My Kitty’s Eyes

The adorable little face above belongs to Lizzie.

Lizzie likes to gaze into my eyes, and when she does I see in hers love, empathy, compassion … and nearly every eye disorder a poor little kitty can have.

From herpes to distichia to ulcers to glaucoma, Lizzie has it. Yet excellent vets often miss these problems, in part because they all are relatively rare in cats, or at least rarely diagnosed in cats. So for years, Lizzie suffered terribly without us even realizing it.

When I look into my kitty’s eyes, those beautiful, loving green eyes, I get inspired to help other cats find relief from their pain and discomfort.

We’re lucky to have found a veterinary opthamologist, Dr. Susan Kirschner, who has cured or controlled all these problems. The fact that you have stumbled across this site suggests that maybe you haven’t yet found the answer to the problems you see when you look into your kitty’s eyes. So read on, and maybe we can help.

MyKittyEyes.com is not affiliated with nor endorsed by any of the organizations we link to. Nor are we qualified to diagnose or treat your kitty’s eyes. That’s not our intent. We just want to help get you pointed in the right direction.

One more thing: If you already have solved your cat’s problems, please leave a brief note describing the symptoms and what your vet did to treat them.

If you haven’t yet figured out what’s wrong, please come back when you do and post your story.

You never know whose kitty’s eyes you might be saving.

Why are your cat’s eyes watery?

Good question. One without an easy answer.

Nearly any opthamological problem causes eyes to water, so you need to ask yourself some other questions.

• Are both eyes watery, or just one?
• Did the problem just start, or is this a chronic condition?
• Does the eye appear cloudy?
• What color is the discharge?
• Is there any sign of injury (is the eye swollen or scratched)?
• Are there any symptoms elsewhere in the body (sneezing, coughing, lethargy)?

If only one eye is affected, there’s an increased likelihood of injury. Remember: Just because you can’t see a scratch doesn’t mean it’s not there.

If the problem appeared suddenly, there’s an increased likelihood of injury or illness, such as an upper respiratory infection. Some infections, such as conjunctivitis, also can appear in just one eye.

If the problem is chronic, especially if it’s in both eyes or if it comes and goes, there’s more reason to suspect a condition such as herpes, distichia, or glaucoma.

If the eye is cloudy, the problem could be an ulcer (especially if it’s in only one eye), glaucoma or a cataract.

Clear, watery discharge could be anything from a serious injury to a minor irritation, but dark or thick discharge always needs quick attention from a vet.

If your cat is lethargic, if it’s not eating, or if it’s coughing or sneezing, the problem might not really be in the eyes. Cats get viruses similar to what we call colds or flu in humans that cause the eyes to water.

In short, figuring out the cause of watery eyes isn’t always easy. If and how soon the problem goes away can determine whether you need to see a vet.

But left unattended, even a minor scratch can turn into a nasty infection or ulcer.