#MiddleburyCT #PinkTears #Cats #OlderCat
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I adopted an older cat recently. Chuck is a joy and has settled into the household without a problem. However, I’ve started to notice a trickle of liquid from one of his eyes recently. He seems OK otherwise. I took a cotton ball and dabbed away the liquid and found that it was tinged pink! Should I be worried? – Lane V., Cleveland
DEAR LANE: Chuck sounds like a wonderful cat! I’m glad he’s with an owner who cares and keeps a close eye on his health.
Excess tears or discharge from the eyes is a concern, but to determine how much of a problem it is, it’s always good to check in with the veterinarian. It sounds like the liquid is clear and tinged red, which is normal – cats’ tears are naturally tinted reddish or brownish. If his tears are gunky, greenish or yellowish, that can indicate an infection is going on around the eye (or even elsewhere in the body, such as a respiratory infection).
Allergies or even the shape of a cat’s eyes can cause irritation of the tear ducts. Take a closer look at Chuck’s eyes. The membrane surrounding his eyes should be very light pink, almost white. The eyes themselves should be clear with no inflammation in the white part. His eyelids should look symmetrical – if one is puffier than the other, there could be inflammation. This site has more detailed information on causes and conditions of excess tears: tinyurl.com/yvu2wma9.
If you notice Chuck pawing at his face, squinting often or otherwise seems uncomfortable, make a vet appointment to try to find the root cause of his eye irritation.
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