The occasional cat wink is fine and normal. In fact, you may feel like your young cat seems to wink at the most opportune moments! But if your kitten is sitting around with one or both eyes squinted, you might be looking at a case of blepharitis and/or conjunctivitis.
What are blepharitis and conjunctivitis in young cats?
Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids, potentially affecting one or both eyes. It often happens along with conjunctivitis, which is inflammation of the pink tissues that surround the eye. A cat with one or both conditions will often have visibly swollen eyelids, redness or crusting of the eyelids and discharge from the eyes. The cat often appears to be squinting or blinking excessively.
What are the potential causes of excessive squinting in cats?
Most cases of squinting in cats are infectious, with herpesvirus being near the top of the list for common causes. Bacterial or fungal infections of the eye, chronic allergies, severe allergic reactions, rolled-in eyelids (entropion) and some autoimmune conditions can also cause excessive squinting.
Cats may also squint with painful conditions of the eye, such as corneal ulcers.
What should I do about the squinting?
You’ll want to contact your VCA care team to get attention for your squinting cat. The veterinarian can look at the eye for ulcers, abnormal tear production and abnormally placed or positioned eyelashes. Most causes of eye squinting will resolve with time and topical medications. It’s common for cats who are squinting to receive topical antibiotics and sometimes topical antivirals.
If you have a young cat who has recurrent episodes of herpesvirus that cause squinting, you can speak with your veterinarian about at-home management. They may recommend specific topical medications or warm compresses as well as techniques for managing your cat’s stress levels to reduce flare-ups.
If your kitten has an eyelash abnormality, such as an eyelash that’s growing into the cornea (ectopic cilia) or rolled-in eyelids that cause the eyelashes to rub on the cornea (entropion), surgery may be required to correct the condition.
If you’re concerned about your cat’s squinting, start a free 24/7 live chat* with our licensed veterinary professionals.
*Live Chat with a licensed veterinary professional is free for VCA clients through the myVCATM mobile app, available at Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
