Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 5/8/2009

Question
My 8 month old kitten/cat has a problem with one of his eyes leaking. The vet gave us two different drops (can't recall the names) on two separate occasions, but neither one seems to have helped. We have to clean the stain almost daily now. The vet had also given us L-Lysine, but that didn't seem to help either. We got him at a pet store, but they had rescued him from a shelter. Both he and his "sister" had respiratory infections when we got them, but those have cleared with Clavimox treatment. Could he have a clogged tear duct or something? He seems to be normal (eats, plays, etc.) other than the leaky eye.

Answer
Jen -

Cats that spend time around a lot of cats (either at a pet store or at a shelter) often end up with upper respiratory infections or eye infections.  There is certainly the possibility that the cat has a clogged tear duct; since you did not include the breed of cat I cannot tell you whether you can expect for the cat to clear up or not. Some breeds are more prone to frequent discharge in the eye than others.  

L-Lysine is an effective supplement that has been known to help prevent upper respiratory infections.  

There is also the possibility that your kitty may have allergies to the environment.  Allergies can affect one or both eyes; have your veterinarian explore reasons why your cat has the discharge from the eye.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM