Emergency: What to Do When Your Cat's Eyes Won't Open

Part 1: Reasons Why Cats Can't Open Their Eyes

1.上火困扰Cats often suffer from heatrelated issues due to insufficient water intake, overly greasy or salty food, and excessive additives. These factors can lead to an overheated condition in cats, resulting in excessive eye discharge. This discharge can then stick the upper and lower eyelids together, making it difficult for the cat to open its eyes.

2. Eye Inflammation: Cats may develop conjunctivitis or keratitis due to bacterial or viral infections, which can cause symptoms like excessive tearing, photophobia, excessive eye boogers, and red, swollen eyes. Viral infections may also lead to additional symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite, runny nose, and coughing.

3. Eye Injury: Cats might sustain an eye injury during play, resulting in bruising and swelling around the eye area, which can prevent them from opening their eyes.

Part 2: What to Do When a Cat Can't Open Its Eyes

Firstly, if there's a significant amount of discharge around the cat's eyes, it's advisable to clean the area with saline solution or a petspecific eye wash to alleviate discomfort and reduce the risk of bacterial infection.

Secondly, using antibacterial eye drops can help alleviate symptoms. We recommend the Purnell's Long Qing Sulfate Neomycin Eye Drops, which are effective against bacterial and viral infections, including conjunctivitis and keratitis. If there's a lot of discharge, it indicates a severe inflammation, so it's best to combine this with oral pet antibiotics to control the inflammation and prevent secondary infections. Make sure to clean the cat's eyes regularly to avoid exacerbating the infection.

Lastly, if the cat exhibits other symptoms like fever, coughing, and a lack of energy in addition to the inability to open its eyes, it's crucial to consider a viral infection. In such cases, it's essential to seek veterinary care promptly to avoid missing the best treatment window.

This concludes the discussion on why cats can't open their eyes and how to handle the situation. For more information, check out "Why Is My Cat's Eye Suddenly Red and Swollen?" and feel free to consult an online vet for any further questions.