Cats are truly adorable creatures that capture the hearts of many, and are often preferred because of its charming nature. The important aspects of taking care of a cat are mainly focused on its nutrition and cleanliness, but there are other things attributed to your pet’s health. One common factor that is overlooked by pet owners is cat eye care and its effects on a cat, which is why eye problems often aggravate even before the owner notices its symptoms.
Preventing your pet from suffering from the discomfort of having eye ailments should be one of your priorities. An easy way to do this is to check your pet’s eyes regularly by looking at it directly in a place with proper lighting. See if your cat has pupils that are of the same size, and if the eyeballs and the white portion of the eyes are clearly distinguishable from each other. You can peer into it better by carefully stretching its eyelids and checking if the eyes are lined with pinkish muscles. If its lining is reddish or whitish, you might want to ask the vet for assistance.
Cat eye care should be executed consistently so that you can prevent your cat from having eye problems, which (in some cases) might be fatal for your pet. When you notice that your pet is constantly squinting or cannot focus its stare, it might mean that it has the complication called “conjunctivitis”. The most common symptom of this condition is when your cat has somewhat a sticky or watery discharge that accumulates around its eyes. This can be compared to the “sore eyes” of humans, but it has rather different symptoms and causes. The main cause of this complication is the presence of a viral infection that is specific only to cats, but is not contagious for humans.
Grooming your pet properly is essential in cat eye care because as you know, the fur of your pet (especially for breeds with long coats) could irritate the eyes and be susceptible for the growth of viruses, bacteria, and other harmful microorganisms. Dirt and dust can also be present on the fur around your pet’s eyes; hence, it can get into the eyes more easily and trigger certain eye problems. To prevent this, make sure to cut off the stray strands of fur carefully around the eyes and wash its coat properly.
When you observe that your cat has some viscous or mucus-like fluid on its eyes, it might be a sign of irritation or a possible start of infection. You can wipe your pet’s eyes using a clean cloth moistened with some clean water. If the condition gets worse no matter how much you try to prevent it, you might want to bring your cat to the vet right away.
Proper cat eye care is just as important as feeding your pet, because it is one of the things that keeps it in its best health. Realizing this would enable you to become a better pet owner as you attend to all your pet’s needs with utmost diligence and affection.