EYE INFECTIONS IN KITTENS
(CONJUNCTIVITIS NEONATORUM)
Conjunctivitis Neonatorum is an inflammatory condition of the conjunctiva, the white tissue lining the eyelids that occurs due to Herpes Virus infection in kittens. The virus enters the eye through the eyelids before they have opened. Prompt intervention prevents rupture of the cornea and permanent scarring of the eye. Treatment involves opening the eyes and applying appropriate medication.
I’ve been feeding a stray mother cat and her 5 kittens. I finally was able to get close enough to the kittens recently to see one of them has some kind of eye problem. Very heavy mucous of some sort that cakes the eyes shut. I’ve cleaned them twice (heavy milky drainage pours out of one eye in particular.) Twice in the last 3 days, I’ve been able to pick the kitten up and have given it an antibiotic (which the vet had given me for my older cat’s tooth infection) and some aloe vera liquid juice. What type of infection do you think this is and what kind of home remedy can I give?
I would appreciate your help. I can’t really afford vet bills.
Thank you!
Joyce
Hi Joyce,
It sounds like the kitten has a viral infection, perhaps because the mother was not vaccinated. I recommend taking them all to your vet. You can try placing cod liver oil-a couple drops in each eye twice a day for the eye infection and clean the eye residue away with a warm, moist cloth. Be sure to provide plenty of good nursing and supportive care.
Thank you,
Dr. Carol
ok i have a kitten and he is about five to six weeks old and his eye waters all the time i was wondering what i should do about it or if thats ok i think its a eye cold but i dont really know
Hi Jade,
I would take the kitten to your vet. Watery eyes in kittens 5-6 weeks old often indicates a virus. Usually its related to one the common viruses we vaccinate kittens for and in most cases, proper vaccination, along with good nursing and supportive care resolves the problem. Be sure to keep the kitten well fed, warm, and clean his eyes with a moist cloth. For further help, with your kitten I am available 1-866-372-2765.
Please keep me posted on your kittens progress.
Thank you,
Dr. Carol
Hello Dr. Osborne,
I have 2 kittens that are 1 week old and one of the kittens has one eye open, but not the other. The eye that is closed looks as if it may have an infection, preventing it from opening. How do I know if it is an infection, and if it is what should I do?
Hi Sarah
I would take the kitten to your vet. It sounds like an eye infection. This is often because of a viral infection in the kitten which is common when the mother is not vaccinated. Wipe the discharge from the kittens eyes with a soft warm moist cloth and the vet will prescribe antibiotics. Cod liver oil;a drop placed in each eye twce daily may help until you get her to the vet.I am glad to help further and am available toll free at 1-866-372-2765.
Thank you
Dr Carol
Thank-you Dr. Osborne. I was a bit surprised to get a call back from you. I wish your hospital was closer. I have 3 very well taken care of inside dogs. Cats are outside but I do my best to care for them. You seemed to understand a bit about farm cats.. I took and fixed 5 female farm cats and one sticks around. Animals are very expensive. I try to care for whatever cat will let me close and find homes for any female born. So far so good… Thanks for the advise.. Good docs for our animals are hard to find!!!! Thank-you AGAIN!!!
Hi Natalie
I enjoyed talking to you and appreciate your kind note. I look foreward to hearing back from you and am glad to offer any help you may need with your kitten’s eye infection.
Thank you
Dr Carol
Hey, My kitten is about 2 months old, and Its eye was okay i guess when i got her, she still shut more than the other eye, but nothing seemed wrong, but now she’s doing it alot, the eye a couple days ago was inflamed, then a little bit of liquid would come out, not alot. She doesn’t cry or anything so i don’t think it hurts, and right now i’m short on money to take her to the vet, I need advice on it. My friend said she might have a sty.. but i just wanted to make sure just incase it’s something worse.
thank you
Hi Katherine,
I would take her to your vet. It is likely she has an eye infection secondary to viral infectios that often affect unvaccinated pregnant mother cats. Your kitten also needs shots to protect her. You can gently wipe her eyes with a warm, moist cloth to remove the debrie and apply 1 drop of cod liver oil into her eyes twice a day until you are able to see your vet. I am glad to help you and am available toll free at 1-866-372-2765.
