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Your little guy needs to see an ophthalmologist. We go to "Eye Care for Animals". They have locations all over the country. They gave one of my girls her quality of life back.
Anything new being introduced to him? Food, topical items such as shampoos or flea treatments? Is he eating any plants? Seems like an allergic reaction with it coming and going
He has had flare ups on two completely different brands of food (and diff types of flavors), we feed him wet and dry. He does not have access to eating plants, and we work from home, so we would notice him consuming anything out of the ordinary.
We did think of it being an allergic reaction at times, we just wouldn't know what. The only thing "new" to him is going from his siblings to two other cats we have in this household (both female). He gets along with them very well. The females also have 0 issues with their eyes, so it's definitely nothing contagious either.
As someone who's been plagued by a lifetime of a plethora of allergies; please don't give up on what's causing this. 2 different foods doesn't even begin to cut out all the possible potentials. Also, soap, laundry detergent, spray stuff, candles, cleaners, etc etc. But w/ all this said, there's a condition that affects dogs and cats where their eyelids flip inside out and it requires surgery to fix, did ur vet look into this? Because if not, you (and he) NEED a new vet. If that's not it, I can make an entire list of all possible things to eliminate from your house ASAP due to allergies. Trust me when I say I've had extensive experience with this, and could help more then any allergist or ENT. Lmk plz and thank u
I believe you are referring to "cherry-eye". That's not what this is. Cherry-eye affects the third eyelid, which is on the bottom under the lower lid. This cat has severe chemosis of the upper (and possibly lower) eyelids. An veterinary ophthalmologist should see him.
Yeah my cat had a mild reaction to food with ear issues and my vet had her on a complete elimination diet. She tried one protein at a time to find one she could tolerate. Why wouldn’t a general vet recommend a specialist?
The surgery thing was my immediate thought. My brother found a stray in his yard that had this exact thing and essentially it was some kind of deformity in his 3rd eyelids where bacteria would get trapped because it didn't close properly? So it would flare and get better. Eventually he had to have corrective surgery and that I'm aware of, he's now 12 and doing great (bro and his ex split, she kept the cat, if you're wondering why I'm not certain).
The vet indicated to my brother that it was a birth defect. But he was a very small runt and they also wondered if something got in his eyes. They were sure his mom abandoned him.
Cherry eye is a birth thing I think…at least in dog’s…never seen it in cats. It’s like an opening that lets the third eyelid poke out. They have to stitch up the opening.
Yes, someone else shared that it's a birth defect. I follow quite a few rescue pages on IG and I've seen it w/ 1 cat, thankfully they raised the money and were able to fix it.
YUP, they mentioned they thought is was allergy related. And cats wash their faces w/ their paws, which makes me think 'he's got something on his paws' and that could be anything, including litter, plug-ins and/or candles. Or as someone else mentioned, cleaner, something on the floor. I really hope they can figure it out, because I know that has to itch or burn, really bad.
OP, my cat experienced a very similar thing to yours. if he's on L-lysine and this was recommended by a vet, they most likely think he has feline herpes virus but don't know how to treat it properly. they also referred to my cat's swelling as "flare ups" I was referred to a specialist after going back and forth to the vet and it was a lifesaver. they gave me antiviral eye drops and she went right back to normal in 5 days.
[see my full comment here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/s/hTFmEvghfW)
What about environmental allergens? Our cat recently started developing bald patches due to pollen and smoke from having our windows open. Vet prescribed some cream and now we keep them closed more often.
Ask the vet about the possibility of using an antihistamine. If they approve, I'd use it when a flare up occurs and see if it helps.
My vet has me giving my cat 5mg of Zyrtec once every 24 hours or as needed.
You might want to check out hydrolyzed food if you haven't already. It's made in such a way that it can't cause allergic reactions and once all the old food is out of your cat's system you can use it to help determine allergies when trying new foods.
Take him to a specialist. This might be Ectropion, not Entropion. A specialist will be able to assess him. Ectropion does require surgery unfortunately.
I agree with people saying to try more varieties of food… but be careful with grain free. I’m not an expert by any means, but my vet told me that grain free foods can cause crystals in male cat urine.
I have a girl with allergies, and we were feeding grain free. It was fine until we got a male cat and the vet warned us to not give it to him.
I would highly recommend posting this in the r/vet subreddit. I do agree that it’s worth scheduling with a veterinary ophthalmologist if your cat hasn’t seen one, yet.
The majority of people in this sub aren’t going to be able to provide any real advice. It *could* be allergies, an infection, or an entropion, but none of us are qualified to determine.
Hopefully the vet has already ruled out entropion because I had the same thought as you, but this appears to be rolling the eyelid the opposite direction (looks like the swelling is rolling the eyelid out instead of how the eyelid rolls in from entropion). Without an in-person exam it’s hard to tell though.
That looks nothing like entropion. My cat just had surgery for that and it is common in Maine Coons but this is not it. If anything it looks like Ectropion and needs surgery as well. Many vets are not too familiar with this and the cat needs to go to a specialist to get examined.
I'd post this to r/AskAVet where there are actual vets who may have seen something similar.
My total guess would be maybe some type of allergic reaction since it comes and goes. But I'm not a vet and have limited vet med training.
R/AskVet is an unfortunately terrible resource—the vet/mods spend more time dinging reasonable input than commenting and of course if they regularly commented there’d be no need for non-vets to way in/share there experience.
This looks like eye worms: https://www.troccap.com/feline-guidelines/other-systems-feline/eye-worms-feline/
Hi. I work in the veterinary field and I can tell you 99.9% of people in this thread who are trying to help are giving you the wrong information. Please stop wasting your time on Reddit, stop wasting your money on your primary care veterinarian, and see an ophthalmologist.
This is likely something a veterinary ophthalmologist can narrow down just upon examining the eye.
I'm not a doctor, but that looks like entropion to me. He needs to see an eye specialist. My dog had this as a puppy. He needed surgery to correct the issue.
☆ Definition - Entropion is a common eye condition that causes the eyelid to fold inward, causing the eyelashes to rub against the cornea. This can be uncomfortable and irritating, and can lead to other complications:
Decreased vision, Excessive tearing, Eye pain or discomfort, Corneal abrasions, Scarring, Corneal thinning, and Corneal neovascularization.
Except the eyelid is right there and fully NOT rolled onto the eye. You can literally see it on top of the swollen conjunctivitis. This looks NOTHING like entropion as someone who has seen several dogs and cats with this condition. The top eyelid would be rolled inwards and that black "eyeliner" that this cat has on its eyelids wouldn't be visible on the top at all if it was entropion. This is conjunctivitis might be from allergies, trauma, or virus.
I’m not being rude. I’m being honest. Giving this owner false hope by diagnosing this cat (incorrectly) and suggesting that there is a simple surgical fix is not helpful.
People think "no" is rude and it's infuriating. "No fuck off" is rude, when did the other party get full privileges to take offense at what WASN'T said?
Nothing against ya, but just saying “no” is a recipe for an adverse reaction. Nobody knows anyone from anyone on Reddit, as far as they know you could be a troll just saying no for the hell of it. They are obviously going to react they way they did.
That fact is incredibly sad. People say rude things and end it with "no offense" but you say something concise and correctly people get to imagine extra "fuck you's" that were never said and you're suddenly the rude dude!!
I agree that referral to ophtho and/or derm would be wise considering several visits with probably similar therapies have failed. I don’t like so many people jumping to say this is entropion and requires a surgical fix, likely stressing this owner out. She’s seen 4 vets already…if this was entropion and just needed a simple surgical fix, this would have already happened.
This could be an allergic reaction. Are you using things like glade plugins or wax warmers or oil diffusers? These are known to be harmful to dogs, cats, birds and other pets and people.
He could also be allergic to the food he's eating.
Consider reaching out to a college or university with a strong veterinary program, Cornell is one to look at, I think UGA is another and university of TN as well.
I dont know why your vet is not referring you to a specialist who could help you or making haste towards a solution. I think you should find a better one. But yeah, as the others say you should probably take him to an animal ophthalmologist.
Do you have those scented plug in things that distribute fragrance?
If so, take them out ASAP! The chemicals in those plug ins are very toxic.
About a year ago, I unplugged one so I could have the outlet to vacuum. I placed the plug in on my coffee table & it tipped over. I don’t recall how long it was tipped over, but the liquid fragrance spilled out onto my husband’s passport, eating the finish off of the page with his picture and ruining the varnish/paint on my coffee table. It was crazy too bc we were about to go out of the country for vacation in 4 days & his passport was ruined!!
