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56 results for “kitten tearing”
While I Was Out, My Parents Hit the Cat; I Came Back to Find a Protruding Eyeball and Trouble Closing the Eye—What’s Wrong?
Eye-closing trouble can be trauma, eye disease, or respiratory illness. If hit, it's likely trauma with bacterial infection—clean with eye drops. If also sneezing/tearing, suspect cat flu or bacterial conjunctivitis; use antibiotics and an E-collar, and get an eye exam if the eyeball is abnormal.
One of my cat’s eyes suddenly turned gray and cloudy; is it sick and how to treat it
A gray, cloudy eye may be keratitis or cataracts. Keratitis causes tearing, pain, and opacity; cataracts cause a white pupil and vision loss. A full veterinary eye exam is needed.
Can feline rhinotracheitis (cat flu) be fatal?
Feline rhinotracheitis can be fatal; mortality reaches about 50% in low-immunity kittens and 20 to 30% in adults. It is a common infectious disease causing sneezing, runny nose, appetite loss, fever, lethargy, tearing, and eye redness. Untreated, it can cause mouth ulcers, dehydration, blindness, and death. Seek care promptly.
Why Cats Are Prone to Feline Herpes (Cat Flu)
Cat flu (feline rhinotracheitis) comes from feline herpesvirus and hits weak or young cats hard; strays are commonly infected. Signs are sneezing, eye/nose discharge, and fever. The FVRCP vaccine prevents it; isolate suspects and add lysine.
Why Do Cats Get Entropion
Entropion is when the eyelid folds inward so the lashes rub the eye, causing pain, discharge, and even corneal damage. Causes include breed conformation, spasms, sunken eyes, or injury. Surgery is the lasting fix; mild cases may be temporarily stitched.
Is It Normal for Cats to Sleep With Their Eyes Open?
A cat sleeping with eyes open is usually normal and tied to its sleep style. In light sleep, cats stay alert with eyes partly open so they can react and escape danger fast; deep sleep closes the eyes. Some cats simply prefer partially open eyes. But eye disease can also cause it, so check for tears or redness.
Can Cats Eat Spicy Food?
Cats should never eat spicy food. Although they may curiously sniff your plate, capsaicin, the compound that makes food hot, acts on a cat's nasal and oral membranes as a painful irritant rather than a flavor. When exposed, cats feel burning and pain, often drooling, tearing up, or sneezing, and the spice irritates their stomach lining, which can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Cats are obligate carnivores with digestive systems very different from ours, and they gain no benefit from chili or strong seasonings. If your cat licks a small amount, watch closely and offer water or kitten-milk formula to soothe the gut; for clear distress such as vomiting, diarrhea, or refusing food, give pet probiotics and see a vet promptly. To keep your cat safe and healthy, stick to proper cat food and a balanced diet, and never share spicy human meals.
Is It Normal for Cats to Swallow Kibble Without Chewing?
Cats that gulp down kibble without chewing are usually behaving perfectly normally, and it generally does not harm their digestion. This fast-eating habit is inherited from wild ancestors who swallowed prey whole to avoid losing it to rivals, while a cat's sharp, offset molars are built for tearing rather than grinding food the way human teeth do. Most modern kibble is formulated to be easily digestible, so whole swallowing is rarely a problem. However, a sudden shift to non-chewing, signs of mouth pain while eating, or undigested kibble appearing in the stool or vomit can signal dental disease or poor digestion. Choosing appropriately sized kibble, using a slow-feeder bowl, and offering chewy treats such as freeze-dried meat can encourage healthier eating. Keep an eye on your cat's habits and consult a vet if anything changes.
How to Tell If Your Cat Has Feline Rhinotracheitis (Cat Flu)
Cat flu and a common cold look alike, which leaves many owners unsure whether their cat has feline rhinotracheitis — an infection caused by the feline herpesvirus. The reliable approach is twofold: watch the symptoms and confirm with a test. Early signs are subtle — sneezing, a runny nose, watery eyes, low appetite, no fever — while the active phase brings a high temperature near 40°C, persistent coughing and sneezing, and thick eye and nose discharge. A test strip or a PCR check at the clinic confirms it, but the result must be read alongside the symptoms.
What to Do When Your Cat’s Eye Is Swollen
A swollen cat eye usually comes from a play-related bump or scratch, a stray foreign object, an insect bite or sting, or inflammation such as conjunctivitis. Gentle cleaning with saline and a cat-specific eye drop often helps mild cases, while a suspected bee sting (with a venom-bearing stinger) or viral conjunctivitis from cat flu needs veterinary care. Keeping your cat's paws clean also prevents further infection.