Why Is My Cat Keeping One Eye Closed? Is That A Serious Problem?

One of the most distinctive features that cats have is their wide eyes, which seem to be open and alert at all times.

However, you may have noticed that your cat or kitten has been keeping one eye closed and naturally have some concern whether this is the result of a bigger health issue.

In this article, we’ll be addressing Why Is your Cat Keeping One Eye Closed? and Is this Something that you should be concerned about.

Is It Normal For My Cat To Keep One Eye Closed?

It’s not uncommon for cats to close their eyes when they are sleeping. This happens as part of their natural sleep pattern.

If your cat closes their eyes, it is usually an indication that they are relaxed and resting. However, if they are only closing one eye, it is best to examine further, although this isn’t to say that this means it is a health problem as it can be completely harmless.

What Does It Mean If My Cat Keeps One Eye Closed?

Sometimes, cats close one eye out of irritation which can be down to something as harmless as bright sunlight coming into the home or something serious such as infection.

If there are no obvious signs of infection, then it is likely that your cat may have slight irritation from a minor injury such as a scratch.

It’s important not to panic as this is likely the case if your cat doesn’t appear to be in any distress.

On the more serious side, there are a variety of infections that a closed eye can symbolize including conjunctivitis or inflammation.

Other causes include injury from trauma or surgery. It will be clear if your cat is suffering from a serious side effect or issue as they may be vocal about their pain or have shown irritation in other ways such as restlessness.

Other conditions include anisocoria and glaucoma, depending on the medical history of your cat.

Conjunctivitis is a condition that should be treated as soon as possible.

The symptoms of conjunctivitis include redness around the eyes, discharge, and swelling. Your vet will need to perform a full examination before determining the cause.

Treatment options depend on the type of conjunctivitis but can include topical drops and antibiotics depending on the severity of the condition.

Glaucoma is another common eye condition that requires immediate treatment.

Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve due to high pressure within the eye. As the nerves become damaged, vision becomes blurred and eventually lost.

There are two types of glaucoma: primary and secondary. Primary glaucoma occurs without any known underlying disease.

Secondary glaucoma is associated with other conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or retinal degeneration. Both require urgent veterinary attention.

Anisocoria refers to unequal pupil size. Anisocoria is often associated with neurological disorders such as stroke, brain tumors, epilepsy, head injuries, and meningitis.

If your cat is showing any of these symptoms, or you notice anything unusual, contact your vet immediately.

How Do I Know If My Cat Needs To See A Vet?

If your cat is showing any changes in behavior, it’s always best to consult your vet. They can diagnose your cat and determine whether it’s necessary to visit your local animal hospital.

Is My Cat Blind?

Cats don’t normally lose their sight. Most cats retain good night vision and use their whiskers to navigate their environment.

Some breeds of domestic cats however are born with a genetic defect called congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB).

This means that they cannot see at night, even though they may still have normal day vision.

It is also worth noting that some cats suffer from feline cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), which affects both night and daytime vision.

What Does My Cat Look Like When He/She Has One Eye Shut?

Your cat may look different when one eye is shut than the other. In most cases, the open eye will be brighter and larger than the closed eye.

owever, this isn’t always the case. For example, a cat who suffers from CRD will have a smaller, darker eye compared to the other eye.

Do Cats Squint When In Pain?

The eyes are the windows to the soul of a cat. They are also the most sensitive part of their body, and they can be easily damaged by external factors such as injury or illness.

If your pet is keeping one eye closed for more than a few days, it may be an indication that something is wrong with his vision.

What Causes An Eye To Close Or Blink?

Blinking is a natural reflex in cats. It helps them clear away dust from their eyes and keeps their eyes moist.

However, if this blinking becomes excessive, it could indicate that there’s some kind of problem going on inside their head.

Blink Rate: How Often Does Your Cat Blink?

A normal blink rate for adult cats ranges between 10-20 blinks per minute. This number increases when they are sleepy or stressed out.

If you notice your cat has been blinking excessively, it could mean he is experiencing pain.

Blinking is a way for cats to communicate discomfort, so if your cat keeps closing one eye, it could be a sign that he needs medical attention.

How Can I Tell If My Cat Has An Injury?

If your cat seems to have trouble seeing clearly, he might not be able to tell whether he has an injury. He could be having problems with his cornea, which is the clear outer layer of the eye.

Cats do not have eyelids as humans do. Instead, they have a thin membrane called the nictitating membrane that covers their eyeball. This membrane protects their eyeballs from foreign objects and bacteria.

When this membrane gets irritated, it can cause irritation around the eye. The symptoms include redness, swelling, discharge, and crusting around the eye.

What To Do When The Cat Is Squinting One Eye?

If you are concerned that your cat is squinting in one eye, then you can try to ease the pain by using a solution that will wash the area around the eye.

You can also use an ophthalmic lubricant or an antibiotic cream to help relieve irritation and inflammation.

Make sure that if you are using some kind of solution that you use separate bowls for each eye to prevent any cross-contamination from potentially spreading.

If none of these remedies work, it may be time for your veterinarian to examine your cat’s eyes.