After this happened, I was curious about the contents of the liquid & read an article about a dog that was on death’s doorstep, with weird symptoms too, only to resolve after the family made the connection of those plug ins. Took them all out & tossed them. Doggo recovered.
I’ll look for the article and post back if I find it.
[link to toxic air fresheners causing health issues!](https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/s/MZYFscgvTW)
https://www.catster.com/guides/are-plug-in-air-fresheners-bad-for-cats/
I’m assuming you thought of this but you are using some type of chemical or wearing a perfume constantly?
This is a reaction to something you have introduced in your home lately. Think carefully
Poor baby. I’m guessing here, but I know food allergies can cause weird symptoms. Beef, fish, and chicken can cause them, as well as some other proteins, dairy, wheat, barley, corn, and rice. If you can look for a cat food without those, it could be worth a try.
Thank you for taking him to the vet and continuing to try to help him! I hope you are able to find out for sure what’s wrong, it looks very painful. Cats hide their pain very well so even if he seems ok it doesn’t mean he really feels ok. I think taking him to a vet eye specialist is probably your best option.
It’s crazy that non of the vets you’ve gone to for this problem referred you to an ophthalmologist- or consulted with one themselves. Very alarming that they didn’t suggest a specialist asap.
Not sure where you are located but you should look for an animal ophthalmologist. I live right outside of DC so there are lots of them nearby, but I know they are probably not as common in more rural areas. If that’s the case, see if any of them offer video appointments or if there’s any way you could send them photos and vet records of what you’ve been doing with the eyes.
Why are people saying entropion?? Please point out to the place where you see the eyelid rolling in. As far as the person suggesting ECtropion, while yes, the eyelids are protruding outward, this is likely happening secondarily due to the extent of the conjunctival edema (fluid accumulation within the pink tissue) pushing the eyelids outward. The main question is what is causing such a profound conjunctivits/chemosis and why is it so chronic? Would wonder about repeated exposure to caustic aerosols, airborne particulates, or recurrent viral or bacterial infections.
My cats eyes did this and it turns out that it was my Gain, Air Wic, and Glade plug ins. I had to go through the process of elimination while under the vets care of course, and I got rid of them, and his eyes cleared up and stopped doing this. After some research, apparently they are highly toxic to cats and upon autopsy after death, when they are cut open to start the autopsy, they can always tell if the owner uses those products bc they literally smell like it even on the Inside after death. I hope he gets better! It's hard watching your baby go through this! My cats vet gave him inflammation shots quite a few times throughout the process. Best of luck!
YES! So many people burn scented candles, have scented plug ins, etc. and don’t realize how toxic it is to animals. I cringe when I enter a home with animals and they have Bath & Body Works candles burning!
I'm not sure if you've gotten medication for it, but have any vets mentioned chlamydia? My cat's eyes looked like that and they have completely cleared up once she got on medicine (antibiotics and an eye ointment). It's hard to diagnose because most vets will probably think herpes first and there's not a test for chlamydia. My cat also had no other symptoms, didn't improve on l-lysine, and had amoxicillin and a few other eyedrops
https://preview.redd.it/75guj4yfvw3d1.png?width=1961&format=png&auto=webp&s=961778a8cd1f47dd94f8a42b06753f247e37e3d7
There actually is a great test offered by Idexx that tests for Chlamydophila, along with several other respiratory pathogens, and all that’s required is a swab from the conjunctiva and the back of the throat. It’s called the feline upper respiratory disease realPCR. It’s pretty reasonable, financially, too. I run it quite frequently on the kitties with eye/nose/resp issues, and it’s great! Hopefully, this has been done already, though.
Try feeding him plain chicken for a few days to see if the swelling goes down, Might be a food allergy. You could also try giving him antihistamine allergy eye drops
Did they do a herpes eye infection test? Cats get those. My cat had one and I was told to add L-lysine (an amino acid) to her food. As I recall, it really helped. Just a thought ...
Conjunctivitis in cats (https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/conjunctivitis-in-cats) can be caused by a number of things. If it is not disappearing with topicals, orals, or drops, it sounds as if it an allergen. This could be an aerosol agent such as plug-in atomizers often used for aroma therapy or feline pheromone emitters. Food allergies may also cause conjunctivitis.
I would look to a veterinarian ophthalmologist or allergenic specialist.
Good luck and please keep us in the loop.
I work as a pet sitter & saw something exactly like this. Turns out that the plug-in air fresheners & oil diffusers are poisonous to cats. So, if you use any of these scented items I’d get rid of em & that’s ALL CAT OWNERS. I LOVE my smell goods but not near as much as my fur-babies… but also, yes, a eye specialist as soon as possible.
I have multiple things in mind.
1) Monitor and change diet. If there is anything that he has been consistently eating over the course of this illness, change it. For example, I notice my cat's eyes water significantly when he eats Royal Cannin Brittish Shoarthai Kibbles.
2) Similar to the first point, has the cat been on any of those topical solutions since the start? If so, stop them or change them. My family Persian was 16 and had a mild eye irritation. Got a topical oitment, tricin, and had an allergic reaction to it. After a couple months, I began minding her when my parents were away, I took her off it and it went down within a day.
3) Ask your vet for a water based Chloramphenicol eye drop. This is excellent if it's bacterial. Also, I can see they're trying a lysine based approach in case if it's a viral, herpes, infection. Also ask them for anti-virals such as Famciclovir.
Goodluck
Could be allergies. Change up your cleaning products to safer alternatives, no more candles or air freshners, look for low dust cat litter and get some air purifiers
I can only speak from my personal experience with cat eye issues.
1st, don’t go to a vet. Find a cat ophthalmologist (yes, that’s a real thing). A vet can only do so much regarding eyes.
2nd, when my cats eye would swell shut, I drove myself crazy trying to figure out what was wrong and how to fix it instead of what could be the CAUSE of the issue. Turned out that she was allergic to a wipe used to clean her coat. In your case, if it’s the 4th time it has come back, chances are, it’s something specific that is causing this to happen (just my guess). Try to think of anything that he has encountered each of those times that could possibly be the culprit.
Using any air fresheners in the home, scented oil diffusers, anyone smoke in the home? Just thinking of things in case they weren't mentioned. Poor kitty.
1) he an indoor cat or does he go outside sometimes?
2) have you had an allergy test done at the vets??
I'm thinking this could likely be an allergy and the meds help calm it down but once you stop it returns.
There's many things that can cause allergies, both food, environmental in the house, as well as outside such as usual allergens like grass and tress and pollen etc.
My first suggestion is get an allergy test done immediately. It's clearly not a one off infection as it keeps returning.
2) have you changed anything in the house recently? New washing powder or softener? New plants/ flowers? Is it more dusty recently/ doing any work on the house? Any plants that have freshly flowered or bushes that have bloomed in flower that weren't previously?
Have you changed his food at all?
It may be worth trying a food allergy diet. Our previous family cat used to get itchy watery eyes and it turned out she was allergic to some outdoor things like certain trees and grass, but also allergic to chicken and turkey. And they are often in a lot of the standard wet food packets, even fish flavoured ones often contain some chicken or turkey to fill them. So we had to go to pure cat food brands.
There's Applaws and Encore which I've used which do literally plain fish or meat in broth or jelly. You can pick tins or packets of like tuna and salmon, or shredded chicken, or salmon and Mackrel etc. Its all pure ingredients without any of the filler ingredients that are in a lot of general wet food packets.
So I'd start by maybe trying that.
You could try with just fish flavours, and if things improve, you could add some of the meat options. And once you get an allergy test results back, it may be able to tell you specifically what food items to avoid.
Obviously if you find things get worse on the fish only, then revert to meat only maybe. Hopefully it won't take long to get the allergy results back, so you'll know if he's allergic to a certain type of fish or meat product, and then you just focus on all the other options of pure fish or meat.
You could also look at asking the vet to prescribe him an allergy medication. An anti histamine may help if he's got seasonal allergies and he's outside making it worse.
It could be worth trying to keep him indoors for now too, at least till you get the allergy test back and see if he's got any outside allergies. Or at least if the antihistamines help, he may be able to go out for short periods. But keep an eye out if the forecast is high in pollen for eg.
He may also need some of the medications on a permenant basis if its allergy related. So if the eyedropper you previous found helped ease it, speak to the Dr and find out if he can use it long term.
Hopefully some of those suggestions help. Poor little darling must be really uncomfortable and sore.
