Cat Eye Problems - Signs to Be Aware Of

Cat Eye Problems should be extremely important to the cat owner. Cat's eyes have special characteristics that set them apart from other animals. Most dogs use a combination of sight, hearing and smell to become familiar with their surroundings, whereas cats depend mostly on their eyesight for hunting and stalking their prey.

Cat Eye Problems can be spotted if their eye waters, if they blink, squint, paw at their eye or give any evidence that their eye is painful. A special characteristic of the cat's eye is their exta eyelid, which is called the nictitating membrane. If this extra eyelid is visible then your cat most likely has an eye problem.

The first thing that you need to do is to examine the eye to see if you can recognize the cause. The best way to examine the eye is by using a single light source such as a flashlight, preferably in a dark room. You can prevent the cat from panicking by using a pillow case that is pinned around his neck, in order to restrain him.Remember, If the cat is frightened his eyes will dilate preventing you from making an accurate observation.

Frequently you can get a clue to the cat's eye problem by comparing one eye to the other. Look to see if the eyes are of the same shape, color and size. See if they bulge forward or are recessed backwards. A discharge might be present or the eye may be cloudy, hazy or smoky. To test for vision, cover one eye and touch the other several times with your finger. If the cat has vision he will blink when your finger approaches.

Problems with the eye are accompanied by several signs and symptoms. The most serious is pain. If your cat has a painful eye, you should seek immediate veterinary attention.

Some of the signs and symptoms of Cat Eye Problems are:

Eye Discharge - A clear discharge without redness and pain indicates a problem in the tear drainage system.

Any discharge in addition to a painful eye should alert you to the possibility of Cornea or Inner eye involvment.

A thick, sticky mucus discharge along with a red (inflamed) eye indicates Pink Eye or conjunctivitis.

Painful Eye - Signs of pain include squinting, tearing, tenderness to touch and avoidance of light. The nictitating membrane may protrude in response to pain. The common causes of painful eye are injuries to the Cornea and disorders affecting the inner eye.

Film over the Eye - A whitish or opaque film which moves out over the surface of the eyeball is a protruded nictitating membrane.

Cloudy Eye - Loss of clarity or transparency in the eye indicates an inner eye disorder. Disorders that can cause a cloudy eye are Keratitis, Glaucoma and Cataract.

Hard or Soft Eye - Changes in eye pressure are caused by disorders of the inner eye. The pupil might become fixed and fail to respond to light. A hard eye with a dilated pupil indicates Glaucoma. A soft eye with a small pupil indicates inflammation of the inner structure of the eye.

Irritation of the Lids - These are conditions which cause swelling, crusting, itching, or hair loss of the eyelids.

Bulging or Sunken Eye - These are abnormal contours and positions of the eye

Abnormal Eye Movements - These are eyes that focus in different directions or jerk back and forth

Cross-Eyed Gaze - This is common among Siamese cats, and is accepted as normal, however other forms are caused by muscle paralysis.

The source and diagnosis of Cat Eye Problems can usually be determined by one of the above symptoms. Pay very close attention to your cat to see if he/she exhibits one of them, and see your vet if necessary.

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