How To Treat A Cat Eye Infection At Home

Introduction

Eye infections in cats can be a very serious problem. However, many times you can treat your cat at home without having to take him or her to the veterinarian. It is important that you follow these steps exactly as outlined in order to help speed up recovery and ensure proper treatment for your pet cat.

Take a clean washcloth, towel or paper towel and wet it with warm water.

To begin, you’ll want to take a clean washcloth, towel or paper towel and wet it with warm water. While cold water will work just as well, warm water is better as it’s less likely to cause irritation on your cat’s sensitive skin.

If you have any other pets in the house that are not infected by this eye infection yet, it would be wise to disinfect their bedding with bleach so that they don’t catch the infection themselves.

Rub the cloth against your cat’s inner eyelid.

You’ll need a moist cloth and warm water. Gently wipe the infected area, being careful not to rub too hard on your cat’s delicate skin. Repeat as needed until you have removed all of the discharge.

Do this a few times.

Do this a few times a day until the symptoms subside. Do not use anything that is not specifically for use on cats, including human medications. Do not use any type of soap or alcohol, as these can cause further irritation and harm your pet’s eyes. Also avoid eye drops or ointments unless it is prescribed by your veterinarian—they may make it harder to see if you need help with the infection.*

Note: Your cat should be examined by a vet before attempting to treat an eye infection at home.

Get some clean saline solution from a store.

The first step to treating a cat eye infection at home is getting some clean saline solution. You can find this in most pharmacies, supermarkets and pet stores. It’s also available from your vet as well as veterinary clinics and hospitals.

You can get saline solution from almost anywhere, so don’t worry about where you’ll find it—just make sure it’s sterile and clean before you use it on your feline friend!

Dip a cotton ball into the saline solution.

Dip a cotton ball into the saline solution. You should use a clean, soft cotton ball that is not too wet and not so dry it will pull out your eye lashes.

Do NOT use a swab, Q-tip, washcloth or towel because they will scratch your eye and irritate it further.
Do NOT use tissues or paper towels because they might fall into the eye during treatment and scratch it instead of cleaning it.

Wipe the cotton ball around your cat’s eyes to remove any gunk.

You will need a clean cotton ball to wipe your cat’s eyes with. Do not use your fingers or dirty cotton balls, as this can cause infection.
The inner eyelid should only be cleaned by you if you are an experienced veterinarian who has been taught how to do so properly, which is why we recommend using a cotton swab instead of a clean cotton ball in this area of the eye if you feel comfortable doing so.
Never touch the outer surface of your cat’s eye because it may cause him or her pain and further damage his or her vision by forcing liquid into their eyes due to tears coming out through osmosis pressure when being touched against their will (instead of voluntarily crying).

Recommend making an appointment with a veterinarian for your pet cat if you find that there is any type of eye discharge or irritation present for more than 24 hours, even if you have treated your cat at home

If you have a cat, and it has any type of eye discharge or irritation present for more than 24 hours, even if you have treated your cat at home, then I recommend making an appointment with a veterinarian. If you are able to treat your pet’s eye infection using home remedies, then great! However, some infections require veterinary attention.

It is important to note that there are many types of eye drops that can be used for cats: saline solution (which can be purchased at most pharmacies), solutions specifically made for cats’ eyes (such as “Tears Pro” from VET-A-MED) and human over-the-counter products such as Visine. The latter should only be used sparingly since they contain potentially harmful ingredients such as benzalkonium chloride and phenylephrine hydrochloride; these chemicals can cause irritation or other side effects in humans but may not pose the same risks when applied directly into the eye of an animal like a cat whose anatomy is different than ours due to its size relative mine (i.e., bigger).

Conclusion

While you may be able to treat your cat’s eye infection at home, it is important to know when you should consult with a veterinarian. If your cat’s eyes are still irritated after 24 hours of treatment or if they seem worse than when you started, then it is time to make an appointment with your vet.