Thank you
Dr Carol
HI I RECENTLY FOUND A MOTHER CAT AND 3 BABY KITTENS.. THE MOTHER CAT IS VERY FRIENDLY AND SEEMS LIKE SOMEONE OWNED HER THEN LET HER OUT.. BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE 3 BABIES THEY ARE INFESTED WITH FLEAS! I WENT TO THE PET STORE AND BOUGHT BIO MED FOR THE MOTHER BUT I CANT NEAR THE BABIES WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR THEM.. ALSO I NOTICED THAT THEIR BELLYS ARE REALLY BIG AND ROUND I THINK THEY HAVE WORMS SO I GOT THEM SOME RID WORM BUT AGAIN CANT GET NEAR THEM WHAT TO DO???
Hi Leah
Wash the kittens in ivory soap to remove the fleas safely and the big belly’s-are a sign of worms. Worm the mom and kittens with pyrantel pamoate for roundworms
I am glad to talk to you and am available toll free at 1-866-372-2765.
Thank you
Dr Carol
I found a 6 week old kitten with an eye infection. I have no money for a vet but I don’t want to abandon him and let him suffer. Is there any home remedies I can do to help him get better?
Hi Elizabeth,
When you are able your kitten needs to go to your veterinarian.
In the meantime, you can use a warm, damp cloth to gently remove any eye discharges.
You may also consider applying a couple drops of a natural eye product like Eye Restore, available at chagrinfallspetclinic.com directly into the eyes twice a day as needed
I am glad to discuss so please feel free to call us toll free at 866-372-2765
Thank you
Dr Carol
Hi Dr. Carol. I am bottle feeding 5 week old kittens. I got them when they were two days old. I havel lost one so far. The others seem to be doing well. Ones eyes are just starting to open. Another ones aren’t even open and it has a glob of puss on it. I keep gently wiping it off but it keeps coming back. This just started today. What do you think I should do?
Thank you,
Lisa
Hi Lisa
It sounds like an upper respiratory infection which is usually because they need their 1st shots
Gently wipe away the eye discharge with a warm cloth and try to see your vet
Thank you
Dr Carol
It’s me again. I should have said 5 one week old kittens.
I forgot to mention that I have a mother and her 4 children that I rescued three years ago and 2 other adult cats that I have.
Hi Cathouse
It is likely you will need to de-flea and check fecals on these cats as well.
Please be sure their shots are up to date so they dont catch the upper respiratory disease from the kittens
Thank you
Dr Carol
Hi Cathouse
It sounds like what you have done is good but they might need their shots for the viral upper respiratory complex
so their eyes will stop running and getting filled with pus. You may also need more antibiotics and eye meds.
Using ivory liquid dish soap consider giving the kittens a good bath then use a flea comb to be sure the fleas are all gone.
You may need to flea bomb your home as well.
Have your vet check a fecal for worms as that’s very common and if present that should clear up the diarrhea;
if not your vet will help to correct this so the kittens don’t become dehydrated from fluid loss.
If I can help further please call our veterinary office toll free at 866-372-2765
Thank you
Dr Carol
Hello,
We have adopted two kittens from a nearby farm. The kittens are about five weeks old. One seems to be quite fit and strong, but the other has runny eyes and noisy breathing. She is also significantly smaller than her playmate. The kittens are from the same colony, but they have different parents (all closely related). The poorly kitten’s mother has chronic health problems (coughing, breathing problems and so on), but the other kitten’s mother is relatively healthy. Would routine vaccinations and antibiotics clear up the little one’s problems or do you think we are looking at something more serious?
Janet,
I would recommend taking her to your vet, those upper respiratory problems are very common with young kittens. You just need to help her and get her immunity boosted. In our experience she may need an antibiotic to clear up the infection, then once healthy you would want to vaccinate her for the FVCRP, this vaccination at a young age helps to stop re-occurring upper respiratory problems.
Give us a call with any questions, always happy to speak with you.
Thursday night, my son rescued a five week old kitten.The kitten had trouble breathing and had goopy eyes. After we were able to clean away the crusty discharge from the left eye, we noticed the iris of that eye is covered by a pink colored film. My son took the kitten to the vet on Friday. The vet examined the kitten and indicated it has a respiratory infection . The kitten is taking arithromycin and Ofloxacin for the eyes. Our concerns are that the kitten isn’t eatting freely, we are bottle feeding, and today only able to get it to take one tablespoon of milk replacement throughout the day. Have offered wet food and no interest. We are also concerned about the left eye. What is this pink film or tissue we see when the eyelid is opened? Is the eye damaged? Please advise. Thank you.
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