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Is human pink eye medicine safe for my cat's conjunctivitis?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 10 lbs

can I use human antibiotic pink eye drops for my cat with mild conjunctivitis? the drops i have contain polymyxin B 10,000 units per ml (as a sulfate) and gramicidin 0.025 mg also contains non medical ingredients alcohol, benzalkonium, chloride, poloxamer, propylene glycol, water

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on December 22nd, 2016

I'm sorry that Kenny has conjunctivitis! Unfortunately, I would not recommend using these drops in Kenny's eye - polymyxin is not recommended for use in cats, as it can cause a severe reaction in some cases. It's also important to determine what is causing Kenny's eye problem, since conjunctivitis can be caused by an eye infection, an upper respiratory viral or bacterial infection, or an injury to the cornea such as a scratch or ulcer - treatment recommendations would be different depending on the underlying problem. Because of this, I would recommend taking Kenny to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to. He/she can take a look at the eye and do some simple testing if needed to help diagnose the problem, and will prescribe a safe and effective eye drop to treat it.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 1st, 2018

    No, I do not recommend it. A cat's eye reacts differently to human eye medication than a human's eye, and you could potentially due harm to Scofield's eye by administering this medication. In addition, it could be the wrong medication needed for her eye infection, and it could make things worse. The eye is such a delicate and important structure hat any problem with it is considered an emergency. This is because laving it untreated can lead to vision loss. I would take her into the vet to have her eye examined and diagnosed so it can be treated with a safe medication. Good luck!

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 6th, 2019

    No, it's never safe to use human medications on cats unless specifically prescribed by a vet. You could accidentally do great harm, and potentially cause vision loss. Have Bella seen by a vet in the morning for her eye problem. Best of luck.

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