Why Does a Cat Keep Tearing Up?

1 Why Cats Tear Up — and What to Do

1. Eye irritation

A cat’s eyes are as sensitive as a person’s. Irritating fumes or dust getting in the eye cause reflex tearing — the main step is to remove the irritant and clean the eye. Even cat-litter dust easily irritates eyes, so choose a low-dust litter.

2. Eye inflammation

Inflammation brings constant tearing, more eye discharge, and visible redness and swelling. It is usually bacterial and must be handled promptly: clean the discharge around the eye with a cotton swab and saline, then apply a vet-recommended cat eye drop 2–3 times a day, 1–2 drops each time, watching the dosage. If it does not ease, go to the vet.

3. Wrong diet

A cat’s diet needs care — food too high in salt affects the eyes and leads to tearing. Feed low-oil, low-salt food and choose natural kibble. A tear-stain supplement mixed into the food can ease staining, but follow the dosage.

4. Respiratory infection

More serious is tearing from a respiratory infection. A chill, feline rhinotracheitis (cat flu), or calicivirus all cause tearing plus other abnormal signs, and need prompt veterinary care to avoid worsening.

Tearing always means the eye is irritated or something is wrong inside the body, so don’t take it lightly — watch the cat’s condition closely. For other questions, you can consult an online vet.