of the eyelids;
• increase in temperature;
• photophobia.

The specifics of the background clinical symptoms depend largely on the reason for the cat's tears. Below are the most common signs of disease in animals.

• The cat's eyes are watery and it sneezes - most often this condition is associated with an inflammatory process in the nasopharynx. Additionally, the temperature may rise, but in most pets the condition normalizes on the fifth to seventh day. If the animal's immune defense is weak - for example, if the cat is old or has other diseases, then the inflammation may drag on, so full anti-inflammatory treatment should be carried out.
• The cat's eyes are watery, purulent discharge is visible to the naked eye - such signs may indicate the development of purulent conjunctivitis. This is an infectious pathology that must be treated. Moreover, in such a situation, you can no longer do without antibiotic therapy.
• If a cat has a swollen and watery eye, you need to examine the animal carefully. It is possible that it has an eye injury, for example, from a fight or a bruise. With mechanical damage, the eyelid tissue becomes inflamed, and this is considered a normal response of the body to injury. If the integrity of the eye tissue is damaged, you may notice that the cat has a red eye and waters - this may be due to a bruise or bleeding from damaged blood vessels. To avoid complications, the animal should be shown to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
• A cat's eye is watery and festering - these signs most often indicate the presence of purulent conjunctivitis, in which purulent discharge comes out of the animal's eyes against the background of a deterioration in the general condition and an increase in temperature. Some cats and, especially, kittens may experience nausea and diarrhea. Purulent conjunctivitis can be caused by both an infectious process and an allergy (if measures to eliminate it are not taken in a timely manner).
• A cat's eyes water heavily when infected with worms, because parasites are capable of laying their larvae almost anywhere. And the organs of vision are no exception. As a rule, the eyes water heavily and for a long time, then swelling of the eyelids appears, which does not respond to conventional antibacterial treatment. Later, the swelling can descend into the underlying tissues - for example, into the cheek or mucous gums. In such a situation, the owners notice that the cat's cheek is swollen and the eye is watering on the affected side, or on both sides at the same time. The owner of the animal will not be able to solve the problem on his own - it is necessary to consult a veterinarian. In advanced cases, it may even come to surgical intervention.
• A cat has a runny nose and watery eyes not only when it has a cold, although bacterial and viral infections should be ruled out first, as they are more common. But if a cat has a stuffy nose and watery eyes, then it is quite possible to suspect more serious infections - for example, chlamydia or mycoplasmosis. In addition to the eyes, the liver and genitourinary system of the animal suffer from the listed infections. As a rule, nasal congestion is accompanied by symptoms such as fever, accumulation of dense masses in the corners of the eyes, problems with urination.
• If a cat has a runny nose and watery eyes, and also sneezing or coughing, then in most cases we are talking about a cold or a viral infection. As a rule, the disease recedes within a few days and the cat recovers on its own.
• If a cat has watery eyes, brown discharge is found after sleep - this is a sign of inflammation, possibly conjunctivitis or keratitis. Keratitis can be identified by the following signs: the cornea becomes cloudy, uneven and unhealthy in appearance.
• The cat's eye does not open and it waters with ectropion - inversion of the eyelid. This disease can be both congenital and acquired, and is associated with weakness of the eyelid ligaments. In the initial stages of inversion, the cat experiences a slight malaise - tears flow from the eyes, the eyelids turn slightly red. After a while, signs of an inflammatory reaction increase, the eye swells and stops opening. If no treatment follows, a chronic inflammatory process develops, up to the formation of a corneal ulcer.
• If one eye of a cat is constantly watering, then a thorough examination is necessary. Perhaps a speck of dust has gotten into the eye, or the animal's eyelid is curled and the fur is rubbing against the cornea. Often, a domestic cat's eye waters when household chemicals get into it - for example, a drop of shampoo, toilet water, or a particle of washing powder gets into the organ of vision. Because of this, not only ordinary eye irritation often occurs, but also an allergic reaction.
• The cat's eyes water after eating if it is allergic to the food the animal eats. To eliminate the problem, it is enough to change the brand of food.

Meanwhile, not in all cases constant lacrimation in cats is attributed to pathologies. Often, this phenomenon is simply a feature of some cat breeds associated with the characteristic structure of the lacrimal canals. For example, complaints from owners that a British cat has watery eyes, or a Persian has watery eyes, are heard quite often. Especially if the problem concerns a small kitten. In such cases, veterinarians reassure: if a Scottish kitten has watery eyes, a Scottish Fold has watery eyes, or another kitten up to a year old, then in the future, as a rule, the pet “outgrows” the problem, the poorly developed canals improve, and the problem “goes away” on its own. Only in some cats does lacrimation persist even after they reach sexual maturity. In such a situation, they talk about an individual feature of the animal - it cannot be cured with drugs. If the cat experiences discomfort from constant lacrimation, then the only way out is surgical intervention to restore the patency of the lacrimal canals.

Thus, if a lop-eared cat has watery eyes, or a cat of another breed, then the first thing to do is to rule out the development of infections and eye diseases, and also check the patency of the tear duct.

Complications and consequences

The most common complication of inflammatory lacrimation in cats is keratitis, which, if left untreated, can lead to vision loss in the animal.

