One of the common questions that pop up in the majority of pet parents is whether human eye drops can be used for cats. Like cleaning eyes or getting rid of allergies.
Well, you landed on the right page, in this article we have covered information related to the usage of human eye drops for your feline pal, whether is it safe or not, when to seek a vet’s help, etc.
Let’s dig in to get in-depth knowledge and clear your doubts regarding, whether can you use human eye drops for cats. Is it safe? What precautionary measures should be taken care of, and other relative information.
Keep reading more to get in-depth knowledge.
Are Human Eye Drops Safe for Cats?
There are certain types of human eye drops, like artificial tears, allergy drops, and anti-redness drops, that you can use for your kitty. These drops can only be used for minor eye issues, they will surely give relief to your kitty’s eyes.
However, human eye drops are available in different types, each solution formulated for different eye issues.
All those cannot be used for your kitty, if she is facing any chronic eye issue it is suggested to seek a vet’s help and follow their guidance. Plus, use the prescribed eye drop to get a cure for chronic eye issues.
When Can Human Eye Drops Be Used for Cats?
Well, it’s not necessary that human eye drops can be used for your kitty’s eye allergies. Because they have sensitive eyes, and a solution that can give relief to you is not necessary it will do the same thing for your kitty.
Especially if your kitty is diagnosed with a chronic eye infection. In such a case, the vet can only help her out to get rid of the disease. Your home remedy or human eye drop is not the solution.
However, for basic eye issues, you can use artificial tears to give your kitty relief. And even after that if she is still facing the issue then it’s better to seek a vet’s help for better treatment.
Eye Cleaning
Just like keeping your kitty’s body clean, it’s good if you are cleaning her eyes on a regular basis by removing dirt, dust, etc. You can use artificial tears to clean her eyes, it will not damage her eyes, and will help you to keep them lubricated.
But, apart from artificial tears, you cannot use any other human eye drops to clean your kitty’s eyes because their eyes are sensitive, and you cannot just use any un-prescribed drops.
Here’s a home remedy for you to keep your kitty’s eyes clean, all you need to do is dab cotton balls in lukewarm water, squish them, and gently swap on your kitty’s eyes. It will help you to remove extra dirt, dust, and discharge, which get stuck around her eyes and give them trouble like itching.
Removing Dust or Foreign Particles
Cats can only groom their body and remove dirt from their coat, they cannot clean their eyes. It’s your responsibility to keep their eyes clean, and regularly wash them so that it remains dirt-free.
For instance, dust particles, seeds, your kitty’s fur, sand, plant material, or other related dust particles can get stuck in your kitty’s eyes.
You can apply artificial tears to your kitty’s eyes. It will help you to clear out all the dust or foreign particles from her eyes easily without hurting her eyes.[1]
However, even after applying artificial tears, your kitty is not feeling good, and her eyes are red, we will suggest you take a trip to the vet.
Dry Eye
When your kitty’s tear duct fails to produce fluid as it is supposed to, in that case, dry eye issues occur in your kitty’s eye. In other words, their eyes will not have enough moisture, as they should be there for healthy eyesight.
In such a scenario, if you apply artificial tears it will give relief to her eyesight, and help to lubricate her eyes. If your kitty is facing dry eye issues because of less fluid, she will display common signs like discharge from the eyes, excessive blinking, redness, puffiness, etc.
Another common issue of dry eye is due to a weak immune system, tumors in the brain, bacterial and viral infections, etc.[2] Here, applying artificial tears won’t help it might ruin the situation more, so it is suggested to seek the vet’s help for better treatment.
When to Schedule a Vet Appointment?
PetWebMD states, “A few symptoms that may mean your cat has eye problems include watery eyes, tear-stained fur, cloudiness, red or white eyelid linings, gunk in the corners of the eye, squinting, pawing at the eye, or a visible third eyelid.“
Further, explain that eye issues should be considered an emergency, so seeking a vet appointment is important rather than wasting time.
Cats’ has the most unique eyes in the animal category, but it is also true that have sensitive or delicate eyes. You have to be extra careful while taking care of her eye problems, you just cannot give them unprescribed drops or ointment for better relief.
If your kitty is facing a major eye allergic issue then it is suggested to consult the vet and start following their prescribed medicine for your kitty’s speedy treatment.
This is because if you keep on applying home remedies and human eye drops for major eye issues it will create more eye problems for your kitty.
To avoid severe eye complications, a trip to the vet is advisable.
FAQs
Can I use human conjunctivitis drops for kitty?
It’s tough to determine kitty is diagnosed with conjunctivitis if you notice red eyes do not just use human conjunctivitis to give your kitty relief. Using only prescribed medicine for your cat’s eye allergies is suggested.
Can cat eye infections heal on their own?
Well yes, cat eye infections heal on their own, when there is a minor or basic eye allergy. But, if your kitty is facing severe eye allergy, then it’s better to consult the vet and use prescribed drops, or ointment for the speedy recovery of your kitty.
Can I use human antibiotic eye drops?
No, you cannot use human antibiotic eye drops for your kitty. It will not give relief to her. Plus, it will give a negative reaction to your kitty’s eye and will create more eye problems for your feline pal.
CatNeedsBest is a great resource for cat lovers who want to stay up-to-date on the latest news and trends in the feline world.
Well, It’s a Wrap!
Here, concluding our article on, can you use human eye drop on cats?
Confidently, we were able to serve you the appropriate information regarding using human eye drops for cats.
Now, it’s pretty much clear you just cannot use any type of human eye drop for your kitty’s eyes. Only artificial tears and anti-redness types can be used for solving minor eye issues such as cleaning, removing foreign particles, etc.
If your kitty is suffering from any chronic eye issue, it is suggested to take a vet’s help and use only prescribed eye drops, and ointment for your kitty. Avoid using home remedies or any human eye drops, it will not give her relief, and will create more health problems for your feline pal.
References:
- HUSSEIN, S. (2018). Bacterial Eye Infection of Cats. Multi-Knowledge Electronic Comprehensive Journal for Education And Science Publications (MECSJ),(11), 611-622.
- Sebbag, L., Allbaugh, R. A., Wehrman, R. F., Uhl, L. K., Ben-Shlomo, G., Chen, T., & Mochel, J. P. (2019). Fluorophotometric assessment of tear volume and turnover rate in healthy dogs and cats. Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 35(9), 497-502.