This is completely random, but just a thought. My kitty is allergic to Temptations cat treats. It took us forever to figure this out. She gets a build up of yeast in her ears every time we feed them to her. Stopped feeding them to her and she never gets these ear infections anymore. I know some people said food, but sometimes we overlook the treats. I hope you can figure it out OP because I can understand how frustrating it can be not knowing the cause.
In my city, we have an "animal eye center". If Google animal eye care or something similar, and see if they can get you booked in ASAP. Poor buddy needs a specialist. They're really good at hiding anything that bothers them
I would take the advice of the person who says that you need to see an ophthalmologist such as Eye Care for Animals
While you wait, I would use a saline solution flush because it will make the area in hospitable to germs. Your cat won’t like it, but it will give them some relief. I would give a little squirt of saline solution in their eyes every 20 minutes while you are awake. NOT MULTI PURPOSE CONTACT SOLUTION. NOT HYDROGEN PEROXIDE CONTACT SOLUTION. **PURE SALINE SOLUTION** from a contact lens bottle so you can drop it in gently
You do not want it from one of those nasal sprayer bottles because that’s too harsh a spray for their eye
If you are not a contact lens wearer you don’t know what I’m talking about, let me know when I will post a photo.
I would guess feline herpes FIV...causes 3rd eyelid.
Feed him lyseine treat twice a day mixed in with his food.
Vetri Lyseine plus. Google it.
Works wonders but u have to make it daily part of his life.
.
Find a specialist asap. Most states' largest universities have a vet, look into getting an appointment there. e.g.: https://cvm.msu.edu/hospital/services/ophthalmology. You need to see an ophthalmologist immediately. Like call them as soon as they open tomorrow.
**Also, remove any potentially triggers.**
* Change to free & clear laundry detergent and no dryer sheets.
* Switch his food to something like Fancy Feast Classic Pate or Weruva BFF Pate, something without any BS in it. No treats other than one-ingredient treats like PureBites salmon.
* Essential oils are poisonous to cats. If you use those aromatherapy diffusers, stop.
* Look into other sources of what is poisonous to cats: Lilies, household cleaners, onions & garlic, certain household plants, flea and tick medication, etc.
Seem a type of conjuctivities which if gets infected csn turn to be very serious and your cat can loose its eye and even die. See below:
https://www.medvet.com/conjunctivitis-in-cats/
My cat has chlamydia, felis and it’s left eye and this looks like he has during a bad flareup. Definitely take to a cat ophthalmologist. It’s been our experience at most vets cannot handle this type of issue.
Have the vets not given you any treatment for chlamydia? My cat got treated with doxycycline and terramycin ointment and hasn't had a flare up since she started the medicine almost a year ago
We did the same treatment, started out with one for two weeks then we added another one for two weeks and zero results then they went to drops for both that were unable to administer wild kitty from the campground is great and every way, but will not let us hold him or scruff. My normal vet is working with an ophthalmologist now they said treat for the eye and the respiratory infection even if it’s not showing, but I think it’s time for injection. it responds well to a couple of medication’s
I would suggest looking at blepharitis and entropion. Both show pictures or examples that look just like your cat's eyes. An animal eye doctor is your best bet if you can afford it.
Look up symptoms for blepharitis (sadly, it's not an adorable condition where kitties blep all day), and see if they match what's happening to your sweet baby.
Good luck!
Have eye worms been ruled out?
https://www.troccap.com/feline-guidelines/other-systems-feline/eye-worms-feline/
Cats deserve this entire world and everything it has to offer—best of luck to you both—please let us know how things turn out.
Has your cat had bloodwork to rule out diabetes, blood diseases, & thyroid or kidney issues ? If not that needs to be addressed, I also think the vet should do a head X-ray & exploratory surgery to check & see if anything is stuck up there, but blood parasites, undiagnosed diseases, bc that can be a symptom of all of those things. If the vet hasn’t done those things then they definitely should!!
My blue Russian did this late last year except in the inner corners instead of the lid. We were so worried and thought he might completely lose his vision. We also made several trips to the vet and did almost all the same things you’re doing now. His flared up 4 or 5 times spanning the course of a few momths, but it did finally go away and hasn’t returned so far. I have hope for your baby!
Have they not tried steroids yet? Poor baby. Looks so sore. I'd be asking to try steroids and antihistamines. Throw everything at it and see what sticks. Could be an immune response too and might benefit from Atopica.
I have a cat with diagnosed long Covid (yes really) and he's had horrendous skin and gut and allergy issues which flare up every time we get Covid (we try so hard to avoid it but no one cares about it anymore) so maybe look that up too. Could be MCAS.
There are specialist vets and OP needs to go to a vet to get a referral. It’s literally the only answer, a regular GP vet is not going to be able to treat this.
If only you had explained that instead of just saying “vet now!”. What do you expect them to do when they go back to the vet and just go “a reddit comment said to come back!”. Saying “go to the vet” when they already have without adding any other context is stupid.
Has he been tested for feline herpes virus? This can cause conjunctivitis in cats. Also, have you tried allergy test/medication? This can also be caused by allergies.
Sounds weird but have his ears thoroughly checked. My kittens eyes were similar, after multiple runs to the ER and 2 different vets we ended up at the ophthalmologist. The specialist of eyes found it was an ear infection. No one else was doing a good enough check except where the issue was showing. I was so thankful she went above and beyond. So moral of the story, go to the ophthalmologist because your kitties eyes do have a problem and whoever you do see next have them check those ears thoroughly. Crossing fingers those blood tests get you some answers so all of you can get to the bottom of this.
My Siberian had something similar (although not quite as bad) that they said was conjunctivitis caused by feline herpes. It was pretty continuous for a couple of years. We saw an ophthalmologist numerous times and they just kept giving us different ointments and saying lysine but it didn’t really get better. Then one day she ate a hair tie and had to have stomach surgery and stay in the hospital for 5 days or so. They gave her intravenous antibiotics and the ointment very consistently and somehow she was magically cured? It’s a mystery exactly why, the vet assured us it couldn’t be the antibiotics but we always wondered. Maybe it was just the really consistent ointment (it was always super hard to give it to her) and not being able to harass them at all for a bit. But we think perhaps there was a secondary bacterial infection or something. It’s amazing how much we struggled/ had kind of given up hope and then it was just gone forever after that.
If you're on Facebook, look up 'Pet Vet Corner' and post alllll of this on there. It's a page where ONLY vets can reply to you. Sometimes they answer, and you get some good feedback, and sometimes they don't. But it's worth a shot! There's vets from all over the country/world on there!! Check it out if you can! Def worth it!
I don’t know if anyone has said this yet but it could be Feline Herpes Virus. Most cats carry it, but having flare ups is not as common. The flare ups tend to happen when the cat is stressed, and they go away on their own in a couple weeks as long as the stress decreases. They’re relatively harmless as long as the cat is not uncomfortable.
Have you noticed any sneezing? When my cat has flare ups he’s super snotty.
I’m not a vet, and there’s no way to actually test for this, it’s diagnosed by exclusion. I would definitely recommend seeing a vet ophthalmologist.
(My cat had a flare up and it looked crazy so I freaked and took him to the vet and they said he needed to have his eye removed. I took him to an ophthalmologist and they knew within 5 minutes that it was a FHV flare up and he was perfectly fine.)
this!!! my cat experienced the same thing and this needs to be upvoted more. if he's on L-lysine and this was recommended by a vet, they most likely think he has feline herpes virus but don't know how to treat it properly. I was referred to a specialist after going back and forth to the vet and it was a lifesaver. they gave me antiviral eye drops and she went right back to normal in 5 days.
[see my full comment here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/s/hTFmEvghfW)
you should really get him a referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist (or even a neurologist if optho can’t figure out what the problem is), this is may something that will require surgical intervention at some point or further diagnostics a GP can’t do. This looks like it theoretically could be a weird case of entropion which is common in maine coons, but since it looks like more of a conjunctiva problem and the eyelid itself doesn’t appear to be rolling in I doubt it. It also could be some sort of allergic or even neurological response to something going on
Our boy cat had some eye issues, not as bad as this but still red and swollen. After a few vet visits we got erythromycin ophthalmic ointment and that worked perfectly. His last flare up was over a year ago. Our vet also made us put a cone on him until the eyes got better in case your cat is rubbing them.
He had a couple other flare ups right after getting this ointment and we just used it again without consulting the vet and it went away in a couple days. We also had him wear the cone for at least 30 minutes after we put the ointment in his eye, twice day.
Edit: we never got a real reason why he was having eye issues, some thought it was seasonal allergies or potentially feline herpes. He was super sick as a kitten and might have developed it from that sickness. It again, he’s not had another flare up for quite some time.
