We got a new kitten and one of his eyes has some discharge?

Question

we are planning on taking him to the vet by the weekend but his left eye has some clear discharge, his right eye is fine. is this just allergies? we have two other cats and don't smoke in the house. what could it be?

he's almost 4 months old, we got him from a shelter and he's already neutered.

Answer 1

if the dischage is clear there is no infection. Kittens coming out of shelter often has been exposed to viruses that can cause some kitty "flu" so the kitten may be headed in that direction or his immune system may be able to handle it.

So it is good he will see a vet this weekend if anything does develop.

Answer 2

It nmight be conjunctivitis which is extremely contagious and the other kittens can contract it. Or it could be the start of snuffles. Cleaning the eye is good but make sure that the artificial tears is not too strong for the kitten. The best solution for cleaning the kitten's eye is BOILED water, not tap water. Make sure that you keep some in a jar and mix it with a little salt. If it is not getting better then you should check the rim to see if it is pink. If it is then it is probably conjunctivitis which will need to be treated with Chlorsig which you should be able to get from any chemist. This should be applied to the eye 2 to 3 times a day. Keep bathing the eye. If Chlorsig doesn't work then you will probably need to move to Maxitrol which is steroidal. It takes a long time to clear conjunctivitis in a kitten so be patient.

Answer 3

EDIT--New info added:

he probably has an upper respiratory infection (URI)--- a common kitty cold. he should be fine until your vet appointment..

some things you can do:

if you have a humidifier, put it in a small room (laundry room, bathroom) and leave him in there with the humidifier running. Also, whenever someone takes a shower--put the kitten in the bathroom (no, not the shower! :-D )... the steam is good to loosen up the gunk.

the vet will most likely give him a shot of penicillin and some antibiotics for you to administer. It could potentially turn serious if not treated, so it's good that you have a vet appt.

Since you did get it from a shelter, it's VERY LIKELY that it's URI... they spread around shelters like wildfire. at the shelter I volunteer at, we even have a special team treating a room full of URI kitties.

again, it's just a cold--treatable... if you have other kitties, it's probably a good idea to keep them separated until you can get the sick one on meds.

oh, and wipe out its eye... no one likes eye boogies! lol

good luck!

EDIT:

I just received an e-mail from the animal shelter regarding an illness that's going around to our kitties. sounds like it could be this as well (and if so, this is more serious than a URI)..I'll copy and past what was said below:

Some of you may already be aware, but we have had a confirmed diagnosis of feline herpesvirus in a recently-adopted cat. This virus is certainly something that we've had in our Adoption population before, so this is not like some bizarre emergency or something, but we are concerned because we've now seen several cats recently or
currently with symptoms that are indicative of feline herpesvirus, and although it is relatively easy to kill with disinfectants, it is certainly contagious - it is spread thru eye or nose discharge - and it is quite difficult for a cat to get rid of the virus once it has it. The unusually cool, wet weather (It's been raining A LOT in Austin) we've had may be a factor in causing it to flourish in the community and therefore show up more significantly here. Here is a link with some more good info aboutfeline herpesvirus:

http://www.animal- eye-specialists. com/herpes. htm

The thing about having it here at TLAC is that we've got to consider and manage not just one cat with the virus, but an entire and ever- changing HERD of cats, and we also have to be mindful of what is reasonable to expect of adopters. Although the symptoms of feline herpesvirus may not seem TOO dire at first blush (the cat will often remain quite energetic during an outbreak), the long-term consequences
of the virus are quite serious, and the specter of most or all of our cats getting it is quite horrible. The disease can be a lifelong issue and battle, with recurring outbreaks, secondary infections and weakened immunity, with especially serious consequences for the eyes, and a cat can remain a carrier for many years or for life, spreading the virus to other cats in the home or neighborhood, etc, and having outbreaks any time the cat experiences any stress or changs.

The other issue is that the treatment is quite intensive and
difficult -- antibiotics don't touch it, and the antiviral treatment
that CAN help is frequent, long-term, and not very pleasant for the cat, which makes bonding with a new adopter extremely difficult, plus the stress of being treated can exacerbate an outbreak - an icky Catch-22...


She then tells volunteers to contact staff regarding any cats that have CLEAR eye discharge... goes on to say they don't have the best fate ahead of them... (it's an open-door shelter run by the state... they do euthanize).

I REALLY hope your kitty just has a URI!!! GOOD LUCK AT THE VET!

Answer 4

He most likely has some conjunctivitis or a cold in his eye and need some antibiotics. It is contageous to humans if that is the case to wash thoroughly after coming in contact with your kitty and get him to the vet. That is a pretty common condition is cats that have not been thoroughly taken care of. It is always a good precausion to keep any new addition to your household away from your other pets for a period of 14 days. That is usually the incubation time for any other pest or disease that they could have and give to your other cats. You won't be sorry if you do that. He definitely needs medical attention if he has just arrived to make sure that there isn't any other hidden situation and then keep him in quarantine for 2 weeks to protect your other pets.

Answer 5

Sounds like it may be an eye infection. No one will be able to tell you on here for sure, the best bet is to take him into the vet and get a professional opionon.
Good Luck

Answer 6

He probably has worms - super common! Most kittens have them from the mother. Take him to the vet or you might be able to get a good wormer from a quality pet store.
I would hurry as the other cats can catch it - you may want to deworm them too just to be safe.

Answer 7

my new kitten had that it is an eye infection the vet gave me some medicine i had to put in his eyes

Answer 8

Ewwwwwwwww that is so nasty but yeah I think that you should take the poor little kitten to the vet .