Cats’ eyes are one of their most beautiful features. They blink and stare as part of their unique body language. To keep these meowzing features healthy, make regular eye care an important but simple part of your regular grooming routine.
Wipe those eyes
For the most part, eye care involves nothing more than gently wiping your cat’s face with a warm, damp cloth or a specially formulated pet wipe. This efficiently removes any normal, daily grime that accumulates on fur around the eyes.
Even if your cat tolerates baths, never use even a feline-approved shampoo on the facial area to avoid it getting into your cat’s eyes and nose. A gentle wipe-down is all that is needed.
Use regular facial grooming sessions as an opportune time to do a general health check, too. Always take a minute to check your kitty’s eyes to ensure they are clean, bright and clear, and not runny.
Establishing this simple routine also ensures your cat will tolerate having drops or ointment put in her eyes without too much fuss should she ever develop any eye issue that requires treatment.
Always pay close attention if your cat appears to be pawing or rubbing her eyes, squinting or keeping an eye closed. If symptoms persist or worsen, seek veterinary help.
Combat tearstains
Probably the main issue facing some cats are tearstains (also known as epiphora) — those brown streaks on the inside corners of the eyes running down the bridge of the nose.
It’s normal for the tear glands to produce secretions that lubricate the surface of the eye and drain down the tear ducts into the nose and throat. However, some liquid tends to accumulate on the skin of the eyelids. As it evaporates, the natural iron compound found in the tears mixes with oxygen in the air, causing a brown stain.
Tear stains are most noticeable on light-colored fur and more prevalent in Persians, Himalayans and other brachycephalic breeds because the shape and position of their eyes don’t allow the tear ducts to drain effectively.
There are numerous products on the market created specifically to eliminate tear stains. They do seem to work, but because the eye area is a delicate one, always get the green light from your veterinarian before trying new products on your fur kid.