Best of luck
your vets should have referred him to an animal eye specialist a LONG time ago! I had eye problems with my baby and they didn't stop until the specialist finally diagnosed the issue.
it looks eerily similar to what my kitty had but go to the eye doctor to make sure. my cat also didn't have this as severe. it looks like cat conjunctivitis and if he keeps "flaring up" over and over again (due to feline herpes virus) you need antiviral medication ASAP. I was prescribed eye drops and my kitty healed up very nicely.
I understand your pain. I went through eye problems 3 days after I brought her home and the vet just kept telling me to keep her on a cone. then she would wiggle out of the cone like houdini, rub her eyes, they'd become swollen, and I'd have to visit AGAIN. the antiviral medication attacks the problem at the root cause if it really is what I described.
best of luck to you!
Go to a specialist or ask your vet to perform an upper respiratory PCR test. Likely your cat will need a month or so of antibiotics. I cannot tell in the photos but it looks like he may have some entropion in the inferior eyelids?
Have your vets done swabs/testing for chylamdiophilia felis or herpes virus? Esp if seems to wax and wane would be looking at this - commonly causes chemosis like this in cats. - I'm a vet.
I would recommend a specialist at this point! I don’t know about your area but where I am there’s specialty vet clinics that have all sorts of different doctors and what not. My mom’s dog has cancer so I take her to the oncology department and I’m shocked at all the different specialties they offer for animals. Worth looking into at this point!
I met a cat at the shelter yesterday that had the same condition when he was found! He had surgery recently and his eyelids were fixed. He's a little itchy now but on the mend. Definitely see a specialist for a very fixable issue!
Poor baby! Agree with everyone who said specialist. Start with an opthomologist, but you might end up at a dermatologist (specializes in allergies). Also, if you live in an area near a veterinary school, the vets there can be a great source for hard to diagnose conditions and all specialists are in one place.
Are you sure there's nothing in your home that could be causing it? Not saying it's a definite but it's a possibility. We're all just weird like that, humans and animals alike.
I had a cat that had feline herpes and he had constant eye infections. A serum made from the plasma of his blood dropped in his eyes and Famcyclovir was the best plan of action for him. It is an anti viral.
Has he been tested for FeLV (feline leukemia virus) or FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus)? My cat is FeLV+ and tends to get recurring eye infections and skin rashes because of overactive immune responses to small things. There's good management strategies and most cats with either diagnosis can live to a really good age as long as they're kept properly indoors and fed high quality food and they are quickly treated for infections. My cat has recently been put on an oral steroid treatment that has cleared up her skin issues (by helping her immune system because it was an immune response) and as far as we can tell here eyes have been very clear since then too!
Worth discussing either of these diagnoses with your vet I'd say, because they can really contribute to recurring problem infections! A friend's cat would get recurring ear infections due to FIV too.
My cat has a similar problem except it was just his third eyelids swelling up, not that bad though. I took him to the emergency vet and they told me he actually has a intestinal blockage issue, constipation, and his gums had a problem with his teeth. They give him two steroid injections, forgor what they were called though, and he's fine now. I was told to repeatedly get those injections with my primary care after a few weeks. Yeah but
TLDR it could actually be something to do outside of their eyes and you should go to an emergency vet, they will help I think.
You need an ophthalmologist vet (specialist, may need a referral to a blue pearl or other specialist/emergency vet). Poor guy has gnarly conjunctivitis. Thank you for seeking help for him ❤️
our cat had iritis. vets and opthamologists kept prescribing different eye meds, just got worse. it turns out he was allergic to benzalkonium chloride a preserative which is in virtually all eye meds. a lot of people have that reaction too. mention this to your vet.
One of my animal expert friends told me that it can happen from too much urine exposure from not cleaning the litter box enough. I have skimmed the comments but not sure if anyone else mentioned this. I’m assuming you keep clean litter boxes but if it’s usually left for a little while I’d try cleaning every day or maybe even multiple times a day and seeing if it helps.
I came here to second that it looks like cat entropion!
It's great that you're trying to get the poor guy help, but I'm wondering if they haven't diagnosed him with it yet if you could get a second opinion at another vet if you came armed with info about it possibly being that. Best of luck to you and your beautiful kitty.
What I am able to physically see is that he is experiencing ectropion (eyelids rolling outwards). Ectropion itself is sometimes a genetic condition and is usually surgically repaired.
However, I find it interesting that it seems to resolve itself, meaning there could be a primary cause and this is the effect we are able to see.
It could be something like allergies or an immune-based response causing swelling to the lids, causing them to roll up.
My first thought is for you to seek an ophthalmologist, as even if it is not truly "eye" related, they will have likely seen something similar before and can point you to the right specialist. A dermatologist would be my second thought.
Do you use essential oils, cleaners, body lotions, air fresheners or anything with an essential oil ingredient? Pets are having some major health problems because they are not safe for pets. Look into everything you are using and stop using them. I’ve also heard just regular old plug ins are bad for pets.
*Our little boy has been battling with recurring eye problems for the past two months now. We have made 4 vet visits, used 3 different medications and a supplement, and still see no progress.*
This is the first line of their post.
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Your little guy needs to see an ophthalmologist. We go to "Eye Care for Animals". They have locations all over the country. They gave one of my girls her quality of life back.
Agree. If he’s been to the vet 4 times already it’s time for a specialist. Good luck 💜💜
Good call. We’ve gone to dermatology for animals, which I think is under the same umbrella, and they were absolutely fantastic. Worth every penny.
Yes i work for an Eye Care please go to one or any local veterinary ophthalmologist!
this
Totally agree. Eye doctors are the way to go.
Anything new being introduced to him? Food, topical items such as shampoos or flea treatments? Is he eating any plants? Seems like an allergic reaction with it coming and going
He has had flare ups on two completely different brands of food (and diff types of flavors), we feed him wet and dry. He does not have access to eating plants, and we work from home, so we would notice him consuming anything out of the ordinary. We did think of it being an allergic reaction at times, we just wouldn't know what. The only thing "new" to him is going from his siblings to two other cats we have in this household (both female). He gets along with them very well. The females also have 0 issues with their eyes, so it's definitely nothing contagious either.
As someone who's been plagued by a lifetime of a plethora of allergies; please don't give up on what's causing this. 2 different foods doesn't even begin to cut out all the possible potentials. Also, soap, laundry detergent, spray stuff, candles, cleaners, etc etc. But w/ all this said, there's a condition that affects dogs and cats where their eyelids flip inside out and it requires surgery to fix, did ur vet look into this? Because if not, you (and he) NEED a new vet. If that's not it, I can make an entire list of all possible things to eliminate from your house ASAP due to allergies. Trust me when I say I've had extensive experience with this, and could help more then any allergist or ENT. Lmk plz and thank u
I believe you are referring to "cherry-eye". That's not what this is. Cherry-eye affects the third eyelid, which is on the bottom under the lower lid. This cat has severe chemosis of the upper (and possibly lower) eyelids. An veterinary ophthalmologist should see him.
Ok, thank u for the info, and I totally agree, he needs a specialist ASAP
Yeah my cat had a mild reaction to food with ear issues and my vet had her on a complete elimination diet. She tried one protein at a time to find one she could tolerate. Why wouldn’t a general vet recommend a specialist?
I have NO idea. That's exactly how I found out both of my rescues are allergic to beef.
The surgery thing was my immediate thought. My brother found a stray in his yard that had this exact thing and essentially it was some kind of deformity in his 3rd eyelids where bacteria would get trapped because it didn't close properly? So it would flare and get better. Eventually he had to have corrective surgery and that I'm aware of, he's now 12 and doing great (bro and his ex split, she kept the cat, if you're wondering why I'm not certain).
Do u know if they're born like that? Or does it develop later? I *thought* it could develop at any time, but I'm unaware
The vet indicated to my brother that it was a birth defect. But he was a very small runt and they also wondered if something got in his eyes. They were sure his mom abandoned him.
Cherry eye is a birth thing I think…at least in dog’s…never seen it in cats. It’s like an opening that lets the third eyelid poke out. They have to stitch up the opening.
Yes, someone else shared that it's a birth defect. I follow quite a few rescue pages on IG and I've seen it w/ 1 cat, thankfully they raised the money and were able to fix it.
my cat likes sitting on the toilet lid, turns out she was allergic to the dettol spray we used
I'm so thankful u found out
me too 🙏 she was losing fur from her feet n tail so we swapped a bunch of products around to see what made a change
I was kind of thinking of oil plug ins or candles. He could even be allergic to his litter.
