Why Is My Cat Keeping One Eye Closed. Cats have eyes that are open unless they’re asleep. If your cat’s eyes are closed, it could potentially be in pain.
A cat may also temporarily close one eye for a number of reasons such as discomfort or to protect it from getting water in the eye.
Conjunctivitis can cause irritation and swelling of the eyelids so if you notice red-eye accompanied by an unusual amount of rubbing, it is advised you take your feline friend to the vet.
If your cat has glaucoma his or her optic nerve will become damaged which can ultimately lead to blindness. When examining a cat’s iris lookout for damage including ulcers, infections, and cataracts.
Why Is My Cat Keeping One Eye Closed
The most common reason for your cat to keep a single eye closed is because they’re experiencing some sort of an infection, such as conjunctivitis which tends to be more common in cats who also paw at their eyes constantly. However, other eye ailments or infections may come into play and in these cases, your cat’s eye may be less responsive to being poked and prodded.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is when the third eyelid, which also works as a defense against dust by cleaning the eye of debris, becomes swollen and inflamed.
The mucus membrane lining your cat’s eyelids will also become swollen and may present as a slight discharge near your cat’s eyes. Cats can contract conjunctivitis from bacteria that are passed from cat to cat.
Some cats have allergies that are responsible for the other rare cause of feline conjunctivitis, but a different kind of fluid builds up instead of discharging itself into the epithelial ducts.
Eye Infections
The majority of eye infections are treated with antibiotics and steroidal eye drops. Never use human eye drops as animal eyes could become more sensitive to the preservative in them if used for extended periods of time!
In the case of most cats and dogs, eye infections will heal on their own within a short period of time.
Do not allow an infection to run its course, as this will only exacerbate the damage that may be done and cause long-term issues that you cannot correct easily.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition that causes damage to the optic nerve and can result when fluid builds up inside your cat’s eye.
Left untreated, the symptoms will get progressively worse and you may notice that your cat’s eyes have a sunken appearance.
By monitoring your cat closely and studying his drooping eyelids, you’ll be able to identify this condition earlier rather than later.
Some behaviors like pawing at the eyes or scratching at their face could indicate that there is inflammation due to allergies, irritation, or some sort of foreign object inside their eyes.
Allergies
If a cat is suffering from an allergy, this might be causing them to squint one eye. Similar to people, if your cat is allergic to something, it’s likely that the symptoms will include sore, itchy, and watery eyes.
As a result of these issues, the cat could end up squinting or blinking frequently. Allergies in cats are usually caused by factors like food, fleas or other parasites, perfumes/ cleaning products, and pollen.
If your cat is allergic to any of these things it may also experience other symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing and itchy skin, and even vomiting or swollen paws.
FAQs
Is it Normal For a Cat’s Eye To Water?
A variety of reasons can make your cat’s eye water excessively. If the tear duct is blocked, if your pet has allergies or a foreign body around its eyes, or even because of the structure of your cat’s face, excess tears might overflow from the eye causing you to wonder why it’s crying.