Cats' Eye Tears: Causes and Remedies Explained
There are numerous reasons why cats might shed tears, and it's not always a sign of illness. For instance, when exposed to foreign objects, a cat's tear ducts can produce an abundance of tears in an attempt to flush out the irritant. This is a temporary response and typically doesn't significantly impact the cat's eye health. However, if a cat frequently has watery eyes, or if it's accompanied by redness, increased discharge, pain, or other symptoms, it may indicate eye diseases or infections of adjacent organs. Below, we'll delve into the common causes of a cat's watery eyes and how to address them.
1. Upper Respiratory Infection
▶ Herpesvirus Infection (Feline Rhinotracheitis): Symptoms include excessive eye and nasal discharge, swollen eyes that may not open, lethargy, and sneezing. These may be accompanied by mouth ulcers and loss of appetite.
▶ Feline Calicivirus: Often results in mouth ulcers and increased eye and nasal discharge. It can also cause symptoms like fever, joint swelling, pain, and limping.
▶ Mycoplasma: Primarily causes coughing, difficulty breathing, sneezing, and nasal discharge, but can also lead to conjunctivitis.
▶ Chlamydia: Mainly causes conjunctivitis, leading to conjunctival congestion, eyelid spasms, increased discharge, and occasionally upper respiratory infections and fever.
Treatment Methods:
● If a cat's watery eyes are accompanied by sneezing and nasal discharge, it's advisable to visit a veterinary clinic for PCR testing to identify the specific pathogen.
● For herpesvirus or calicivirus infections, antiviral eye drops such as Acyclovir or Ganciclovir can be used. In cases of secondary bacterial infections, a combination of antiviral and antibiotic eye drops can be administered.
● For mycoplasma or chlamydia infections, tetracycline antibiotics like Oxytetracycline eye drops, Tetracycline ointment, and Tylosin eye drops can be used.
● Note that eye drops are only meant to alleviate eye inflammation. For these conditions, comprehensive systemic antiinflammatory and antiviral treatments are more important.
2. Eye Infection
This includes conjunctivitis, keratitis, and blepharitis caused by trauma, foreign bodies, or allergies. Besides causing excessive tearing, these conditions can lead to increased eye discharge, red and swollen conjunctiva or eyelids, pain, and photophobia.
Treatment Methods:
● Use sterile saline solution to rinse the eyes, removing any discharge and debris.
● Apply Berolym (Neomycin sulfate eye drops) to provide local inflammation relief.
3. Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction
Under normal circumstances, a cat's tears flow through the nasolacrimal duct to the nasal cavity. If the duct is narrowed or blocked due to hypertrophy or inflammatory changes, tears can accumulate in the eyes, leading to epiphora (excessive tearing).
Treatment Methods:
● Visit a veterinary clinic for nasolacrimal duct flushing, followed by antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent infection.
● Gently wipe the cat's tears and discharge with warm water or saline solution daily to prevent hair discoloration and the formation of tear stains.
● Regularly massage the cat's periorbital acupoints and nasolacrimal ducts to help maintain duct patency.
4. Entropion or Ectropion
When eyelashes grow inward or the eyelids roll outward, they can repeatedly irritate the eye, leading to increased discharge, redness, and pain.
Treatment Methods:
● In cases of entropion, eyelashes may need to be regularly plucked or treated with electrolysis or cryosurgery.
● For ectropion, eyelid correction surgery is required, and postoperative wound care and inflammation control are essential.
5. Foreign Body Irritation
Substances like dust, hair, pollen, and irritant odors in the environment, or the cat's eyes being stimulated by bathwater, can all lead to frequent tearing in cats.
Treatment Methods:
● Rinse the cat's eyes with sterile saline solution to avoid further eye damage from persistent irritation.
● Use antibiotic eye drops such as Tobramycin or Chloramphenicol to prevent infection, and maintain a clean environment.
6. Diet Issues
A diet high in oil and salt can cause a cat's tear glands to produce more tears and lead to excessive tears and eye boogers, as well as severe tear stains.
Treatment Methods:
● Adjust the cat's diet to avoid feeding it greasy or overly salty cat food.
● Encourage the cat to drink more water to promote metabolism.
● If there is excessive eye discharge, use Shan Jing (Lonicera japonica eye drops) to cool and protect the eyes, reducing tear and eye booger secretion.
7. Breed Factors
Cats with flat faces and prominent eyes, such as Persians, Maine Coons, and Himalayans, are more prone to epiphora and tear stains due to their facial structure and the inefficient tear drainage.