• Eye Injuries in Cats

    Close up of cat with eye injury.

    What are the signs of impaired or absent vision?

    Acute blindness is most often detected when the cat starts bumping into things, is reluctant to go up or down stairs, or is walking gingerly in the surrounding environment.

    Other signs indicating a problem include:

    • Decreased appetite
    • Dilated pupils (look all black) that do not constrict with light
    • Seizures
    • Abnormal Behavior

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    Emergency Steps

    1

    If your cat’s eyes are red, cloudy, have a discharge, holding the eye closed or squinting, or if vision is impaired, see your vet.

    • You want to go to the vet to ensure there are no sight-threatening conditions.

    2

    If a foreign object is in the eye, gently wash the eye with large amounts of water or saline eye wash (preferred).

    • Whether or not you remove the object, have your cat seen by a vet; foreign objects can cause corneal ulcers or infection.

    3

    If your cat’s eye comes out of the socket, keep the eye wet using a sterile eye wash while you head to the vet. There is usually significant head trauma associated with this in cats.

    • Use an Elizabethan collar to prevent scratching.

    Cat Eye Injury FAQs

    What are common causes of acute blindness?

    Common causes include:

    • Detached retina
    • Infection or inflammation inside of the eye.
    • Glaucoma
    • Severe corneal ulcers or tumors
    • Neurological or brain disease
    • Low blood sugar

    What causes an eye to come out of its socket?

    These injuries are most often caused by trauma: Hit by car and bite wounds. It takes a significant amount of force to cause proptosis to a cat’s eye; therefore, head trauma is usually evident as well.

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    Information Provided Deborah C. Mandell, BS, VMD

    Dr. Debbie Mandell

    Pet First Aid information provided by Dr. Debbie Mandell, Professor of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; American Red Cross National Pet Care Advisor for the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. Visit redcross.org/take-a-class/scientific-advisory-council to see how we work, members, sub councils, scientific reviews, and recent research.

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