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My cat has watery eyes and crusting. Is this normal or a vet concern?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 3 years and 7 months old | 10.5 lbs

Hi, my cat Mango is a 3 year old neutered male who has had excessively watery eyes on/off (around once every 2-4 weeks). For example, a month ago we saw “tears” from his eyes while he was sleeping. This week he had watery eyes that’s crusting a little on his eye corners. The discharge is thin and transparent, his eyes themselves don’t look any different, and he’s eating and behaving normally. Do I need to take him for a checkup or could this be normal, and if the latter when should I be worried?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on February 4th, 2024

I'm sorry Mango hasn't been feeling well! (He's a cutie). Watery eyes can be caused by a number of things, so if this is a new symptom or one that hasn't resolved, a vet checkup is always best to figure out the exact cause. If the watery discharge is clear, it could be eye irritation from something such as a dust allergy or other environmental allergens. Keeping Mango in a well-ventilated room away from potential allergens may help the discharge clear up, as well as keeping his eyes clean and dry. Particles in the eye such as dust or an irritant if you've been cleaning or burning candles/aromatherapy items may also cause eye discharge like this, and Mango should be removed from any rooms they're in use in. If the discharge becomes cloudy, green, or yellow, this could indicate something more serious such as an infection of the eyes, a respiratory virus, or a chronic health condition such as herpesvirus that may be flaring. You may notice other signs and symptoms such as lethargy, fever, or loss of appetite. it's a good idea to schedule a vet visit with any new symptom, even if it's only for peace of mind. Keeping an eye on Mango and watching for any other symptoms or changes to the discharge can also help you and your vet figure out if the cause is serious.

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    Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 25th, 2019

    Her right eye looks infected. I recommend to have her examined to try to prevent it from getting worse and to quickly start the healing process. Make sure she is not rubbing the eye as this can make it worse. An elizabethan collar can prevent this. I hope she starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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