Ask Dr Claire

7 week old Ragdoll x kitten has gunk in both corners of his eyes, and one eye is slightly closed, with some hair missing above it.

Gunk in the eyes is really just a symptom and can be the result of many underlying causes. Some of the underlying causes of gunk in the eyes might be:

  • Infection (viral, bacterial conjunctivitis)
  • Allergic conjunctivitis (food, pollens)
  • Dry eye
  • Ulceration of the eye
  • Foreign object in the eye (i.e. grass seed)
  • Blocked tear duct

Closing of the eye also indicates that it is a bit sore, and missing hair above the eye could be from a scratch from one of the other kittens, self trauma because that eye is sore, infection, a mite or many other things.

Because your beautiful kitten has a couple of things that need checking a hands-on examination from your local vet would be a great place to start. In the interim, you can gently bathe your kittens eyes in warm saline with cotton wool.

If you’d like to chat in person, you can book a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail, as soon as possible.

We’re here to help!

Chat soon,

Dr Claire