Our furry friends sometimes give us the odd scare. One day they are perfectly healthy, running, jumping and doing everything cats know how to do, and the next day they wake up with problems in their precious eyes. Of course, in these situations we worry, because it is not normal for them to have an eye problem And, in fact, there are many times that we do not know how to act, especially if it is the first time that something like this has happened to you.
To help you, I will explain what to do if your cat has a swollen eye, and what are the most common symptoms and causes.
Symptoms or signs that tell us that you feel eye discomfort
Cats are able to withstand pain much better than we do, so It is frequent that they only complain when the problem has already advanced a lot. In the event that you have problems with your eyes, however, it will be relatively easy for us to detect it in time, since its symptoms and / or signs are:
He starts to scratch his eye with his paw
When you feel discomfort, what you do first is lick a paw and then rub it in the eye affected to try to remove what is causing that discomfort.
Blink more than normal
Like when we drop an eyelash on our eyeball, blink a lot to try to stop feeling bad.
Tearful eye
The cat does not cry out of joy or sadness, but because something has happened to it, such as:
- Obstructed tear: It especially occurs in cats with flat faces, such as Persians. If the eyes are not kept clean, it can cause infections.
- Infection: it will be accompanied by a white or yellow discharge and hairballs will also form around the eyes.
- Hair or other discomfort: if you lose a hair, a speck of dust, etc. It will cause discomfort and excessive tearing.
- Corneal ulcer: It is a scratch normally caused by a cat while playing or fighting.
- Keratitis: it is the inflammation of the cornea caused by herpes, bacteria, allergies or fungi.
Depending on the color of the tear, the animal will have one problem or another:
- transparent: the tear may be damaged or infected.
- Clear: It is usually a symptom of allergy, but if they are clear and the eye is red, it is conjunctivitis.
- Mucosa with inflamed eye: the cat could have conjunctivitis accompanied by chlamydiosis.
Closed eye
Coupled with an excess of tears, it will keep the eye closed at all times and, in addition, it will remain in semi-shady places, away from the light. If not treated in time, it can lead to a serious problem, such as glaucoma.
The eye changes color
If the white of the eye turns yellow, the animal could be suffering from jaundice. It is also a symptom of melanoma (cancer).
His pupils change
If the pupils are always fixed, it is a sign of glaucoma; Conversely, if they are kept small it may be because the inside of the eye has become inflamed.
Eye that protrudes or, on the contrary, sinks
If it stands out, it is because the cat may have a tumor or abscesses, or suffer from glaucoma; if it sinks, it is because either you have lost weight, are dehydrated or have tetanus.
Causes of a cat having a swollen eye
When our friend's eye has swollen, it is because there is some microorganism that has caused that to happen, be it a virus, fungus or a b.
Viral infection
Caused mainly by feline herpesvirus, if not treated in time with antibiotics they can appear corneal ulcers causing the cornea itself to remain dry, and the eye to also remain dry.
Bacterial infection
It is the most common. Caused by chlamydiosis, it causes the annoying and uncomfortable conjunctivitis with its symptoms: runny nose, irritation, and in severe cases, the appearance of mouth ulcers. Treatment will consist of applying an antibiotic ophthalmic ointment to the affected eye, and administering oral antibiotics to the animal.
Fungal (yeast) infection
Caused by a fungus found in the environment called cryptococcosis, which is treated with antifungal medications. Provokes dilation of the eyes, peripheral blindness e inflammation of the retina.
Whenever you notice that your cat is not well, it is important that you take him to the vet so that he can put the most appropriate treatment as the case may be.
Home remedy to clean the eyes of cats
In addition to taking him to the vet and administering the medications he has recommended, at home we can also help our furry to gradually regain his sight. So, to clean the eyes, you can use gauze (they sell them here) moistened with chamomile infusion -at room temperature, without burning-, between 3 and 4 times a day.
How do you know if the problem is serious?
It will depend on the symptoms that the cat presents. An infection will always manifest itself with a certain set of symptoms, while if our hairy dog ​​has been stung by a bee in the eye area, there will be no symptoms other than swelling, which will subside in a matter of hours or a few days. It can get quite itchy, and in fact, if the next day we have not seen improvement, it is highly recommended to take it to a professional to look at it, but it is not usually as serious a problem as an infection can be.
To avoid upsets now and later, it is important to vaccinate the cat so that its immune system remains healthy and with its defenses ready to fight the microorganisms that want to affect it.
We hope this special has served you, and you can know why your furry has a swollen eye. Remember that with patience, pampering, and proper treatment, surely improvement sooner than you think  .