Cat Eye Swelling & Hair Loss: Possible Causes Explained

When a cat's eyes become red and swollen, accompanied by hair loss around them, it can be due to a variety of reasons. Many pet owners, unsure of the situation, may administer inappropriate medications, which can exacerbate the cat's condition.

To prevent more cat owners from encountering similar issues, let's delve into the common causes and effective management strategies for this condition.

1. Eye Infections

Cats might suffer from bacterial or viral conjunctivitis, keratitis, or blepharitis, among other eye diseases. Certain pathogens can affect the area around a cat's eyes, leading to redness, hair loss, pain, and discomfort.

Here's how to handle it:

Regularly wash your cat's eyes with physiological saline or petspecific eye wash solutions to clear away tears and inflammatory secretions.

Visit a veterinarian to identify the cause of the eye infection.

For bacterial infections, use medications like Baytril (neomycin sulfate eye drops) or other antibacterial eye drops. Viral infections, such as feline herpesvirus or feline calicivirus, often require a combination of antiviral eye drops and antibiotics.

2. Fungal Infections

Cats can be infected with fungi like Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, or Trichophyton verrucosum, which can erode the skin and fur, causing hair loss, itching, and, if the cat scratches excessively, skin swelling.

Here's what to do:

Fit your cat with an Elizabethan collar to prevent scratching.

Trim the fur around the affected area, then use iodine to disinfect the skin, removing dandruff, fur, and inflammatory secretions.

Apply DermaPet (ketоконазол ointment) externally, twice to thrice daily. For cats over 3 months old, oral itraconazole can be given once daily at a dose of 5 to 10 mg/kg. Also, supplement with B vitamins, lecithin, and omega3 unsaturated fatty acids to boost the cat's skin immunity.

3. Allergies

Cats may have allergic reactions to certain substances in their environment (such as pollen, dust mites) or to flea bites, leading to inflammation, redness, and hair loss around the eyes.

Here's how to manage allergies:

Identify and remove your cat from the allergen to prevent further exposure.

Administer Newmene (chlorpheniramine maleate tablets) to block the allergic reaction promptly.

Use pipette (skin spray) and antibiotic ointments topically to prevent skin infections.

4. Ear Mites

Since the nerves in the eyes and ears are closely connected, severe ear mite infestations in cats can lead to increased eye discharge. Additionally, when cats scratch their ears, they may transfer mites to the area around their eyes, causing redness, itching, and hair loss.

Here's the recommended course of action:

Use deworming medications containing ivermectin or selamectin to deworm your cat. Initially, treatment may be required every two weeks, then monthly as the condition improves.

Use EarClear (pet ear cleaning solution) to clean your cat's ear secretions, followed by applying HealEar (miconazole nitrate and clotrimazole ointment) for antibacterial, antifungal, and antiitching effects, twice daily.

Pay attention to eye care by using antibacterial eye drops twice daily. Also, ensure your cat wears an Elizabethan collar to prevent scratching of the eyes and ears.

In many cases, it's challenging to determine the cause of a cat's skin symptoms without professional assessment. Therefore, it's best to consult a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan before administering any medication to your feline friend.