If there is an infectious process that spreads to deep tissues, then purulent complications in the form of abscesses and phlegmons may develop in the future. A veterinarian consultation in such a situation should be urgent, since the cat may die from intoxication.

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Diagnostics cat's teary eyes

If a cat has a watery eye, diagnostic procedures should only be performed in a specialized veterinary clinic. A veterinarian can perform the following types of examinations:

• external examination of the animal (to exclude eye damage, congenital disorders, foreign bodies in the eye);
• PCR tests, with the collection of secretions from the lacrimal sac for examination, as well as bacterial culture;
• ophthalmoscopic examination;
• analysis of lacrimal duct patency using fluorescein;
• blood test of an animal to determine the presence of an inflammatory process.

Instrumental diagnostics is usually limited to ophthalmoscopy, a complex diagnostic method for assessing the condition of the internal structures of the eye. An ophthalmoscope is used to conduct the study, allowing one to examine the condition of the fundus, retina, arteries, veins, optic nerve, and choroid. The essence of the method is the reflection of light rays from the fundus.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnostics is carried out, first of all, with conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis often accompanies many eye and periorbital pathologies: primary keratitis (ulcerative and non-ulcerative form), "dry eye", blepharitis, uveitis, glaucoma, dacryocystitis.

It is necessary to distinguish between hyperemia of the episcleral and conjunctival vessels in order to differentiate dangerous eye diseases (such as glaucoma or uveitis) from superficial and less dangerous processes (for example, from superficial keratitis).

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Treatment cat's teary eyes

Treatment should only be started after consultation with a doctor: it is not recommended to use medications for cats on your own, as this often only harms the pet and worsens the course of the underlying disease.

What to do if a cat has a watery eye? Where to start?

The first thing experienced cat owners do is wash their pet's eyes. However, to do this, you need to know the exact cause of the tearing in order to choose the right medicinal liquid for the procedure. Most often, an antiseptic solution is used, for example, a weakly concentrated furacilin (0.2%). From improvised means, herbal infusions can be suitable - chamomile, calendula, or just strong black or green tea.

Often, after consulting with a veterinarian, after washing, a ball of antibacterial eye ointment is placed behind the eyelid - for example, tetracycline. The listed procedures are done very carefully: for example, the solution for washing should not be hot or cold. The same applies to the eye ointment.

Eyes are also washed with other special solutions that can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy - these can be the well-known products "Trixi" or "Beaphar Ophthal".

If the animal's tears are caused by a foreign body getting into the eye, then the latter must be removed. You should not try to do this yourself - in most cases, such attempts will only harm the cat, and the problem will worsen. Removal should be carried out by a specialist, and only after anesthesia and disinfection.

Medicines

• Eye external agents – ointments, drops:

1. Sodium sulfacyl, Sofradex can be bought in a regular "human" pharmacy, they are used drop by drop twice a day for five days in a row. Among the side effects, one can note the appearance of transient peeling on the eyelids, slight itching, which goes away after stopping the use of drops.
2. Bars - veterinary drops based on levomycetin and furacilin. The drug is dripped after preliminary washing of the cat's eyes, 1-2 drops, up to 4 times a day. Duration of treatment is no more than 14 days. Usually, such drops are well tolerated by cats and do not cause side effects.
3. Mizofen F is an ointment based on chloramphenicol and levamisole. The product is placed under the conjunctiva of the cat's affected eye twice a day for no more than five days. Complications during treatment are usually not observed.
4. Maxidin is an immunomodulatory and antiallergic eye drop. The liquid is dripped after preliminary washing of the affected eye, 1-2 drops up to 3 times a day, until recovery. If the product is used, adhering to the treatment regimen, then the animal does not experience any side effects.
5. Tetracycline ointment 1% is placed under the conjunctiva using a sterile stick, 3-5 times a day for a week. No side effects were found.

• Antibiotics are prescribed individually if there is confirmation of an infectious and inflammatory process in the eyes. Tetracycline drugs and penicillin are suitable for this purpose, which are prescribed in dosages strictly prescribed by the doctor. Antibiotics should not be used at the initial stage of lacrimation in cats. Moreover, you should not "prescribe" antibiotics to a cat on your own.
• Anti-allergy medications (antihistamines) are prescribed if the usual elimination of the potential allergen has not produced results.

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Prevention

To prevent your cat's eyes from watering, you need to take care of all possible preventive methods:

1. A cat must eat quality food to have a strong immune system.
2. The cat should be regularly treated for helminthiasis and fleas.
3. Animals need to be vaccinated against particularly dangerous infectious diseases.
4. It is important to follow standard hygiene rules: the cat needs to be bathed regularly, trimmed if necessary, combed, its ears treated and its eyes washed.
5. It is good if the owner periodically shows his pet to the veterinarian.

If any strange behavior is observed in the cat, or suspicious symptoms appear, then a visit to the veterinarian should be mandatory.

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Forecast

If a cat has watery eyes, but the owner of the animal promptly seeks help from a veterinarian, then in most cases you can be sure of a positive outcome of the disease. In case of eversion of the eyelids, curvature or obstruction of the lacrimal canal, surgical intervention may be required - in such a situation, the prognosis depends on the qualifications of the operating doctor, as well as on the initial health and immunity of the animal.

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