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Kitten eye infection: Can I treat it at home if I can't afford a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 3 months and 5 days old | 2 lbs

2/3 of my kittens have eye infections and I can’t afford to take them to a vet, is there something at home I could use to help them. Or something I could purchase. They don’t seem to be in any pain. There eyes are just all boogery

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 14th, 2019

Unfortunately no, this does have to be treated by a vet. The medication needed is prescription only, and leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. I would see if you can borrow money from family and friends, go to a low cost clinic, see if you can get a payment plan with the vet, or apply for Care Credit online to afford a bet. Best of luck.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 19th, 2019

    You can gently wipe their eyes with a dampened soft cloth, but ultimately they have to see a vet. It sounds like they could have an eye infection, and that has to be treated by a vet, there are no OTC medications for it. Leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Check out these resources to see if one can help you, and please take them into a vet.

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 14th, 2017

    Eye infections in kitten tend to be very severe and many kittens will become blind if left untreated, the only effective treatment is antibiotic eye drops, no home remedies will work. if money is an issue Contact a cat charity in your area of living, they can help with costs of treatment in many cases. Many vets also have payment plans, and there is also a credit company that will land you money toward vet bills ( https://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/) .

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