Kitten eye discharge

I adopted my female kitten 2 weeks ago. She had clear discharge in her right eye that did not seem to bother her at all. I was given some antibiotic drops that did nothing. I took her to the vet and they mentioned it could be a blocked tear duct, as the discharge was clear and not yellow or green. They advised me to "flush" her eye the day of her spaying, as she was going to be under the anesthesia. The surgery was 2 days ago. The vet said the eye got flushed, but it did not drain through the nose. So he said to wait and see for a few days, or to bring her back for further testing.

I know she still has a bit of a discharge, because she is dry and crusty under her eye, even though I cannot see the wet spot anymore. If it's not a blocked tear duct, then what else could it be?

Thank you in advance.


Thank you for writing in with concern for your new kitten.

It sounds like your kitten does, in fact, have a blocked tear duct. Unfortunately, the methods used for trying to unblock tear ducts, including an eye flush, are frequently unsuccessful due to how small and easily scarred the passageways are. Most often, it is best to just leave the tear duct blocked.

The good news is that cats can live a long, normal life with a blocked tear duct. There are no significant health consequences from having a blocked tear duct. Many, many cats live their entire lives with this problem, including some of my own. The only thing that will need to be done for your kitten is a regular eye wiping regimen, primarily for aesthetic reasons. You can wipe away any crusted discharge residue with a damp, soft cloth as frequently as necessary to keep the area clean.

Best wishes,
Dr. Neely