Do Cats Get Pink Eye?

If you’re a proud pet parent, chances are you’ve spent more than a little time gazing lovingly into your furry friend’s adoring eyes. If your furry friend happens to be a cat, there’s also a good chance that at some point in their life, you’re going to notice that the eyes looking back at you may appear red and irritated. This may raise the question, “Does my cat have an eye infection?”

Don’t panic.

Pink eye is actually the most common feline eye disorder, and most cats will contract it sooner or later. But just because it’s the most common of all eye infections in cats doesn’t mean your kitty doesn’t require extra care and attention. How can you help? You can start by learning more.

What Exactly Is Pink Eye?

You might remember getting sent home from school with pink eye when you were a kid. The same basic ailment is what affects your cat – conjunctivitis. This term refers to the inflammation of the conjunctiva, the moist tissue that lines your cat’s eyelids, and attaches to the eyeballs. It can affect one or both of your cat’s eyes and is usually pretty uncomfortable and often painful.

Although older cats can get pink eye, it’s much more common in younger cats, especially kittens less than one-year-old. Purebreds are also more susceptible. It’s important to note that in certain cases, pink eye symptoms develop on a recurring basis due to underlying health issues, so always contact your veterinarian at the first sign of eye distress.

How your kitty’s pink eye symptoms manifest and how your veterinarian recommends treating them can vary widely based on what is causing the conjunctivitis infection in the first place.

What Causes Pink Eye?

Feline pink eye can be caused by something as minor as having a foreign particle trapped in the eye to something as serious as having a compromised immune system due to the feline leukemia virus.

The most common causes of conjunctivitis in cats include:

Pink Eye Symptoms

What does your feline friend experience when they have pink eye, and what telltale signs should you watch for? Be on the lookout for:

• Red, swollen, or “meaty” eye tissue
• Excessive blinking
• Frequent squinting
• Fluid build-up in the eye
• Eye discharge or excessive tear production
• Coughing, sneezing, or a runny nose
• Blocked tear duct

If you notice any of these symptoms, pay close attention to your cat. Eye discharge, in particular, can tell you a lot about what’s going on with your little buddy. If the discharge is clear and watery, you’re probably dealing with allergy-related conjunctivitis. Thick yellow or greenish discharge, on the other hand, is most likely due to a bacterial infection.

Did you know that the discharge can even be a rusty red shade? Don’t worry; this is not blood! It’s just a type of discharge more common with certain breeds such as Persians and Himalayans.

You should also monitor your cat’s behavior. Are they pawing at their eyes a lot? Rubbing their face against your legs or pieces of furniture more frequently? This can be a sign that your friend is in pain.

Persistent squinting can also indicate that your cat has a more serious eye disorder like a corneal ulcer. Remember, contacting your veterinarian as soon as you notice any of these symptoms is the safest way to protect your cat’s vision and eye health.

By taking your cat to the vet, even if they are only experiencing one of these symptoms, you can help ensure that you catch any medical problems before they progress.

How Is Pink Eye Diagnosed?

Because pink eye can be the result of a wide variety of medical or environmental issues, your veterinarian will need to determine the root cause of the eye infection. In some cases, simply discussing your cat’s medical history and observing their clinical signs are enough to make that determination. In other instances, your veterinarian will need to perform special tests. These include:

If your veterinarian suspects the pink eye is accompanied by a corneal ulcer, your cat may also have a diagnostic test performed with a green dye called fluorescein.

Cat Pink Eye Treatment Options

The good news is that once the root cause is determined, your cat can begin treatment right away, and should begin healing in just a day or two. If it’s a viral infection, your veterinarian will likely prescribe a topical or oral anti-viral medication. For bacterial infections, expect antibiotics usually in the form of eye drops or ointment. Ask your veterinarian for tips on safely and effectively administering medications.

If your feline friend has allergy-related pink eye, your veterinarian might prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication. Be aware, though, medications containing hydrocortisone are not good for kitties with corneal ulcers or for cats who are experiencing a herpesvirus episode. In most allergy-related cases, you’ll be encouraged to simply remove your cat from the allergens causing the problem. The good news is that since pink eye is fairly easy to diagnose and treat, cats rarely experience any long term effects.

Prevention and Management

If you do remember getting sent home from school with pink eye as a kid, then you probably also recall how highly contagious it is. Just like the infection runs rampant among kids on human playgrounds, it also passes very quickly from one kitty to another in multi-cat homes. So a big part of prevention and management is isolating your sick kitty if you have other pets – including dogs since they can get pink eye, too.

You may also be asking yourself, “Can I get pink eye from my cat?” The good news is that the humans in your household don’t have anything to worry about since you cannot catch pink eye from your cat.

You can read up on some great tips for making your cat’s sickbed safe and comfy. But, most importantly, make sure they are in a separate room with plenty of fresh water.

Since the herpes virus is one of the top causes of eye infections in cats, preventing outbreaks plays a key role in preventing pink eye – especially considering how you may not even know if your cat is a carrier. You can help by reducing your cat’s stress.

What stresses out your feline friend? Most cats feel anxious when their daily routine is significantly interrupted. This can be due to changes like remodeling your home, going away on vacation, celebrating holidays, introducing new pets, introducing a new romantic partner, or starting a new job.

You can’t avoid these changes. Just try to keep your cat in mind. Give them some extra attention and reassure them that you care. An extra treat or two won’t hurt either when dealing with a big change!

Remember that pink eye is an extremely common disorder with a very fast recovery rate once your cat gets the right treatment plan in place. So, when you see symptoms, act fast.

The information presented in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute or substitute for the advice of your veterinarian.