A cat's watery eyes: why and what to do?

The flow of tears from the eyes in cats, as well as in other animals, is a typical reaction to various stimuli. Moreover, such stimuli can be both external and internal. Sometimes tearing is physiological. This occurs in cases where a small amount of fluid accumulates in the corners of the eyes after sleep. This manifestation, as a rule, does not cause any concern to the owners, only if it does not for some reason cause discomfort in the pet. Solving a similar problem is quite easy, it is enough to periodically carry out standard hygiene procedures.

What causes tears in cats?

It is worth noting that there are quite a number of reasons why tears can flow in cats. This manifestation accompanies most diseases of the eyeball and the eyes.The main causes of this symptom are:

1. Conjunctivitis or inflammatory processes in the conjunctiva. It is worth noting that this disease can be both an independent disease and just a symptom of various pathological conditions of the body. For example, often conjunctivitis accompanies many diseases caused by viruses and bacteria, as well as invasive diseases. Often the reason for the occurrence of conjunctivitis is the rejection of vaccinations in kittens or too late vaccination.
2. The flow of tears from the eyes may appear as a result of the appearance of parasites in the intestines of the pet. Such a phenomenon is called soured eye syndrome.
3. One of the causes of lacrimation in cats is allergy. The reaction can occur on many products, including cat food. This happens, of course, quite rarely, but still it is possible. Often, allergic manifestations occur in cats from chemicals, for example, from household chemicals. In addition, the cause of allergies can become poplar fluff or pollen.
4. An ordinary cold can also cause tearing in an animal. To exclude this option is also impossible.
5. Sometimes this symptom may occur due to mechanical irritation. It can be caused by the presence of foreign objects in the eye, for example, grains of sand or loose eyelashes. Various bruises and damage to the conjunctiva or eyes can also trigger tears.
6. Radiation irritations are often the cause of tears in cats.
7. Tearing may occur due to the ingress of gas into the conjunctival sac.
8. Sometimes the problem is caused by the anatomical features of the structure of the eyeball. For some breeds, such manifestations are standard features. For example, sphinxes suffer from frequent torsions of the eyelids, as a result of which eyelashes inside irritate the eyeball, after which the animal and tears appear.
9. The spread of inflammatory processes from the tissues near the eyes to the eyeball.
10. The presence of a variety of eye diseases. For example, lacrimation may occur due to blepharitis, narrowed lacrimal canal, eyelid inversion, keratitis, uveitis, tumors of the eyelids, iridocyclitis, lagophthalmos, and other ailments.

Signs of serious tearing and disease development

The flow of tears from the eyes of a cat may be more pronounced or weaker, depending on the cause of this phenomenon, as well as the severity of a particular ailment. To understand that an animal has a problem that needs to be solved, you should pay attention to the following symptoms and manifestations:

1. The animal may develop a slight swelling in the eye area, which will be accompanied by a weak flow of tears from the eyes.
2. Prolonged tearing, which over time provokes hair loss in the eye area, as well as the appearance of sores and dermatitis. If your pet has a constant flow from the eyes, you should address this problem and not bring serious problems to it.
3. Tearful discharge may become thicker. Such a manifestation is a serious symptom to which particular attention should be paid.
4. In the inner corner of the eye, you can notice a dried brownish discharge.
5. Another symptom of the development of pathology is the formation of a reddish tubule in the corner of the eye. Over time, it may become brownish in color.
6. The animal may itch around the eyes. To understand that the cat is experiencing discomfort, it is possible by its behavior. As a rule, the pet begins to rub its paws in the eye area, which only aggravates their condition.
7. With severe inflammation, the conjunctiva usually swells and becomes red. In some particularly advanced cases, the conjunctiva may even protrude beyond the limits of the eye.
8. If the disease is seriously started, the animal may have a fever. Pet at the same time will be in a very depressed state. There may also be photophobia.

These symptoms are a signal that measures should be taken to eliminate the disease in an animal. The longer you take no action, the more pronounced these signs will be.

Whatever the tears and other accompanying signs, if such a symptom persists for a long time, you should contact your veterinarian.

Establishing diagnosis

In no case should you try to determine the disease yourself. It is possible to diagnose and establish the cause of tearing only after a thorough examination, study of clinical manifestations and a complete examination of the animal.Therefore, it is necessary to carry the animal to the veterinarian, where it is necessary to tell in some detail about all the symptoms and the diseases observed previously in the pet.

In some cases, to obtain reliable data it is also necessary to analyze the washout from the conjunctival sac. Thus, it will be possible to determine the presence of a viral or bacterial pathology.

How to treat an animal?

In the case when the flow of tears in an animal is caused by the ingestion of foreign objects in the eyeball, it will be necessary to inject anesthetic drugs before removing them. Then you should carefully turn the upper and lower eyelids in turn and remove the object with tweezers.You can also use a cotton swab or injection needle for this purpose.

If the animal has a twist or turn of the century, surgical intervention may be required. In this case, only an expert can solve the problem. You should not try to help an animal on its own, as without the necessary experience it will only be possible to harm it.

Video: pet eye care