What Causes Swollen Eyes in Cats?

Cat’s eyes may become swollen for many reasons. It is not a rare condition for many cats. When swollen eyes are accompanied by a yellow discharge, watery eyes, or pink eyelids, it is time to visit a vet. Eye infections are not unusual for many cats, especially not for little kittens. To prevent eye infections or other eye problems, we should do a home inspection. According to feline experts, we should do it on a regular basis. The best time to do it is before grooming session. They suggest turning a cat toward the light and carefully observe the look of her eyes and surrounded tissue. We should look for signs such as gloominess, tears, crusty gunk, cloudiness, discharge, red eyelids, and so on. Sometimes, we could spot eye problems by observing cat behavior. Namely, cats with impaired vision may stagger, stumble, or paw at the area around the eyes. To learn more about what causes swollen eyes in cats, the article “Treating a Cat with a Swollen Eye” lists the following reasons.

There are several possibilities that may lead to a swollen eye in a cat::

Conjunctivitis: The conjunctiva of the eye is a mucous membrane that surrounds the eyeball, and sometimes becomes infected. When this happens, we call it conjunctivitis, or pink eye. This is a very painful disease for a kitty that can be caused by a number of different things. With conjunctivitis, the swollen eye is often accompanied by discharge from the eye that is either clear, or purulent.

Scratches: Cats may accidentally have their eyes scratched during play or a fight with other cats. When this happens, the eye itself is damaged and may have become infected, leading either to pink eye or an ulcer.

Foreign Item: A cat with a swollen eye may have also been poked, possibly while crawling around in brush. If an item were to become lodged in the eye, it is possible for an infection to form.

Even though being aware of the possible reasons that may cause swollen eyes in cats, the best prevention is to keep a cat indoors. Indoor cats fight less and suffer less from health ailments. Moreover, they live longer. According to feline experts, swollen eyes may appear as a result of feline herpes virus that usually affects outdoor cats. Proper food, play, and vaccination will keep a cat’s health condition at its best. Recognizing the symptoms of eye problems may also prevent a cat from getting complications and keep her eyesight as good as possible. Any sign of swollen eyes in cats and other symptoms will ring the alarm before the illness progresses.