Red Cat Eye Circles: Possible Causes & Solutions

1. Overindulgence in Spicy Foods

Cats should avoid salt and overly greasy foods, as these can lead to internal heat. If a cat consumes food that is too rich in flavor, it can easily cause an increase in internal heat, which can then irritate the eyes, resulting in redness, swelling, and excessive tearing. To address this, it's essential to adjust the cat's diet to include lowfat, lowsalt, and bland foods. Increasing the cat's water intake and offering vegetable or fruit purees can also help to reduce the internal heat.

For cleaning the eyes, use a warm cloth or physiological saline solution to gently wipe around the cat's eyes. This helps prevent the formation of crusts from the cat's eye discharge. Additionally, for swelling, it's advisable to use antibacterial and antiinflammatory eye drops.

2. Eye Inflammation

Redness and increased discharge in a cat's eyes often indicate an inflammatory condition, usually caused by a bacterial infection. In such cases, it's important to administer eye drops that are designed to fight inflammation, applying them 35 times daily. Alongside this, cleaning the area around the eyes with physiological saline is recommended. If the cat has sticky discharge or a white film over the eyes, it may have conjunctivitis, which is often a complication of feline herpesvirus. It's also crucial to monitor for symptoms of feline herpesvirus, such as sneezing and runny nose. If the cat shows signs of feline herpesvirus, antiviral treatment along with antiinflammatory medication should be administered.

3. Eye Irritation

Cats have very sensitive eyes, and they can become irritated by foreign objects like dust, insects, small stones, hair, and dust particles. Such irritants can cause redness and tears. If there's a foreign object in the cat's eye, it should be removed promptly. Additionally, longhaired cats may have hair that grows into the eye, causing irritation. It's important for owners of longhaired cats to regularly trim the fur around the eyes to prevent this issue.

Pet Doctor's Tip: For more information on why a cat's eyes might be red, you can read our article "What Causes a Cat's Eyes to Swell and Turn Red?"