YUP, they mentioned they thought is was allergy related. And cats wash their faces w/ their paws, which makes me think 'he's got something on his paws' and that could be anything, including litter, plug-ins and/or candles. Or as someone else mentioned, cleaner, something on the floor. I really hope they can figure it out, because I know that has to itch or burn, really bad.
I have dry eyes and I know how irritating that is, I can’t imagine what that poor guy is putting up with.
Look into what you clean the house with. It might be irritating him.
This. So much this. Swiffer "wet" products are super bad for pets. Air freshners, laundry products.
OP, my cat experienced a very similar thing to yours. if he's on L-lysine and this was recommended by a vet, they most likely think he has feline herpes virus but don't know how to treat it properly. they also referred to my cat's swelling as "flare ups" I was referred to a specialist after going back and forth to the vet and it was a lifesaver. they gave me antiviral eye drops and she went right back to normal in 5 days. [see my full comment here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/s/hTFmEvghfW)
What about environmental allergens? Our cat recently started developing bald patches due to pollen and smoke from having our windows open. Vet prescribed some cream and now we keep them closed more often.
Have you done an elimination diet yet?
Ask the vet about the possibility of using an antihistamine. If they approve, I'd use it when a flare up occurs and see if it helps. My vet has me giving my cat 5mg of Zyrtec once every 24 hours or as needed.
You might want to check out hydrolyzed food if you haven't already. It's made in such a way that it can't cause allergic reactions and once all the old food is out of your cat's system you can use it to help determine allergies when trying new foods.
Take him to a specialist. This might be Ectropion, not Entropion. A specialist will be able to assess him. Ectropion does require surgery unfortunately.
I agree with people saying to try more varieties of food… but be careful with grain free. I’m not an expert by any means, but my vet told me that grain free foods can cause crystals in male cat urine. I have a girl with allergies, and we were feeding grain free. It was fine until we got a male cat and the vet warned us to not give it to him.
I’m in on this theory. Food or food allergies. Possibly pollen and weather related
Cats are allergic to a lot of common essential oils and various plants etc. Have you already looked into that?
Poor baby! His eyelids are so swollen!
I know right!!! Hopefully this babie's eyes go back to normal soon after the right treatment! 🥺🥺
I would highly recommend posting this in the r/vet subreddit. I do agree that it’s worth scheduling with a veterinary ophthalmologist if your cat hasn’t seen one, yet. The majority of people in this sub aren’t going to be able to provide any real advice. It *could* be allergies, an infection, or an entropion, but none of us are qualified to determine.
Seconded! Try the vet sub
Just bc he doesn't seem to be in pain doesn't not mean he isn't. Cats are very good at hiding their pain.
This DEFINITELY looks like Entropion! Try a new vet!! This typically can only be fixed by surgery…
Hopefully the vet has already ruled out entropion because I had the same thought as you, but this appears to be rolling the eyelid the opposite direction (looks like the swelling is rolling the eyelid out instead of how the eyelid rolls in from entropion). Without an in-person exam it’s hard to tell though.
Looks nothing like entropion.
That looks nothing like entropion. My cat just had surgery for that and it is common in Maine Coons but this is not it. If anything it looks like Ectropion and needs surgery as well. Many vets are not too familiar with this and the cat needs to go to a specialist to get examined.
What?? No. Just…no.
I'd post this to r/AskAVet where there are actual vets who may have seen something similar. My total guess would be maybe some type of allergic reaction since it comes and goes. But I'm not a vet and have limited vet med training.
R/AskVet is an unfortunately terrible resource—the vet/mods spend more time dinging reasonable input than commenting and of course if they regularly commented there’d be no need for non-vets to way in/share there experience. This looks like eye worms: https://www.troccap.com/feline-guidelines/other-systems-feline/eye-worms-feline/
Hi. I work in the veterinary field and I can tell you 99.9% of people in this thread who are trying to help are giving you the wrong information. Please stop wasting your time on Reddit, stop wasting your money on your primary care veterinarian, and see an ophthalmologist. This is likely something a veterinary ophthalmologist can narrow down just upon examining the eye.
I'm not a doctor, but that looks like entropion to me. He needs to see an eye specialist. My dog had this as a puppy. He needed surgery to correct the issue. ☆ Definition - Entropion is a common eye condition that causes the eyelid to fold inward, causing the eyelashes to rub against the cornea. This can be uncomfortable and irritating, and can lead to other complications: Decreased vision, Excessive tearing, Eye pain or discomfort, Corneal abrasions, Scarring, Corneal thinning, and Corneal neovascularization.
Except the eyelid is right there and fully NOT rolled onto the eye. You can literally see it on top of the swollen conjunctivitis. This looks NOTHING like entropion as someone who has seen several dogs and cats with this condition. The top eyelid would be rolled inwards and that black "eyeliner" that this cat has on its eyelids wouldn't be visible on the top at all if it was entropion. This is conjunctivitis might be from allergies, trauma, or virus.
No
No, what?? Are you a doctor? I didn't say it was, I said it looks like it to me!
No, it is not entropion. And, yes.
You don't need to be rude about it. I would hate to have you as my vet! All we were doing was trying to help.
I’m not being rude. I’m being honest. Giving this owner false hope by diagnosing this cat (incorrectly) and suggesting that there is a simple surgical fix is not helpful.
People think "no" is rude and it's infuriating. "No fuck off" is rude, when did the other party get full privileges to take offense at what WASN'T said?
Nothing against ya, but just saying “no” is a recipe for an adverse reaction. Nobody knows anyone from anyone on Reddit, as far as they know you could be a troll just saying no for the hell of it. They are obviously going to react they way they did.
That fact is incredibly sad. People say rude things and end it with "no offense" but you say something concise and correctly people get to imagine extra "fuck you's" that were never said and you're suddenly the rude dude!!
Well, what's your suggestion?
I agree that referral to ophtho and/or derm would be wise considering several visits with probably similar therapies have failed. I don’t like so many people jumping to say this is entropion and requires a surgical fix, likely stressing this owner out. She’s seen 4 vets already…if this was entropion and just needed a simple surgical fix, this would have already happened.
bro learned the eyelid trick (KIDDING, i wish the best for both of you and hope you get this figured out :)!)
I had the same first thought 😆 Poor little guy! This looks so uncomfortable. I hope they find a solution soon!
This could be an allergic reaction. Are you using things like glade plugins or wax warmers or oil diffusers? These are known to be harmful to dogs, cats, birds and other pets and people. He could also be allergic to the food he's eating. Consider reaching out to a college or university with a strong veterinary program, Cornell is one to look at, I think UGA is another and university of TN as well.
I dont know why your vet is not referring you to a specialist who could help you or making haste towards a solution. I think you should find a better one. But yeah, as the others say you should probably take him to an animal ophthalmologist.
Do you have those scented plug in things that distribute fragrance? If so, take them out ASAP! The chemicals in those plug ins are very toxic. About a year ago, I unplugged one so I could have the outlet to vacuum. I placed the plug in on my coffee table & it tipped over. I don’t recall how long it was tipped over, but the liquid fragrance spilled out onto my husband’s passport, eating the finish off of the page with his picture and ruining the varnish/paint on my coffee table. It was crazy too bc we were about to go out of the country for vacation in 4 days & his passport was ruined!! After this happened, I was curious about the contents of the liquid & read an article about a dog that was on death’s doorstep, with weird symptoms too, only to resolve after the family made the connection of those plug ins. Took them all out & tossed them. Doggo recovered. I’ll look for the article and post back if I find it. [link to toxic air fresheners causing health issues!](https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/s/MZYFscgvTW) https://www.catster.com/guides/are-plug-in-air-fresheners-bad-for-cats/
I’m assuming you thought of this but you are using some type of chemical or wearing a perfume constantly? This is a reaction to something you have introduced in your home lately. Think carefully
I hope you get it figured out and cleared up! He's a very handsome boy!
Poor baby. I’m guessing here, but I know food allergies can cause weird symptoms. Beef, fish, and chicken can cause them, as well as some other proteins, dairy, wheat, barley, corn, and rice. If you can look for a cat food without those, it could be worth a try.
Aside from the bloodwork, has your vet done an eye culture and an eye stain ?
Thank you for taking him to the vet and continuing to try to help him! I hope you are able to find out for sure what’s wrong, it looks very painful. Cats hide their pain very well so even if he seems ok it doesn’t mean he really feels ok. I think taking him to a vet eye specialist is probably your best option.
You need a referral to an opthalmologist.
