Eye discharge, also called goopy eyes, is common in cats. It happens when something interrupts their tear production and drainage system. Anything from a simple cold to a serious illness can trigger it.
The appearance of the discharge — watery, thick, yellow, green, brown, or bloody — offers clues about the underlying cause.
Eye Discharge Causes
A healthy cat’s eyes should be bright and clear. Eye problems may make your cat paw at their eyes, squint, or blink a lot. Because some causes can be serious, require surgery, or lead to blindness, talk to your vet right away when your cat has irritated eyes. Some possible reasons include:
Feline upper respiratory infections. These infections are a frequent cause of eye discharge in cats. These can be caused by viruses such as feline calicivirus, pneumonitis (chlamydia), or rhinotracheitis (herpesvirus), a contagious respiratory disease, bacteria, or protozoa (toxoplasmosis). The symptoms can be mild or very serious. They may include a sticky, pus-like eye discharge.
Conjunctivitis (pink eye). Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the light pink lining around your cat’s eye. It can cause one or both of your cat’s eyes to look red and swollen, be light-sensitive, and have clear, teary, or thick mucus eye discharge. Conjunctivitis with fever, diarrhea, and trouble breathing can point to potentially fatal feline infectious peritonitis, though this isn’t common.
Corneal disorders. A cat’s cornea, or the dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye, can become inflamed, injured, or ulcerated. It may result in cloudiness, lots of blinking and/or squinting, inflammation, and increased tear production.
Watery, teary eyes (epiphora). Blocked tear ducts, an overproduction of tears, allergies, viral conjunctivitis, and other conditions can be behind your cat’s abnormal tearing.
Uveitis. An inflammation of the internal structures of the eye, trauma, cancer, immune problems, or infections can cause the serious, often painful inflammation of uveitis.
Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). Caused by a chronic lack of tear production, dry eye can lead to an inflamed cornea, red eyes, and, if left untreated, blindness. Because the watery portion of tears is missing, a yellow, gooey eye discharge can result.
Other eye discharge causes include allergies, something lodged in their eye, or third eyelid problems.
Eye Discharge Treatments
Because various issues can lead to eye discharge in cats, talk to your vet before trying any treatments. The right one will depend on the cause:
Feline upper respiratory infection. Specific treatments depend on the cause of the infection as well as how serious it is. These may include eye medications, antibiotics, decongestants, and fluids.
Conjunctivitis. Pollen, dust, weeds, or other irritants can cause conjunctivitis, which may be treated with a steroid ointment. If it’s caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotic ointments may be used.
Corneal disorders. Treatment depends on what’s troubling your cat’s cornea. It may include keeping your cat’s eyes clean, antibiotic eye ointment or drops, drops that promote healing, removing loose corneal tissue, cauterization, or surgery.
Watery, teary eyes. Your vet may use plain water or saline to flush your cat’s blocked tear duct. If there’s an infection, an antibiotic eye ointment or drops may be needed.
Uveitis. The right treatment depends on what’s causing your cat’s uveitis, though that’s often hard to diagnose. Care may include eye ointment or drops to control inflammation and pain.
Dry eye. Many things can cause dry eye, from diseases involving the immune system to the herpes virus. Treatment can include eye drops or ointments, immune-suppressing drugs, antibiotics, or artificial tears.
Feline calicivirus. Secondary bacterial infections, which can cause pneumonia and other serious issues, are common with calicivirus. So, always call your vet if you suspect your cat has this disease. Treatment may include symptom control, antibiotics for secondary infections, and supportive care.
When to See a Vet
Your cat’s eyes are as delicate as they are beautiful. Small problems can quickly turn into serious conditions. If your cat’s eye discharge symptoms don’t clear up within 24 hours or your cat is squinting, talk to your veterinarian right away. If you have medications left over from a previous eye problem, don’t use them on your cat’s eyes. Different eye issues need different medications, and you can end up causing serious injury by using the wrong one.
Cat Weepy Eye Home Remedies
If your cat’s eye discharge is chronic and your cat has an underlying herpes virus, you might try a lysine supplement if your vet approves. It’s an essential amino acid that helps form proteins, which may help your cat avoid outbreaks and heal from them faster. But it’s not proven that lysine is helpful and safe for cats.
At-Home Eye Exams to Identify Problems
Looking at your cat’s eyes regularly can help you identify problems before they become serious.
To give them an exam, look at their face in a brightly lit room. Roll down their eyelid with your fingers. Make sure the lining is pink and healthy-looking. It shouldn’t be swollen. A red or white color is a sign of a problem.
Make sure their eyeballs look healthy. Look for any murkiness or cloudiness in the eyeball, which could be a sign of infection. Make sure your cat’s pupils are equal in size and that the area right around the eyeball is white.
Home Care: Tips for Keeping Your Cat’s Eyes Healthy
You can help avoid eye problems in your cat by keeping up with yearly vaccinations, avoiding kitty overcrowding, and checking your cat’s eyes frequently for redness, cloudiness, a change in color or shape, discharge, or sensitivity to light.
To safely remove your cat’s eye discharge and make them more comfortable while waiting for their vet appointment, arm yourself with a bag of cotton balls. You can use these simple tips from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:
- Dip a cotton ball in water. Wipe away the eye discharge, always from the corner of the eye outward. Use a fresh cotton ball for each eye.
- Avoid any over-the-counter drops or washes unless your vet has prescribed them.
Because correct treatment can be so critical to the health and well-being of your cat, always talk to a veterinarian to be sure your cat is getting the right care needed.
Takeaways
Cat eye discharge can range from mild allergies to more serious issues such as corneal ulcers or feline herpesvirus. Clues include discharge color, whether one or both eyes are affected, and signs of pain (squinting and pawing). Recurring flare-ups may point to herpesvirus reactivating under stress. Chronic or worsening symptoms are worth a visit to the vet to confirm the cause and rule out anything urgent.
Cat Eye Discharge and Eye Problems: FAQs
Can human eye drops or saline solution be used on my cat?
Usually, no. Plain, sterile, preservative-free saline is generally safe to rinse your cat’s eye, but medicated or redness-relief human eye drops should be avoided. They can be toxic or worsen conditions such as ulcers. If there’s ongoing irritation, discharge, or squinting, have your cat seen by a vet rather than self-treating.
Is cat eye discharge contagious to other pets or humans?
To other cats, probably. To dogs or types of animals, no. To humans, usually not. Feline herpesvirus and calicivirus (common causes of eye discharge) spread easily between cats through direct contact or shared bowls or bedding. As for other species, feline-specific viruses don’t cross over. For people, one uncommon cause (Chlamydia felis) can rarely cause mild eye irritation, so wash your hands after handling an affected cat’s eyes just to be safe.
How to tell a minor eye allergy from a corneal ulcer in my cat?
Corneal ulcers cause your cat to squint and paw at their eye, be sensitive to light, and have eye cloudiness — usually in just one eye. Mild allergies tend to cause milder redness or watery discharge in both eyes. See your vet to confirm with a quick fluorescein stain test because ulcers can worsen fast if untreated.
Why does my cat keep getting eye discharge every few months?
Only a vet can tell you for sure. But your cat may have feline herpesvirus (FHV-1), something most cats carry throughout their life. This flares up during stress, illness, or environmental changes. But chronic allergies or tear duct issues are also possible.
