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Why is my feral kitten's third eyelid showing and eye squinting?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

I am taking care of a farel kitten. Tonight she came in and her third eyelid was perturbing in only one eye. She's squinting a bit, but playing and acting her usual self. I'm worried about her though. I'm considering taking off of work to take her to the humane society. How serious do you think it can be based off the little information I gave? Should I take off work? Could this go away on its own?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 11th, 2016

You can get some cat wormer and worm her. Often third eyelids prolapse with heavy worm burdens. Watch her eye and if she gets a discharge and the squinting gets worse, then take her to a vet for an exam. Since you are taking care of her so far and she condiserrs your place her home, you may want to permanently adopt her ;-).

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    Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 5th, 2019

    Poor kittens. Diarrhea has many different causes and it could be related to their bodies is adjusting to the new diet. It’s also very likely, since they are outdoor cats, that they have parasites and potential bacterial overgrowth. The one who is showing the third eyelid may also be dealing with a viral infection. If it’s at all possible, have the kittens examined by the veterinarian and the stool tested for worms. Then you will get the appropriate treatment. You may also go online or contact the Humane Society and see how about any feral cat program is in your area. Female cats can have up to 30 kittens in a year. This quickly leads to overpopulation which then leads to spread of disease. Many programs will offer spay, neuter and release back to the original location. The cats can no longer reproduce and they go back to their original territory which keeps other cats from moving in. It’s the best form of population control. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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