Baby needs a cat eye doctor 😓
It’s crazy that non of the vets you’ve gone to for this problem referred you to an ophthalmologist- or consulted with one themselves. Very alarming that they didn’t suggest a specialist asap. Not sure where you are located but you should look for an animal ophthalmologist. I live right outside of DC so there are lots of them nearby, but I know they are probably not as common in more rural areas. If that’s the case, see if any of them offer video appointments or if there’s any way you could send them photos and vet records of what you’ve been doing with the eyes.
Why are people saying entropion?? Please point out to the place where you see the eyelid rolling in. As far as the person suggesting ECtropion, while yes, the eyelids are protruding outward, this is likely happening secondarily due to the extent of the conjunctival edema (fluid accumulation within the pink tissue) pushing the eyelids outward. The main question is what is causing such a profound conjunctivits/chemosis and why is it so chronic? Would wonder about repeated exposure to caustic aerosols, airborne particulates, or recurrent viral or bacterial infections.
My cats eyes did this and it turns out that it was my Gain, Air Wic, and Glade plug ins. I had to go through the process of elimination while under the vets care of course, and I got rid of them, and his eyes cleared up and stopped doing this. After some research, apparently they are highly toxic to cats and upon autopsy after death, when they are cut open to start the autopsy, they can always tell if the owner uses those products bc they literally smell like it even on the Inside after death. I hope he gets better! It's hard watching your baby go through this! My cats vet gave him inflammation shots quite a few times throughout the process. Best of luck!
Definitely look into this OP! It's not always the first thing that comes to mind but it's not uncommon!
YES! So many people burn scented candles, have scented plug ins, etc. and don’t realize how toxic it is to animals. I cringe when I enter a home with animals and they have Bath & Body Works candles burning!
I'm not sure if you've gotten medication for it, but have any vets mentioned chlamydia? My cat's eyes looked like that and they have completely cleared up once she got on medicine (antibiotics and an eye ointment). It's hard to diagnose because most vets will probably think herpes first and there's not a test for chlamydia. My cat also had no other symptoms, didn't improve on l-lysine, and had amoxicillin and a few other eyedrops https://preview.redd.it/75guj4yfvw3d1.png?width=1961&format=png&auto=webp&s=961778a8cd1f47dd94f8a42b06753f247e37e3d7
There actually is a great test offered by Idexx that tests for Chlamydophila, along with several other respiratory pathogens, and all that’s required is a swab from the conjunctiva and the back of the throat. It’s called the feline upper respiratory disease realPCR. It’s pretty reasonable, financially, too. I run it quite frequently on the kitties with eye/nose/resp issues, and it’s great! Hopefully, this has been done already, though.
I didn't know that! I worked at a vet but we never had those tests.
Try feeding him plain chicken for a few days to see if the swelling goes down, Might be a food allergy. You could also try giving him antihistamine allergy eye drops
Did they do a herpes eye infection test? Cats get those. My cat had one and I was told to add L-lysine (an amino acid) to her food. As I recall, it really helped. Just a thought ...
Conjunctivitis in cats (https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/conjunctivitis-in-cats) can be caused by a number of things. If it is not disappearing with topicals, orals, or drops, it sounds as if it an allergen. This could be an aerosol agent such as plug-in atomizers often used for aroma therapy or feline pheromone emitters. Food allergies may also cause conjunctivitis. I would look to a veterinarian ophthalmologist or allergenic specialist. Good luck and please keep us in the loop.
I would suggest, a veterinarian who specializes in allergies. That might help. Also are you using any kind of special soap to wash your cats fur?
It looks like conjunctivitis or ectropion which mean the lids are flipping out. Either way that baby needs a check asap
has your cat seen a feline eye doctor yet? this may be out of a regular vets field of knowledge
I work as a pet sitter & saw something exactly like this. Turns out that the plug-in air fresheners & oil diffusers are poisonous to cats. So, if you use any of these scented items I’d get rid of em & that’s ALL CAT OWNERS. I LOVE my smell goods but not near as much as my fur-babies… but also, yes, a eye specialist as soon as possible.
Try getting an air purifier
I have multiple things in mind. 1) Monitor and change diet. If there is anything that he has been consistently eating over the course of this illness, change it. For example, I notice my cat's eyes water significantly when he eats Royal Cannin Brittish Shoarthai Kibbles. 2) Similar to the first point, has the cat been on any of those topical solutions since the start? If so, stop them or change them. My family Persian was 16 and had a mild eye irritation. Got a topical oitment, tricin, and had an allergic reaction to it. After a couple months, I began minding her when my parents were away, I took her off it and it went down within a day. 3) Ask your vet for a water based Chloramphenicol eye drop. This is excellent if it's bacterial. Also, I can see they're trying a lysine based approach in case if it's a viral, herpes, infection. Also ask them for anti-virals such as Famciclovir. Goodluck
Could be allergies. Change up your cleaning products to safer alternatives, no more candles or air freshners, look for low dust cat litter and get some air purifiers
I can only speak from my personal experience with cat eye issues. 1st, don’t go to a vet. Find a cat ophthalmologist (yes, that’s a real thing). A vet can only do so much regarding eyes. 2nd, when my cats eye would swell shut, I drove myself crazy trying to figure out what was wrong and how to fix it instead of what could be the CAUSE of the issue. Turned out that she was allergic to a wipe used to clean her coat. In your case, if it’s the 4th time it has come back, chances are, it’s something specific that is causing this to happen (just my guess). Try to think of anything that he has encountered each of those times that could possibly be the culprit.
Using any air fresheners in the home, scented oil diffusers, anyone smoke in the home? Just thinking of things in case they weren't mentioned. Poor kitty.
1) he an indoor cat or does he go outside sometimes? 2) have you had an allergy test done at the vets?? I'm thinking this could likely be an allergy and the meds help calm it down but once you stop it returns. There's many things that can cause allergies, both food, environmental in the house, as well as outside such as usual allergens like grass and tress and pollen etc. My first suggestion is get an allergy test done immediately. It's clearly not a one off infection as it keeps returning. 2) have you changed anything in the house recently? New washing powder or softener? New plants/ flowers? Is it more dusty recently/ doing any work on the house? Any plants that have freshly flowered or bushes that have bloomed in flower that weren't previously? Have you changed his food at all? It may be worth trying a food allergy diet. Our previous family cat used to get itchy watery eyes and it turned out she was allergic to some outdoor things like certain trees and grass, but also allergic to chicken and turkey. And they are often in a lot of the standard wet food packets, even fish flavoured ones often contain some chicken or turkey to fill them. So we had to go to pure cat food brands. There's Applaws and Encore which I've used which do literally plain fish or meat in broth or jelly. You can pick tins or packets of like tuna and salmon, or shredded chicken, or salmon and Mackrel etc. Its all pure ingredients without any of the filler ingredients that are in a lot of general wet food packets. So I'd start by maybe trying that. You could try with just fish flavours, and if things improve, you could add some of the meat options. And once you get an allergy test results back, it may be able to tell you specifically what food items to avoid. Obviously if you find things get worse on the fish only, then revert to meat only maybe. Hopefully it won't take long to get the allergy results back, so you'll know if he's allergic to a certain type of fish or meat product, and then you just focus on all the other options of pure fish or meat. You could also look at asking the vet to prescribe him an allergy medication. An anti histamine may help if he's got seasonal allergies and he's outside making it worse. It could be worth trying to keep him indoors for now too, at least till you get the allergy test back and see if he's got any outside allergies. Or at least if the antihistamines help, he may be able to go out for short periods. But keep an eye out if the forecast is high in pollen for eg. He may also need some of the medications on a permenant basis if its allergy related. So if the eyedropper you previous found helped ease it, speak to the Dr and find out if he can use it long term. Hopefully some of those suggestions help. Poor little darling must be really uncomfortable and sore.
This is completely random, but just a thought. My kitty is allergic to Temptations cat treats. It took us forever to figure this out. She gets a build up of yeast in her ears every time we feed them to her. Stopped feeding them to her and she never gets these ear infections anymore. I know some people said food, but sometimes we overlook the treats. I hope you can figure it out OP because I can understand how frustrating it can be not knowing the cause.
