Cat Eyes

by Debra
(Seattle, WA)

Miss Ruby

QUESTION

My 10 year old female cat has recently been experiencing a crusty formation at the inside corner of her left eye - it shows up in morning and I wash it off, but it's back the next morning and sometimes there's enough in the evening to wash off again. It's like what our mom's used to call "sleep" in our eyes.

What I'd like to know is if this is a symptom of something potentially threatening to her vision, or is this something that happens with age.

My cats (brother and sister) are indoor cats, never go outside and are not exposed to other animals. They are both in great shape.

Thanks for your help.

Deb Wilson


Hi, Deb,

Wow! Miss Ruby's picture takes my breath away. She is beautiful. And her expression is priceless. Thank you for sharing it with us.

If that is a recent picture that was taken since the eye discharge began, I can tell you already that her eyes look great and it is unlikely there is anything wrong with them.

What you describe can be a blocked tear duct, which is simply tears being deposited on the eyelid rather than down through the tear duct. It is of no significance except aesthetically and for that, you can just wipe her eyes for her.

The other possibility is that she simply doesn't groom herself as meticulously as she used to because of her age. She may have cleaned her eyes well by herself during her younger days.

Unless her eyes are swollen or red or cloudy or have a more constant greenish or yellowish discharge, there's no cause for concern. A slight accumulation in the corners of her eyes when she wakes up is nothing to be concerned about.

Thank you for writing. Miss Ruby looks as if she is very special. Best, Dr. Neely