Symptoms of Eye Inflammation in Cats

1 Signs of Eye Inflammation

An uncomfortable, inflamed eye leaks tears the cat cannot hold back. Around it you’ll see redness and swelling, increased discharge, difficulty opening the eye, cloudiness, and sometimes corneal ulcers. When these signs appear suddenly, check whether the eye is truly inflamed.

2 Treatment and Cleaning

First, the cause may be internal. Heat-raising or irritating food can trigger ‘fire’ in the body and inflame the eye — switch to a plainer, low-salt, low-oil diet and offer more warm water, and it often settles.

Second, poor eye hygiene lets bacteria in, leaving the eye red and swollen. See a vet promptly for clear cases, but for mild ones, warm compresses followed by cat-specific eye drops usually bring improvement within days.

Lastly, discharge thickens — especially after sleep, the eye may glue shut. Wipe it with a cotton swab dipped in warm water.

Cleaning technique: wipe gently with a warm, damp cotton ball or gauze to soften debris, then pat dry with a clean one. Never use human eye drops — a cat’s eyes are very sensitive. Boric acid can itself irritate the eye, so avoid it. If discharge seals the eye shut, a clinic visit is the safe call.

Eye inflammation ranges from trivial to serious, so take it seriously, find the cause early, and help the eye recover.