Things That Can Cause Irritation To Your Cat’s Eyes

There are plenty of reasons why your cat’s eyes may have grown irritated over time as things like dust, perfume, cleaning chemicals, and smoke are just a few examples of irritants that can cause issues for your cat’s eyes.

If you notice that one eye is consistently closed or if the other eye has become red or swollen, it could be an indication of something more serious.

Signs Of Infection In Your Cat’s Eyes

There are many signs to look out for when examining your cat’s eyes for infections. These can include discharge, irregular blinking, redness, and squinting. They may also be expressive in how much pain they are in.

This is because the eye is a very sensitive organ and can experience trauma easily, so it is essential to make sure that your cat is seen by a veterinarian if you are concerned.

Your vet may be able to prescribe an anti-inflammatory eyewash solution for your cat in order to ease the pain and get rid of the infection.

Can I Give My Cat Human Eye Drops?

It probably goes without saying, but you should absolutely not give your cat human eye drops. This is because human medicine is completely different to animal medicine and may cause more harm than good to your cat.

It’s also important to note that the human eye has a much higher concentration of tears than an animal’s eyes do, so it can be very painful for your cat to have them administered.

If you are unsure whether you have appropriate medicine for your cat, then make sure you seek advice from a professional before giving it to your cat to prevent any accidents or further injury from happening.

Is It A Problem If My Cat Is Sneezing With One Eye Closed?

If one or both of your cat’s eyes are irritated, then you may find that they will sneeze with the sore eyes closed. This is because they want to prevent any debris such as dust from entering the eye when they sneeze.

Protecting the eye will mean that there is less risk of the eye becoming more irritated and prevent your cat from being in more pain.

What Can Cause Redness Around Your Cat’s Eyes?

There are many reasons why you may have noticed redness around your cat’s eyes.

It’s important to note that redness around your cat’s eyes is not normal and is a sign that something is wrong. It could be something minor such as trauma from a scratch or poke.

If this is the case, then it is likely that your cat’s eye will heal naturally over time. This can take a few hours to occur and shouldn’t be a cause for further concern.

On the other hand, if the redness has not gone away, then it could be a sign that your cat is suffering from a serious condition that will need to be treated by a vet.

One example of this is corneal ulceration or corneal opacity.

Corneal ulceration or corneal opacity is a very painful and potentially blinding condition that affects cats of all ages, but it is more common in older cats.

The most common causes are trauma (including fighting), infection, and nutritional deficiencies.

Corneal ulcers are usually caused by bacteria from the mouth, nose, or skin entering through a wound on the face or head.

If you notice any discharge coming out of the cat’s nose or if there is an open cut on his face or head, take him to your veterinarian immediately.

Harmless Reasons Why Your Cat Has One Eye Closed

It’s important to cover the serious conditions that could be the cause of your cat having one eye closed; however, there is a strong chance that the reason is entirely harmless.

The essential thing to look out for is the speed of your cat’s blinking.

If your cat is blinking slowly, then this is likely to be a sign of love and affection towards its owner and a sign that your cat is feeling calm and relaxing.

On the other hand, if your cat is blinking quickly, then it is most likely that your cat’s eye is irritated or may have a foreign item in its eye, and they are trying to get rid of the problem.

In most cases of irritation, this will heal within a few hours and shouldn’t be a cause for further concern if your cat appears calm after a while.

Can Eye Problems In Cats Be Avoided?

Unfortunately, there is no certain way that you can prevent your cat’s eyes from becoming infected.

If your cat is allowed outside, there is a higher chance that they will develop eye infections as they will be exposed to more risks such as other pets and forms of debris.

If your cat has had health concerns in the past, it is advised that you keep your cat indoors as much as possible to prevent any further infections and issues from happening.

You may also want to consider is your cat’s age as older cats are more susceptible to infection and disease and can’t cope as well with surgeries.

Another issue you may want to think about is your cat’s lifestyle as your cat may be restricted to a particular diet or have to go outside to get some exercise daily.

If you are concerned about your cat’s lifestyle, then you may want to supervise them or keep them on a harness when you let them outside.

If you have any concerns regarding your cat, then you can schedule an annual eye examination for your cat with the vet. This can catch any potential problems early and ensure that your cat is as healthy and happy as it can be.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does It Mean When My Cat Keeps Closing One Eye?

As discussed in this article, there are many reasons why your cat keeps closing one of its eyes.

The most common reason why they close one eye is that they have something stuck such as dust or debris.

More serious causes can be ulcers or conditions such as glaucoma or conjunctivitis, which will need to be treated by a vet.

Do Eye Infections Go Away?

The good news is that if they are caught early, cat eye infections are incredibly easy to treat.

If you take your cat to the vet, they can prescribe your eye some eyewash solution or antibiotics that will help clear the area of infection and will have your cat happy and healthy in no time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there isn’t one specific reason why your cat is keeping one eye closed.

This means that it is especially important that you examine your cat’s eye closely to determine whether it is simple irritation that will go away within a few hours, or could be something more serious that needs to be observed by a vet.

Cats are intelligent creatures and will use their body language and physical actions to communicate if they are in any acute pain.

If you are the slightest bit concerned, it’s critical that you don’t dismiss and seek advice from your vet, so your cat can get treated as soon as possible.