Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Treating the cause of conjunctivitis
• Part 2 of 2: Dealing with recurrent conjunctivitis
• Tips
• Warnings

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the inner pink membrane of the eye. It is the most common eye condition in cats. Most cats will develop conjunctivitis at some point in their lives. If your cat has conjunctivitis, or conjunctivitis, his eyes are likely to look and feel very uncomfortable. Act quickly so that he gets the necessary treatment to feel better quickly.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Treating the cause of conjunctivitis

1. Identify the cause of the conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis in cats can be contagious or non-contagious. Infectious causes of conjunctivitis are viruses (feline herpes, feline calicivirus), bacteria and fungi. Examples of non-infectious causes are particles (eg dust), airborne chemicals and allergies.
   • The most common contagious causes are the feline herpes virus Chlamydia felis, and feline mycoplasma. Chlamydia and mycoplasma are types of bacteria.
   • Take your cat to the vet to determine the cause of the conjunctivitis. If the cause is not in the non-contagious section, the vet will perform several tests to identify the contagious cause.
2. Discuss treatment options with the vet. Once the vet has determined the cause of the inflammation, he will recommend various treatment options. Discuss this option with the vet. For general conjunctivitis (without a specific cause), treatment usually consists of topical antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications (such as hydrocortisone), which should be applied to the affected eye.
   • If the inflammation is caused by the feline herpes virus, treatment includes topical antivirals, topical antibiotics and oral interferon alpha (which suppresses the immune response to the virus).
   • Topical antibiotics for common or herpes virus-induced conjunctivitis fight bacterial infection that occurs when the immune system is weakened to a viral infection.
   • Topical antibiotics are used in bacterial conjunctivitis. Tetracycline is used for Chlamydia infections.
   • If a foreign particle is stuck in your cat's eye, the vet may need to operate to remove it.
   • Topical eye treatments are available in drop form and as an ointment.
3. Isolate your cat in the house. If you have multiple cats, you will need to isolate the cat receiving treatment from the others. Infectious conjunctivitis can spread quickly to cats, so make sure your cat can't infect other cats.
   • Keep your cat in isolation for the entire treatment period.
4. Put eye drops or eye ointment in the affected eye. Eye drops are easier to apply than ointments, but must be applied more often (3-6 times a day). Eye ointment can be applied less often, but is more difficult to apply. If you are unsure of how to apply the medication, ask your vet to demonstrate it before you leave the clinic.
   • The vet will prescribe the amount of drops (if applicable) and how often this information should be prescribed.
   • Before you can apply the drops or ointment, you may need to remove some discharge from around the eyes, do this with a clean cotton ball and eye wash. The vet may recommend an eye wash.
   • Eye drops will spread quickly on the surface of the eye, eliminating the need to rub after application.
   • With ointment you spread a line of ointment over the eye. Since it is thick, you will need to close the eye and gently massage the eyelid so that the ointment spreads all over the eye.
5. Complete the entire course of treatment. Your cat's eyes will probably look better after a few days, but stop not with the treatment. This is especially important with contagious conjunctivitis - if you stop treatment too soon, the infection may not be completely killed and the infection may return.
   • It usually takes 1 to 2 weeks for a cat's eyes to fully recover from the inflammation. Even if the eyes look better after a few days, continuing the treatment for 1 or 2 weeks will ensure that the eyes fully recover.
   • The treatment may even take 3 weeks.
6. Learn about the challenges of treating viral conjunctivitis. While there are treatments available for viral conjunctivitis, there is no actual cure. This can make treatment for this type of conjunctivitis very frustrating and challenging. In addition, topical anti-viral treatments are usually very expensive and must be used often. If your cat has viral conjunctivitis, prepare for a lifelong task of controlling the condition, rather than a quick cure.

Part 2 of 2: Dealing with recurrent conjunctivitis

1. Reduce your cat's stress. Since viral conjunctivitis cannot be cured, it can return after the first treatment. These moments are often caused by stress. You must therefore identify and remove the stressors in your cat's environment. For example, keep your cat's daily routine as stable as possible.
   • If you have several cats, make sure that each cat has its own supplies (such as food and water bowl, toys, litter box) to avoid bullying and fighting among themselves.
   • Your cat can also get stressed when bored. Give him lots of toys and change toys regularly. Puzzle games, in particular, are helpful for keeping your cat busy and entertained.
2. Supplement your cat's diet with oral lysine. The herpes virus needs an amino acid, arginine, to multiply. However, when the amino acid lysine is present, the virus will take it up in place of the arginine, which stops the virus from multiplying. Your vet can recommend a suitable lysine supplement for your cat.
   • Lysine can be used to control a lifelong infection of feline herpes conjunctivitis.
3. Consider vaccinating your cat. The severity of a recurrent outbreak of herpes virus conjunctivitis can be reduced with an ocular (not injectable) vaccination. The vaccination works by strengthening the immune system and making the outbreak more bearable for your cat. Discuss this vaccination option with the vet.
4. Minimize your cat's exposure to allergens. If your cat's allergy is the cause of the conjunctivitis, you should reduce exposure to that allergen as much as possible. For example, if your cat is allergic to dust, you will need to dust your home more often. If it is an outdoor cat, you may need to keep it indoors and away from outdoor allergens such as pollen.
   • If your cat's eyes get irritated when using certain household cleaning products, try to keep your cat away while cleaning.
5. Watch for signs of an outbreak. If your cat's eyes look swollen and red and you see colored discharge (green or yellow) coming out of the eyes, your cat is likely having another outbreak of conjunctivitis. Other signs of an outbreak include increased tear production, squinting, and sensitivity to bright light. When your cat has an outbreak, contact the vet to see the best way to get it under control.

Tips

• All cats are susceptible to conjunctivitis.
• Conjunctivitis is most common in young cats, especially cats that live in stressful environments (shelter, breeding, outdoors).
• In addition to topical medication, your cat may need oral antibiotics if the conjunctivitis is severe.
• Conjunctivitis can pass on its own. However, if your cat's eyes are discharged and he seems very uncomfortable, take him to the vet for examination and treatment.
• Many cats with conjunctivitis will develop immunity and thus will not develop new outbreaks.

Warnings

• Consult with the vet before giving your cat any medication.
• Young kittens with conjunctivitis can also have respiratory infections, which can make them very sick.
• If your cat has a cornea ulcer, don't treat the conjunctivitis with hydrocortisone. This medicine may slow the healing of the ulcer or make it worse.
• The viral conjunctivitis treatment can cause stress on its own, making the chances of another outbreak more likely.