Cats’ eyes are extremely delicate, which is why cases of conjunctivitis in cats are quite common. And it is for this reason that we thought an article on this topic might be particularly useful and interesting.
Thus, below we will look at the symptoms of conjunctivitis in cats, how to treat it and other information that may be useful to you when it comes to learning more about this disease. Related to this article, we also recommend that you read this other post Dandruff in Cats , one of the great enemies of cats.
What is conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis, as we said, is a very common effect in cats. It is usually caused by a virus, and there are actually several different types of conjunctivitis depending on the virus causing it (for example, feline herpesvirus or calcivirus). What this virus does is cause inflammation of the whites of the eye and the inner lining of the eyelids , which explains some of the symptoms in cats and as we will see in the next section.
It is especially important to treat it, not only because it affects areas of the eye that are devoted to external protection, but also because they are very contagious .
types of conjunctivitis
Before we say that conjunctivitis is usually caused by a virus, although there are cases in which the infection is due to other reasons . For example:
- Las conjunctivitis in cats are known as traumatic. They arise due to irritation caused by an external agent, such as a blade of grass, a speck of dust….
- Las Viral , as we have commented, are caused by viruses. However, other living beings can cause it. For example, the infection may be bacterial or parasitic. As you can imagine, these types are very common in street cats (for example, ours, which are adopted and live in colonies, all have a viral type of conjunctivitis).
- Hay Other elements of the outside world that can cause them, for example, allergies or adverse reactions to drugs, aerosols…
what symptoms do you have
Although conjunctivitis in cats can have very different causes, the symptoms between one and the other are very similar . Among the most common we find:
- Itching in the eyes. You will notice this because the cat scratches non-stop, especially with the help of its claws or, if it is more brutal, along edges that have been touched by hand (or by paw) such as furniture, book sides…
- To be red The itching is accompanied by a general redness of the eye area, especially the inner eyelid and the white area of the eye. It may also swell.
- Eyes half closed More than a symptom of conjunctivitis, a half-closed eye is a sign of itching and redness. Seeing the annoyance the cat shuts it down.
- Tearing constantly Conjunctivitis is usually accompanied by non-stop tearing, which contributes to irritation and redness.
- In more advanced stages, conjunctivitis may recur. Affect one eye of both . So be careful and go to the vet if you notice any of these symptoms.
- Leganas. The rheum from conjunctivitis is somewhat different from the normal rheumatism in that it is thicker and more abundant and yellow or red in color.
what is it about
To treat conjunctivitis in cats, of course, you must have veterinary assistance . This is especially important in the case of the eyes, as they are a particularly delicate area and can easily cause confusion. However, most likely, if it is conjunctivitis, the vet will prescribe some medication in the form of eye drops, such as an antibiotic. It will also tell you when you need to clean your cat’s eyes with some serum and gauze.
how to put eye drops on a cat
We speak deliberately. We have four cats at home and all four have had conjunctivitis at some point, either because they caught it in the colony, because a stress-related trigger brought up an old infection, or because they just caught it, so … eye drops for everyone!
- First, wash your hands and wash off the soap thoroughly before instilling the eye drops.
- So take the cat and sit down so that you can get a good hold on it . This will depend a lot on you and on the character of the cat. For example, if it is very active, it is recommended that you wrap it in a blanket to immobilize it so that only the head is exposed.
- Before putting eye drops, wipe her eye with some serum and gauze . Thus the drops will have more effect as the eye will be free from impurities. By the way, don’t use cotton, as the fibers can get caught in the eyes and cause irritation.
- Once you’ve got his eye clean, it’s time for the crunch. With the hand that is your right hand, take the bottle of eye drops, while with the other hand you hold the cat so that it does not escape. The trick is that you can open the cat’s eye with the same hand with which you will administer the drops, for example, at home we use our thumb and middle finger to open it and we use our thumb to apply the drops. and use the index finger. It takes a while to figure it out, but once you do it will save you time and scratches.
- Be careful when putting the drops in the eye that does not touch the tip of the boat . In addition to causing great harm to the poor animal, you can contaminate the boat.
- By the end, give the cat a treat . This way he’ll learn to associate the drops with something good and it won’t be so difficult for you to give them.
Always take your cat to the vet
We would always advise you to ask a professional or go to the vet in case of any symptoms, although this is especially important in the case of conjunctivitis. If left untreated for long enough, it can spread to the other eye and cause your cat a lot of discomfort. On the other hand, if you treat it with eye drops without knowing what it might be, it is also not recommended: conjunctivitis and sores are very similar, but they have very different treatments. So you know, when in doubt, always always go to the vet.
We hope that we have helped you to learn a little more about conjunctivitis in cats in this article. Tell us, do you own or have cats that suffer from it? Do you think we haven’t forgotten to say something? Remember you can tell us what you want in a comment!