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My cat has an irritated eye scratch. Should I see a vet or wait?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered

My cat has a small scratch on the inner corner of his eye. It's not bleeding but it does look irritated. Should I take him to a vet or just let it heal on it's own?

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4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Debi Matlack

Veterinary Technician

Published on January 2nd, 2018

Keep an eye on it and if it does not look better by tomorrow, or if he starts to scratch at it or rub his face, then get him seen by your vet as soon as possible. The worry is that if he starts rubbing or scratching, that he'll injure the eye itself and that will require more intensive treatment than a simple scratch or mild eye infection.

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 15th, 2017

    She could have a corneal scratch that can get infected. There is nothing to do right at this moment other than wait for your vet and have some antibiotics eye drops prescribed. Do not try to apply anything or wash the eye as it won't be effective and could damage the eye even further. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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    Answered By Amber W

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on November 20th, 2017

    This could be a normal result of a healed corneal scratch, however it would be best to have your veterinarian take a look at Felfel's eye to ensure he does not need continued eye drops. Often times blood vessels will appear over the cornea to help the eye heal after a scratch. However, with any eye issue it is always best to have a veterinarian take a look to err on the side of caution. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and best of luck to you and Felfel!

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    Answered By Britni Miller, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 11th, 2017

    Your dog can develop different issues from a cat scratch on the eye. They can get conjunctivitis or an eye ulcer just to name a couple. He should see a veterinarian to have it evaluated as these types of things often require medication. Also, they can be very painful which may be why he isn't acting like himself.

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