If left untreated, your cat’s conjunctivitis can cause permanent damage. Your cat may go blind or lose the affected eye. For this reason, it is important that you recognize the disease in good time and make an appointment with the vet immediately.
In the following we will explain which symptoms indicate conjunctivitis in cats and what is necessary for the treatment.
Key facts at a glance
- Conjunctivitis is common in cats.
- There is infectious and non-infectious conjunctivitis.
- The vet should be consulted promptly as the eye can be seriously damaged.
Causes of conjunctivitis in cats
Conjunctivitis in cats can have both infectious and non-infectious causes. In addition to allergies and injuries, non-infectious causes of conjunctivitis include drafts and foreign objects that get into the cat’s eye.
Infectious causes include viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Infectious conjunctivitis is usually very contagious. Therefore, you should keep your cat away from other pets as much as possible for the duration of the illness to avoid transmission.
Also, wash your hands thoroughly after handling your cat. Because depending on which pathogen it is exactly, transmission to humans is also possible.
Symptoms of conjunctivitis in cats
For successful treatment and to avoid possible consequential damage, it is important that you recognize conjunctivitis in your cat as soon as possible.
Usually, conjunctivitis in a cat first manifests itself with the following symptoms:
- The inflamed eye begins to water.
- The eye and the lids swell.
- The edges of the eyes are red in light-colored cats.
- Cats with conjunctivitis often blink and rub their eyes.
- Sick cats usually react sensitively to touches in the head area and avoid bright light.
Treating conjunctivitis in cats
Usually, your cat’s conjunctivitis is treated with eye drops or an ointment that is also put in the eye. The active ingredients in the drug depend on the cause of the conjunctivitis.
Preparations to fight bacterial inflammation contain antibiotics, while viral infections are treated with an antiviral. Cortisone is also often used as an anti-inflammatory to support healing. However, this is only possible if the cornea is not damaged and the cortisone cannot penetrate the eye.
For the treatment of non-infectious conjunctivitis, it is particularly important to find out and eliminate the trigger. Drops or an ointment can also be used to soothe the eye.
Prognosis for cats with conjunctivitis
If you recognize and treat your cat’s conjunctivitis in good time, permanent damage is extremely unlikely. As a rule, there is a clear improvement in the symptoms after just a few days and the eye is completely healthy again after the treatment has been completed.
pays for the treatment
Of course, like all diseases, conjunctivitis also costs your cat. In addition to the pure veterinary costs for the examination, you also have to pay for the necessary medication. At least that’s true if you don’t have health insurance for your cat.
With a cat health insurance from , you not only have the option of protecting yourself against conjunctivitis, but also against the financial consequences of chronic illnesses and costly surgeries.