Causes of Yellow Discharge from Cat's Eyes: What's Happ

When you notice your cat's eyes producing a yellowish, sticky tear secretion, it can be due to a variety of reasons, including but not limited to bacterial conjunctivitis, respiratory infections, dietary imbalances, and obstructed tear ducts. In such cases, it's essential to promptly clean your cat's eye discharge and treat the condition with a focus on the specific cause.

Here are some common causes of yellow tear secretion in cats:

1. Bacterial Conjunctivitis

Yellowish, puslike or mucous discharge from your cat's eyes often indicates inflammation, which could be due to bacterial or viral conjunctivitis, keratitis, and other conditions. Common causes include foreign body irritation, poor environmental hygiene, weakened immune system, and injuries.

How to Handle:

✔ Gently rinse your cat's eyes with sterile saline solution to remove discharge and debris around the eyes.

✔ Administer broadspectrum antibiotic eye drops, such as Beramycin (Neomycin sulfate eye drops), three to five times a day, one to two drops per session.

✔ Observe the condition for two to three days; if symptoms persist, seek veterinary care promptly.

2. Respiratory Infection

Respiratory infections like feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, and mycoplasma can lead to symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, decreased appetite, lethargy, and tear production.

How to Handle:

✔ Take your cat to a veterinary clinic for PCR testing to identify the specific pathogen.

✔ For herpesvirus infection, use acyclovir or ganciclovir eye drops, along with interferon, Clavamox (Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium), and Llysine to suppress virus replication.

✔ For mycoplasma infection, use eye drops containing tetracycline or doxycycline, along with oral Doxyvet (Doxycycline hyclate tablets) to control the infection.

✔ For feline calicivirus infection, treatment with tetracyclinebased drugs is usually necessary, along with oral medications and mouth sprays to alleviate stomatitis.

3. Dietary Imbalance

Dark yellowish, slightly brownish discharge may indicate epiphora, which is often related to excessive tear secretion due to上火 (overheating) in the body. This condition is usually accompanied by symptoms like yellowed urine, excessive eye boogers, bad breath, and constipation.

How to Handle:

✔ Wipe your cat's tears with warm water daily to prevent hair discoloration.

✔ Adjust your cat's diet to avoid highfat and highsodium foods.

✔ Encourage your cat to drink more water to promote metabolism.

✔ If your cat is suffering from severe上火, consider giving them Kawaning (Qingwen Baidu Tablets).

4. BreedSpecific Issues

Some shortnosed cat breeds, such as Persians, have relatively narrow tear ducts due to their facial structure, which can lead to tear accumulation and discoloration.

How to Handle:

✔ Regularly wipe your cat's eye discharge to prevent secondary bacterial infections.

✔ Maintain a clean indoor environment to avoid dust, hair, smoke, and other irritants.

✔ If symptoms are severe, consider consulting a veterinarian to determine if surgery is necessary.

5. Allergic Reactions

Cats may be allergic to certain substances in the environment, such as pollen, dust mites, and chemicals. Allergic reactions can cause eye itching, redness, and tearing, with yellowish discharge.

How to Handle:

✔ Identify and remove your cat from allergens to prevent symptoms from worsening.

✔ Use antibiotic eye drops containing chloramphenicol, tobramycin, or neomycin to relieve eye inflammation.

✔ Administer Newmeino (Chlorphenamine maleate tablets) to your cat to alleviate allergic symptoms promptly.

6. Obstructed Tear Ducts

Under normal circumstances, a cat's tears drain into the nasal cavity through the tear ducts. If the tear ducts become blocked, tears cannot be drained properly, leading to overflow from the eyes and, over time, yellowish discharge.

How to Handle:

✔ Clean your cat's eye discharge regularly. If there are tear stains, use a mixture of 20% saline solution and 80% boric acid solution to wipe them away.

✔ Massage the acupoints around your cat's eyes and tear ducts regularly to keep them open, doing this three to five times a week.

✔ If the obstruction is severe, consult a veterinarian for surgical intervention.

In summary, when you notice your cat's eyes producing yellowish, sticky tears, start by cleaning them to prevent bacterial growth. If the discharge persists or is accompanied by redness, pain, photophobia, or inability to open the eyes, use antibiotic eye drops to observe the condition for a few days. If symptoms do not improve or are accompanied by symptoms like sneezing and runny nose, it's crucial to seek veterinary care promptly.