Ragdoll Cat Forums

Hi everyone,

I am very worried right now. Jake has an irritated right eye and it is red. He is keeping it closed when he opens his left eye but earlier this evening when he had them both open the right eye was much smaller and looked very sore. He now won't even open it and is desperately trying to clean it. He has a bit of jelly-ish stuff in his right eye that I have removed but his eye is still looking very irritated and he seems to be bothered by it. His yearly vaccination was due in June but after recommendation of vaccinating every second year, he didn't get his booster and will be vaccinated next June. He has always had dirty dark black/red substance in his eyes but I thought all cats got dirty eyes. Jake's right eye is now a lot worse and I am worrying that maybe his lack of vaccination has caused it. He hasn't been around any other cats (apart from Jasper) so who he could of caught it off is beyond me. I am not sure whether this is a brief thing and I am overreacting or if it is serious but I hope it is the former.

Any information and/or advice would be greatly appreciated.

From a worried Mummy, Cloe.

Cloe, I really doubt it is because of the lack of vaccination. Simone has had a bad eye twice that has scared me too. (Poor JanH got pics of her eye emailed to him one time when I panicked). His advice then was a warm compress and take to the vet. I took her to the vet the next morning and he gave her some cream for the eye and by the end of the day it was looking really good and the next day was well. I think she may have just injured hers in playing or her whiskers got into it and irritated to it. But it was scary because she was closing her inner lid over it and wouldn't open it. Can you get him to the vet to have it checked out?

Even vaccinated cats can get those infections. The vaccination gives the immune system a head start that means the infection is not as serious. Vaccine protocols are for the first shot, a booster the next year and then boosters every third year (although going to two years is fine too). The point is that the first booster being after ONE year is important.

This sounds like an injury or bacterial infection for which meds are appropriate (and for which there is no vaccine). A vet visit is appropriate and you should expect it to get better quickly.

Mykah has one too right now but we have eye drops that we have to give hiim. The vet told us it can be caused by dust mites that are floating and some get them more than others. She also checked to make sure there is or was no injury from the cats playing with each other to the eye.

Talk to ya later and give your baby some loving from us.

Poor Jake! I think going to the vet the 1st thing in the morning tomorrow will be a good idea... Vets are experts and shld be able to diagnose what is the problem with Jake's eye... Hopefully he will be ok after the vet visit... Take care!

Sorry to hear that Jake is having eye problems. Get well soon, Jake!

Dust mites! I would have never guessed. WOW! Learn something new everyday!

Let us know what the vet says!

Izzy my cp bsh had a sore eye not too long ago. The vet put a strip across her eye which changed it's colour to yellow in order to see if there was any foreign body or injury. She's a blue cp and the dye turned her nose a deep green for a few seconds lol. She had a cream put in her eye and by the evening her eye was back to normal.
Just like us our fur babies sometimes get eye irritation, poke themselves in the eye, dust etc. Dusty's eyes tend to run on really sunny days, she has light sensativity. On these days I bathe her eyes with cold tea. I wonder if you can get sun glasses for cats?

Hi, Sorry to hear Jake has got eye problems. I know how worrying this can be. Coco has had eye problems to and has suffered from dark eye discharge too. Strangly the eye discharge has got better since his earmites have cleared up. I suppose it was mite dirt. I don't know? The vet should be able to advise you. Good luck.

Well we were advised just to wet a cotton bud or the like with luke warm water and wipe it over his eyes a few times a day. If it didn't get better by today then to take him in to the vet. Luckily, I am glad to say, it has improved quite a bit and is basically back to normal. I think I may have just overreacted!!

Thanks for your thoughts, Jake sends cuddles and purrs to you all : )