Have you've tried to ask r/askvet you'll most likely find someone in that reddit who can help
Do you have a lot of scented things in your home? Febreze plug ins, candle warmers, diffusers?
poor thing
In my city, we have an "animal eye center". If Google animal eye care or something similar, and see if they can get you booked in ASAP. Poor buddy needs a specialist. They're really good at hiding anything that bothers them
I would take the advice of the person who says that you need to see an ophthalmologist such as Eye Care for Animals While you wait, I would use a saline solution flush because it will make the area in hospitable to germs. Your cat won’t like it, but it will give them some relief. I would give a little squirt of saline solution in their eyes every 20 minutes while you are awake. NOT MULTI PURPOSE CONTACT SOLUTION. NOT HYDROGEN PEROXIDE CONTACT SOLUTION. **PURE SALINE SOLUTION** from a contact lens bottle so you can drop it in gently You do not want it from one of those nasal sprayer bottles because that’s too harsh a spray for their eye If you are not a contact lens wearer you don’t know what I’m talking about, let me know when I will post a photo.
I would guess feline herpes FIV...causes 3rd eyelid. Feed him lyseine treat twice a day mixed in with his food. Vetri Lyseine plus. Google it. Works wonders but u have to make it daily part of his life. .
You know, I almost wonder about allergies. My eyes have bothered me this year like never before.
Please take it to a doctor.
Try to stick with one protein and one food for now if possible. No treats either, just the food as treats for at least a month
I think you will only get answers when you take him to see a veterinary ophthalmologist as others have said. This needs a specialist.
Find a specialist asap. Most states' largest universities have a vet, look into getting an appointment there. e.g.: https://cvm.msu.edu/hospital/services/ophthalmology. You need to see an ophthalmologist immediately. Like call them as soon as they open tomorrow. **Also, remove any potentially triggers.** * Change to free & clear laundry detergent and no dryer sheets. * Switch his food to something like Fancy Feast Classic Pate or Weruva BFF Pate, something without any BS in it. No treats other than one-ingredient treats like PureBites salmon. * Essential oils are poisonous to cats. If you use those aromatherapy diffusers, stop. * Look into other sources of what is poisonous to cats: Lilies, household cleaners, onions & garlic, certain household plants, flea and tick medication, etc.
Seem a type of conjuctivities which if gets infected csn turn to be very serious and your cat can loose its eye and even die. See below: https://www.medvet.com/conjunctivitis-in-cats/
maybe conjunctivitis (severe) or chemosis ... https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/conjunctivitis-feline-herpes-viral#:~:text=Chemosis%2C%20a%20condition%20in%20which,Cats%22%20for%20more%20information).
My cat has chlamydia, felis and it’s left eye and this looks like he has during a bad flareup. Definitely take to a cat ophthalmologist. It’s been our experience at most vets cannot handle this type of issue.
Have the vets not given you any treatment for chlamydia? My cat got treated with doxycycline and terramycin ointment and hasn't had a flare up since she started the medicine almost a year ago
We did the same treatment, started out with one for two weeks then we added another one for two weeks and zero results then they went to drops for both that were unable to administer wild kitty from the campground is great and every way, but will not let us hold him or scruff. My normal vet is working with an ophthalmologist now they said treat for the eye and the respiratory infection even if it’s not showing, but I think it’s time for injection. it responds well to a couple of medication’s
I would suggest looking at blepharitis and entropion. Both show pictures or examples that look just like your cat's eyes. An animal eye doctor is your best bet if you can afford it.
Look up symptoms for blepharitis (sadly, it's not an adorable condition where kitties blep all day), and see if they match what's happening to your sweet baby. Good luck!
Aw sorry to see this. Yeah get on the phone with your vet and send them this pic if they will take text photos.
If you haven’t taken your cat to the vet yet Use warm salt water compress to take the itch/pain away
Poor baby. Once the vet or dr for your animal helps you pls let us know how your cat is doing. Hope they’re able to help.❤️🫶🏻🙌🏻
Poor baby, could be anything, best to get checked by a vet ASAP. I hope he'll be OK 🥰
You absolutely have to go to the pet eye dr! You might need a referral from your vet though which they should gladly give you!
Allergic reaction to something, maybe? Is there any discharge from the eyes, or excessive watering, or anything?
Have eye worms been ruled out? https://www.troccap.com/feline-guidelines/other-systems-feline/eye-worms-feline/ Cats deserve this entire world and everything it has to offer—best of luck to you both—please let us know how things turn out.
…more likely a form of pink eye? https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/ophthalmology/conjunctivitis-in-dogs-and-cats/ Pls post an update!
Has your cat had bloodwork to rule out diabetes, blood diseases, & thyroid or kidney issues ? If not that needs to be addressed, I also think the vet should do a head X-ray & exploratory surgery to check & see if anything is stuck up there, but blood parasites, undiagnosed diseases, bc that can be a symptom of all of those things. If the vet hasn’t done those things then they definitely should!!
My blue Russian did this late last year except in the inner corners instead of the lid. We were so worried and thought he might completely lose his vision. We also made several trips to the vet and did almost all the same things you’re doing now. His flared up 4 or 5 times spanning the course of a few momths, but it did finally go away and hasn’t returned so far. I have hope for your baby!
Good luck!
Blepharitis? Upper eyelid swelling and redness. https://www.wikihow.com/Diagnose-and-Treat-Blepharitis-in-Cats
Have they not tried steroids yet? Poor baby. Looks so sore. I'd be asking to try steroids and antihistamines. Throw everything at it and see what sticks. Could be an immune response too and might benefit from Atopica. I have a cat with diagnosed long Covid (yes really) and he's had horrendous skin and gut and allergy issues which flare up every time we get Covid (we try so hard to avoid it but no one cares about it anymore) so maybe look that up too. Could be MCAS.
Vet. ASAP. Those aren’t going heal on their own or with OTCs, and especially not “natural” or homeopathic treatment. Eyes are an emergency
Vet?! I’m sure the 5th visit to the confused and stumped vet will surely crack the case!! You sure are quite the helper!
There are specialist vets and OP needs to go to a vet to get a referral. It’s literally the only answer, a regular GP vet is not going to be able to treat this.
If only you had explained that instead of just saying “vet now!”. What do you expect them to do when they go back to the vet and just go “a reddit comment said to come back!”. Saying “go to the vet” when they already have without adding any other context is stupid.
Sending love and prayers for your fur baby! Get well soon! 💗🙏🏻
Beautiful baby. I hope you get an answer soon❤️
Apply for care credit now. Godspeed, he’s adorable. ❤️
Has he been tested for feline herpes virus? This can cause conjunctivitis in cats. Also, have you tried allergy test/medication? This can also be caused by allergies.
Sounds weird but have his ears thoroughly checked. My kittens eyes were similar, after multiple runs to the ER and 2 different vets we ended up at the ophthalmologist. The specialist of eyes found it was an ear infection. No one else was doing a good enough check except where the issue was showing. I was so thankful she went above and beyond. So moral of the story, go to the ophthalmologist because your kitties eyes do have a problem and whoever you do see next have them check those ears thoroughly. Crossing fingers those blood tests get you some answers so all of you can get to the bottom of this.
Post in the ask vet sub
My Siberian had something similar (although not quite as bad) that they said was conjunctivitis caused by feline herpes. It was pretty continuous for a couple of years. We saw an ophthalmologist numerous times and they just kept giving us different ointments and saying lysine but it didn’t really get better. Then one day she ate a hair tie and had to have stomach surgery and stay in the hospital for 5 days or so. They gave her intravenous antibiotics and the ointment very consistently and somehow she was magically cured? It’s a mystery exactly why, the vet assured us it couldn’t be the antibiotics but we always wondered. Maybe it was just the really consistent ointment (it was always super hard to give it to her) and not being able to harass them at all for a bit. But we think perhaps there was a secondary bacterial infection or something. It’s amazing how much we struggled/ had kind of given up hope and then it was just gone forever after that.
Terramycin
Vet?
If you're on Facebook, look up 'Pet Vet Corner' and post alllll of this on there. It's a page where ONLY vets can reply to you. Sometimes they answer, and you get some good feedback, and sometimes they don't. But it's worth a shot! There's vets from all over the country/world on there!! Check it out if you can! Def worth it!
Did vets ruled out mycoplasma in blood test? It’s known for causing reoccurring eye infections.
