My cat's eye is red and she's licking lips. Is it an emergency?

Question

My cat's right eye became red/irritated/inflamed. I examined her eye. Small amount of cloudy mucus in the inside corner of her eye was all I found. Hours later her eye is still bothering her and now she is repeatedly licking her lips. No temperature. She's alert and mobile. Gums and nose are clean and wet. She's eating well and no signs of bowel issues. Eyes are tracking. Behavior is normal. Cat is 6 years old. No previous medical issues. Should I just watch her or consider it an emergency? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 8 lbs

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

Cats commonly get an irritated eye due to trauma from a cat fight, or from something else scratching the eye. Things, like grass or fabric, can also get stuck under the eyelids and cause irritation. Infection or increased pressure are always possible though. It's difficult to know how serious this is without evaluating her, but it doesn't appear to be an emergency at this time. The mucous in the eye and licking lips just tells me that the eye is producing more discharge than normal - suspect that the licking is due to increased nasolacrimal duct drainage. For now, you can flush the eye with normal saline. Saline flush can be bought at the pharmacy, or supermarket in the eye care section. Flush the eye 3-4 times daily and gently wipe away the discharge with a warm/moist cotton or cloth. Below is a link to a good video that demonstrates how to flush the eye. Cat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDGzdUTUdNI If the eye is not better within 24 hours, then it's best to have a vet evaluate it, so they can determine the severity and prescribe more specific treatment. I hope that helps and Lita gets better soon.

My cat's eye is red and she's licking lips. Is it an emergency?

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