Does my cat have a cold?

[Ashe44]

Hello, I am new to the forums. I have two cats (Guinness, the dark chocolate/brown "mutt" who likes to lick things-- and Shatner, the orange and white striped tabby who loves food and thinks he's a dog). They are my babies.. I adopted them together last year from a non-euthanizing shelter.

From the start, Guinness gets the brunt of anything kitty related. Lately, I started to notice he has some dark red/blackish discharge around his right eye. He walks around *beep*-eyed all the time, but doesn't seem to be in any pain. He runs around playing and doing his cat things like normal. I keep the eye cleaned off, but today it's worse than it has been yet.
He hasn't gotten into anything that I can tell that may have injured him. They are both indoor cats, and do not go outside at all.
Could this just be a lil catcold? Or maybe the result of something more serious?
I just started a new job, and I don't yet have the money take him to the vet right now. Is this something I can remedy at home?

Any advice would ease my mind! Thank you!

[Traci]

He needs to see your vet, immediately.

Eye problems should never be taken lightly, this could be an injury to the cornea, a bacterial or viral infection or nearly anything else. Only your vet can determine what, with a complete exam. The fact that there is discharge at all and has been constant, demands a veterinary exam immediately.


What do you mean, that his head is tilted? If so, vet NOW.

Don't wait on this, the price for an exam is reasonable and your kitty deserves to be checked and to prevent anything from worsening. It may or may not be something minimal, but you can't take chances.

[Ashe44]

Thank you. I will get him to the vet first thing tomorrow.

BTW: by *beep*-eyed i meant not that his head is "tilted" but that he has that eye closed and the other open.


Again, thank you so much!

[Ashe44]

Hi! Just wanted you to know that this past Saturday i did take lil Guinness to the vet. He has an infection in his eye, but nothing serious. Have some drops for him and it's already clearing up nicely. The visit + the drops turned out to be pretty reasonable as you said, which was an added comfort.
Thanks again for your help!

[Traci]

Good to hear, please keep an eye on it and notify your vet immediately if anything changes. You should probably followup with your vet to make sure the drops resolve the issue.