What causes tear stains in my cat?

A cat’s tear stains are usually linked to diet, eye disease, genetics, foreign-body irritation, or infection. First, if the diet is too salty or too oily, it easily causes ‘heat’ and more discharge. Second, some cats are born flat-faced; these breeds easily get a blocked nasolacrimal duct, so tears overflow and form stains. In addition, eye diseases such as conjunctivitis, keratitis, or ingrown lashes also cause more eye discharge.

In short, there are many causes of tear stains in cats, and the right treatment depends on the underlying cause.