Goopy Eyes

[RobinCot]

Along with all of Nuzzle's other problems (low weight, matted fur, off meter bg numbers, sore ears, litter-encrusted toes, UTI recuperation, dry food addict) she just recently started presenting goop in her eyes. I have seen this in kittens who have upper-respiratory issues but not in older cats. Is there something I can be doing for her for this during the last seven days that I have her? Should I try to wipe to goo out? The new foster will be asked to take her back to the vet for a follow-up. She came off the Clavamox a little over a week ago.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

What color is the "goop"?
Could be effects from URI. Could also be from herpes virus. You can try L-Lysine, 250-500 mg once daily. I use that on three of my cats.

 

[RobinCot]

The goop is opaque white and is on the lower lid against the eye ball. I have L-Lysine powder to add in wet food not sure how to give it to Nuzzles. Pardon me for being a little dense but how do you administer the L-Lysine to your kitties?

 

[Larry and Kitties]

For two of mine I add to a little caned and syringe feed it to them. For the other I just mix with his canned food.

 

[BJM]

A warm, damp washcloth may be used to gently wipe debris off the face.

Preservative-free, sterile eye drops (ex Systane) may be used to help loosen up the goo.

A coat rake or matt cutter may be used to gently remove matted coat. Always hold your fingers between the skin and the tool you use. Start at the outer edge of the mat and work your way skinward. If bad enough, it can be worth it to have the vet shave down the cat, possibly with a touch of anesthesia, if the cat stress easily and resists handling.

 

[RobinCot]

Thanks. I will try the warm washcloth on her eyes tonight so they don't get crusty. She is still to fragile and unsteady for the rake but we are doing a lot of brushing. They are afraid to shave her at this time because her bg is still too high and they don't want to stress her. I give her a good scratchin' all over. Her dandruff is getting better but the clumps of hair are still too close to bone.

 

[BJM]

The concern is that tight mats can trap moisture under the mat, which may result in ulceration or infection of the skin.

Maybe try a seam ripper to see if you can tease apart any of the mats to help the skin breathe.

Also, they make safety scissors with blunt tips for removing wound dressings and trimming nasal hair. Those may be helpful in carefully trimming off or loosening some of the mats.

 

[RobinCot]

Also, they make safety scissors with blunt tips for removing wound dressings and trimming nasal hair. Those may be helpful in carefully trimming off or loosening some of the mats.

Actually that is a good idea. I have lots of blunt scissors in the house - I could try to cut into the bigger mats to loosen and spread them. I tried the rake but it just got stuck. She is withstanding the brushing even though it is rough. I have to hold her in the air to do it. It is loosening the hair at the ends a bit more. I am going to suggest that she be shaved but in the meantime I will concentrate on loosening.

Also, by the time I got home yesterday, she had cleaned out her own eyes. Even the crusty part that was on the fur below her eye.

 

[BJM]

If you can use the scissors, make small slits in any mats that protrude from the skin to help separate small chunks. That will make it easier for her to do some grooming, too.

Dusty pulled out all of his mats himself once he felt better ... and had an almost bald area about 5" in diameter on one flank!

 

[RobinCot]

Does their reluctance to groom relate to their immense water intake? I wonder about that. I am encouraged about her grooming her face. Her back legs are very stiff and her back paws are clumped with litter. I tried to groom them but she does not like having them touched and I can't hold her sufficiently for this. This may be another factor as to her lack of grooming. She sounds like she has miniature tap shoes on when she walks across the floor.

 

[BJM]

For the booties of clumped litter on the feet (a GA renal kitty), I've filled a pan with some warm water, stood the cat in it for a few minutes to let the clumps soften, then used a toweled hand to crumble the clumps out of the feet. And repeated as necessary.

It may be useful to consider a non-clumping litter for a while. You can do crystal litter on top of a drainage grate of some sort (a second box with holes punched in it, heavy duty window screening, etc) and have a tray below with something absorbent in it like newspaper or a reusable cloth diaper or draining into a floor drain.