Cleaning your feline’s eyes is important to prevent bothersome blepharitis and conjunctivitis. From the material to use to how to do it: everything you need to know about cleaning feline eyes.
Cats are, by definition, animals that care about their personal hygiene. Often during the day we admire them in contortionist positions licking themselves all over, but the eyes are often a problem for even the most fussy feline. In fact, the cat does not always manage independently to clean the eyes and remove impurities from the corners.
Everything you need to know about cleaning cat’s eyes
The eyes for cats are fundamental sense organs as they are responsible for their night vision and their extraordinary visual abilities. But being also very delicate organs, they can run into various pathologies also linked to lack of hygiene.
To prevent annoying blepharitis and conjunctivitis, it is advisable to periodically perform a thorough cleaning of the cat’s eyes and promptly intervene with a delicate cleansing in case of transparent secretions in the tear corners.
Cat eye cleaning material
To clean the eyes of a cat it is necessary to have:
a towel;
a clean cloth;
liquid suitable as specific veterinary solutions, chamomile infusion, boric or physiological water;
salt ;
cotton pads (or rather sterile gauze that do not leave annoying lint);
two small containers such as cups or bowls;
a snack as a reward for the cat.
Fill the containers with distilled water, add a small spoonful to each and mix. This mixture could also be used to disinfect wounds in case the cat scratches you.
How to clean a cat’s eyes
Get your cat used to this process from an early age so that over time it becomes a usual and constant ritual. These are the steps to clean your cat’s eyes:
wrap the cat in a towel and gently try to immobilize it;
take a cotton pad, wet it in one of the two containers and start cleaning the first eye. Thoroughly cleanse both the inner corner of the eye, down towards the nose, and its outer part, rubbing gently and removing secretions. Avoid coming into contact with the pupil (it could hurt);
soak all the disks you need always in the same bowl, only in this way you will avoid passing an infection from one eye to the other if there is one;
when you have finished sanitizing the first eye, use new discs and the second container of water and salt to clean the second;
at the end of the procedure for both eyes, use the cloth to dry them;
reward your cat friend with the reward, he’ll remember it!
In addition, two other useful tips: if you are unable to carry out the cleaning alone, ask someone for help and if you notice anomalies in tearing or something abnormal in the color of the eyes contact your vet for a check-up.
How often should the cat’s eyes be cleaned?
The cleaning frequency should be twice a week, but there are some breeds that need more eye hygiene, these are brachycephalic cats.
The latter (Persians, Devon rex or Himalayans) tend to tear a lot as they have a fairly large head and a very flattened muzzle so maximum hygiene is important to avoid infections due to the excessive formation of cisps.
