8 Truths to Prevent: Why Your Cat's Eyes May Seem Tears

When you notice your cat's eyes brimming with tears, it might seem as if they're shedding a silent cry of sorrow. It's a sight that can be quite endearing to some cat owners. But hold on, there's more to it than just a heartbroken feline...

Hold your horses!

Those tears in your cat's eyes might not be a sign of sadness. Often, they're a telltale sign of an underlying eye condition!

Let's delve into the common reasons behind a cat's watery eyes and explore what you should do when you spot this symptom.

What Can Cause a Cat to Cry with Tears in Its Eyes?

1. Eye Inflammation: Conditions like conjunctivitis, blepharitis, keratitis, and dacryoadenitis can lead to red, swollen eyes, difficulty opening them, and frequent blinking.

2. Entropion: When a cat's eyelids roll inward or a few eyelashes grow inward, the eyes can become continually irritated, resulting in excessive tearing and the formation of tear stains.

3. Obstructed Nasolacrimal Ducts: Normally, a cat's tears should flow through the nasolacrimal ducts into the nasal cavity and mouth. If these ducts are blocked due to malformation, inflammation, or tumors, tears can pool in the eye sockets, leading to a watery appearance.

4. Respiratory Infections: Upper respiratory infections can affect the eyes, with common causes including colds, feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, mycoplasma, and chlamydia.

5. Foreign Body Irritation: Dust, fur, and strong odors (such as secondhand smoke, spicy fumes, or disinfectant) can irritate a cat's eyes, causing discomfort and frequent tearing.

6. Dietary Issues: Excessive salt in a cat's diet can lead to overactive tear glands, resulting in excessive tearing, eye boogers, and tear stains.

7. Ear Infections: Conditions like ear mites, bacterial otitis, and Malassezia infections can affect the eyes due to their proximity, leading to excessive tearing.

8. Breed Factors: Certain flatfaced cat breeds, like Persians and Himalayans, may experience difficulty in tear drainage due to their eye structure, leading to frequent tearing.

How to Care for Your Cat's Eyes at Home

• Keep It Clean: Regularly clean your cat's eye discharge to prevent tear stains on the fur.

• Adjust the Diet: Feed your cat lowsodium, lowfat food and ensure they drink plenty of water to promote healthy metabolism.

• Manage the Environment: Keep the indoor environment clean and reduce dust and irritants that can affect the eyes.

How to Treat Cat Eye Stains

Cats with watery eyes often develop tear stains. If the stains are mild, simply wiping them away with warm water or sterile saline solution each day should suffice.

For more severe stains, a mixture of 20% saline solution and 80% boric acid can be used to wipe the area about three times a day. With consistent care, the stains will gradually fade.

What to Do About Cat Eye Infections

If you notice signs of eye inflammation in your cat, such as red, swollen eyes that won't open, frequent blinking, tear stains, aversion to light, or yellow or white puslike discharge...

You can try rinsing the eyes with sterile saline solution to remove tears and discharge, then apply Baiming (neomycin sulfate eye drops) three to five times a day, one to two drops per session. Observe for three days; if symptoms persist or worsen, seek veterinary care promptly.

In summary, if your cat's eyes are watery and it looks like they're crying, it could be due to eye diseases or infections in nearby organs. It's important to improve your cat's living environment and diet, keep an eye on their ocular health, and consult a veterinarian if the situation deteriorates.