Why is only one of my senior cat's eyes watering? What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Excessive blinking is often a sign of discomfort. This could be due to an eye injury or conditions such as a corneal laceration, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, dry eye (also known as KCS), among many other conditions. I highly recommend that you have Pluffy evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. Good luck and best wishes!

It could be minor infection (bacterial or viral), foreign body, stray eye lash or even an obstructed tear duct. Without a physical exam, it is difficult to determine definitively what the underlying cause may be. If the discharge persists, consider an exam with your veterinarian. If Ruth is rubbing ornpawing at the eye, place an e-collar (cone) on her until she sees the doctor.

It looks like Kitty might have an upper respiratory infection causing conjunctivitis. A viral infection is most common, although secondary bacterial infections can also occur. A scratch on the surface of the eye could also cause redness and discharge but would not cause sneezing. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian for an exam. They can check for a scratch on the cornea or prescribe medications to treat a respiratory infection.

Sneezing and eye tearing in cats is often the result of a viral upper respiratory infection. Symptoms may include sneezing, eye or nasal discharge, nasal congestion, eye squinting, lethargy, and inappetence. Common causative agents include herpesvirus and calicivirus. The fact that he is eating and drinking normally is a good sign. However, because he is an older kitty, it will definitely require close monitoring to ensure his signs are not worsening. An exam with your veterinarian is recommended to make sure that his vital signs are normal, including a normal temperature. If he'll let you check his temperature at home, you can. I suggest lubricating a thermometer and checking his temperature rectally. Normal temperatures for can range between 100.5 to 102.5. If his temperature is 103 or higher you should consider bringing him in to your vet. Additionally, if you see yellow/green discharge from the eyes or nose, increased frequency of sneezing, lethargy, loss of appetite, or open-mouth breathing I suggest bringing him to your vet right away. Viral infections, just like in people, can weaken the immune system allowing bacterial infections to occur, which requires veterinary prescribed antibiotics. If there are any other cats in the house, I recommend temporarily isolating them from your sneezy cat until his signs resolve. Minimizing environmental stress is also recommended for his recovery. If you have any other concerns or are interested in additional information I'm happy to follow-up with an online consultation.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to an eye injury or conditions such as a corneal laceration, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, dry eye (also known as KCS), among many other conditions. I highly recommend that you have Chiku evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. Good luck and best wishes!

Her duct that draining the eye could be clogged. I would put a warm compress on inner part of the eye near the nose and gently massage. You could also try Benadryl twice a day to see if there is an allergy component. If this doesn’t help, I would talk to your vet about y’all trying an antibiotics eye drop with or without a steroid to see if that helps it. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/cat/benadryl/

Poor Shay! Her eye could be watering due to injury, infection, or allergies. The eye is such a delicate and important structure that any problem with it should be considered an emergency. That's because leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. I would have Shay seen by a vet immediately to diagnose what is causing her eye to water so it can be treated.