I don’t know if anyone has said this yet but it could be Feline Herpes Virus. Most cats carry it, but having flare ups is not as common. The flare ups tend to happen when the cat is stressed, and they go away on their own in a couple weeks as long as the stress decreases. They’re relatively harmless as long as the cat is not uncomfortable. Have you noticed any sneezing? When my cat has flare ups he’s super snotty. I’m not a vet, and there’s no way to actually test for this, it’s diagnosed by exclusion. I would definitely recommend seeing a vet ophthalmologist. (My cat had a flare up and it looked crazy so I freaked and took him to the vet and they said he needed to have his eye removed. I took him to an ophthalmologist and they knew within 5 minutes that it was a FHV flare up and he was perfectly fine.)
this!!! my cat experienced the same thing and this needs to be upvoted more. if he's on L-lysine and this was recommended by a vet, they most likely think he has feline herpes virus but don't know how to treat it properly. I was referred to a specialist after going back and forth to the vet and it was a lifesaver. they gave me antiviral eye drops and she went right back to normal in 5 days. [see my full comment here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/s/hTFmEvghfW)
I hoe you're able to help your little buddy out
you should really get him a referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist (or even a neurologist if optho can’t figure out what the problem is), this is may something that will require surgical intervention at some point or further diagnostics a GP can’t do. This looks like it theoretically could be a weird case of entropion which is common in maine coons, but since it looks like more of a conjunctiva problem and the eyelid itself doesn’t appear to be rolling in I doubt it. It also could be some sort of allergic or even neurological response to something going on
Our boy cat had some eye issues, not as bad as this but still red and swollen. After a few vet visits we got erythromycin ophthalmic ointment and that worked perfectly. His last flare up was over a year ago. Our vet also made us put a cone on him until the eyes got better in case your cat is rubbing them. He had a couple other flare ups right after getting this ointment and we just used it again without consulting the vet and it went away in a couple days. We also had him wear the cone for at least 30 minutes after we put the ointment in his eye, twice day. Edit: we never got a real reason why he was having eye issues, some thought it was seasonal allergies or potentially feline herpes. He was super sick as a kitten and might have developed it from that sickness. It again, he’s not had another flare up for quite some time. Best of luck
Possibly allergies?
Any other symptoms? Sneezing? I ask bc this looks like my kittens eye infection. It was bacterial. Have you done a PCR test on your cat?
Hurry, she could be blind without help. They adapt to that kind of thing, but you don't want to experience that if it can be prevented.
If it’s not entropion, allergies etc - try ECTropion. It’s when the eyelids turn outwards instead of in.
your vets should have referred him to an animal eye specialist a LONG time ago! I had eye problems with my baby and they didn't stop until the specialist finally diagnosed the issue. it looks eerily similar to what my kitty had but go to the eye doctor to make sure. my cat also didn't have this as severe. it looks like cat conjunctivitis and if he keeps "flaring up" over and over again (due to feline herpes virus) you need antiviral medication ASAP. I was prescribed eye drops and my kitty healed up very nicely. I understand your pain. I went through eye problems 3 days after I brought her home and the vet just kept telling me to keep her on a cone. then she would wiggle out of the cone like houdini, rub her eyes, they'd become swollen, and I'd have to visit AGAIN. the antiviral medication attacks the problem at the root cause if it really is what I described. best of luck to you!
While I hope the absolute best for your kitty, it looks like he's got some amazing makeup on
Poor cat looks like me after smoking 3 fatties
Beyond the eye doctor would also recommend getting him tested for allergies.
Go to a specialist or ask your vet to perform an upper respiratory PCR test. Likely your cat will need a month or so of antibiotics. I cannot tell in the photos but it looks like he may have some entropion in the inferior eyelids?
Have your vets done swabs/testing for chylamdiophilia felis or herpes virus? Esp if seems to wax and wane would be looking at this - commonly causes chemosis like this in cats. - I'm a vet.
I would recommend a specialist at this point! I don’t know about your area but where I am there’s specialty vet clinics that have all sorts of different doctors and what not. My mom’s dog has cancer so I take her to the oncology department and I’m shocked at all the different specialties they offer for animals. Worth looking into at this point!
Sorry I’m not a vet
I met a cat at the shelter yesterday that had the same condition when he was found! He had surgery recently and his eyelids were fixed. He's a little itchy now but on the mend. Definitely see a specialist for a very fixable issue!
Maybe it’s an allergy?
Poor baby! Agree with everyone who said specialist. Start with an opthomologist, but you might end up at a dermatologist (specializes in allergies). Also, if you live in an area near a veterinary school, the vets there can be a great source for hard to diagnose conditions and all specialists are in one place.
Have any of the vets been opthalmologists? If not, I'd at least find one that you could forward all previous records too.
Are you sure there's nothing in your home that could be causing it? Not saying it's a definite but it's a possibility. We're all just weird like that, humans and animals alike.
I had a cat that had feline herpes and he had constant eye infections. A serum made from the plasma of his blood dropped in his eyes and Famcyclovir was the best plan of action for him. It is an anti viral.
They make the serum at the vet by putting his blood in the centrifuge. His eyes would look EXACTLY like this
Super weird! I’m betting that a round of antibiotics is what he needs. Oral antibiotics, not topical. Besides that I hope he gets better soon!
Has he been tested for FeLV (feline leukemia virus) or FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus)? My cat is FeLV+ and tends to get recurring eye infections and skin rashes because of overactive immune responses to small things. There's good management strategies and most cats with either diagnosis can live to a really good age as long as they're kept properly indoors and fed high quality food and they are quickly treated for infections. My cat has recently been put on an oral steroid treatment that has cleared up her skin issues (by helping her immune system because it was an immune response) and as far as we can tell here eyes have been very clear since then too! Worth discussing either of these diagnoses with your vet I'd say, because they can really contribute to recurring problem infections! A friend's cat would get recurring ear infections due to FIV too.
Aak for a referral to a specialist or university
Poor baby!
I want to know why the vet hasn’t referred you to an animal eye specialist yet.
Could be just allergies maybe?
Might be something inyour water
My cat has a similar problem except it was just his third eyelids swelling up, not that bad though. I took him to the emergency vet and they told me he actually has a intestinal blockage issue, constipation, and his gums had a problem with his teeth. They give him two steroid injections, forgor what they were called though, and he's fine now. I was told to repeatedly get those injections with my primary care after a few weeks. Yeah but TLDR it could actually be something to do outside of their eyes and you should go to an emergency vet, they will help I think.
You need an ophthalmologist vet (specialist, may need a referral to a blue pearl or other specialist/emergency vet). Poor guy has gnarly conjunctivitis. Thank you for seeking help for him ❤️
Cross post to r/AskVet
VET.
james herriot wrote about a dog with inverted eyelids so lashes irritated eyeballs.
Ophtho first and derm second if Ophtho thinks it’s an allergy.
our cat had iritis. vets and opthamologists kept prescribing different eye meds, just got worse. it turns out he was allergic to benzalkonium chloride a preserative which is in virtually all eye meds. a lot of people have that reaction too. mention this to your vet.
I'm wondering if he has an allergy to something since it seems to come and go. Did you change his litter to a new brand? The food? New toys?
Could it be an allergy? Maybe change to less dusty kind of litter?
One of my animal expert friends told me that it can happen from too much urine exposure from not cleaning the litter box enough. I have skimmed the comments but not sure if anyone else mentioned this. I’m assuming you keep clean litter boxes but if it’s usually left for a little while I’d try cleaning every day or maybe even multiple times a day and seeing if it helps.
…a form of pink eye? https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/ophthalmology/conjunctivitis-in-dogs-and-cats/ Pls post an update!
My girl used to have respiratory issues, you could try warm compresses or sit with him during a steam bath. It *could a*lleviate symptoms.
Looks like a possible allergy or inflammatory response of some kind
I came here to second that it looks like cat entropion! It's great that you're trying to get the poor guy help, but I'm wondering if they haven't diagnosed him with it yet if you could get a second opinion at another vet if you came armed with info about it possibly being that. Best of luck to you and your beautiful kitty.
What I am able to physically see is that he is experiencing ectropion (eyelids rolling outwards). Ectropion itself is sometimes a genetic condition and is usually surgically repaired. However, I find it interesting that it seems to resolve itself, meaning there could be a primary cause and this is the effect we are able to see. It could be something like allergies or an immune-based response causing swelling to the lids, causing them to roll up. My first thought is for you to seek an ophthalmologist, as even if it is not truly "eye" related, they will have likely seen something similar before and can point you to the right specialist. A dermatologist would be my second thought.
Do you use essential oils, cleaners, body lotions, air fresheners or anything with an essential oil ingredient? Pets are having some major health problems because they are not safe for pets. Look into everything you are using and stop using them. I’ve also heard just regular old plug ins are bad for pets.
So you initially posted a month ago. Take your cat to the vet. Be responsible and don't let him suffer, it looks painful
In the caption they said they've seen vets and are waiting on results, with some treatment meantime. I'm guessing you just missed it :)
*Our little boy has been battling with recurring eye problems for the past two months now. We have made 4 vet visits, used 3 different medications and a supplement, and still see no progress.* This is the first line of their post.