Your cat might be having common cold or allergic reaction because both conditions can cause sneezing and watery eyes. Following are general causes of sneezing and watery eyes in cats.
- Upper respiratory tract infection caused by virus or bacteria
- Allergy to pollens, molds, smoke and dust
- Nasal polyps
- Dental diseases
- Ear infection
- Nasolacrimal Occlusion
- Flat faced Cats
Treatment depends upon under lying cause. If the tears are particularly mucus like, this is a sign that there is an infection. Check to see if your cats' eyes are red around the rim and the white of their eye is red, then they are likely to be having an allergic reaction to something. This could be
- Deodorant or perfume
- Products that are used to freshen your carpets
- Powder producing cat litter
- Household air freshners, especially the plug in type have been known to cause reactions in pets.
If their eyes are not red, they might simply have blocked tear ducts, causing an overflow of tears down the face. A vet can flush these through, normally the blockage is caused by muck or grass seeds.
Flat faced cats generally suffer more from respiratory problems, and similarly cannot clean their faces so well.
To clean your cats eyes:
- Take a bowl of luke warm water and some cotton wool
- Wet the cotton wool quite thoroughly and whilst stroking the cat wipe their eye. Take care to not wipe each eye with the same piece as you could risk spreading any infection.
- Do this three times with each eye, using a different piece of cotton wool each time.
If symptoms persist, or are accompanied by lethargy or lameness, please take your cat to vet for accurate treatment for a full and proper diagnosis and treatment.
