Expert: Jessica - 5/20/2011

Question
Hello, my cat has been having a brownish/black crust around his eyes. I can't quite tell what is going on but I have never noticed it before but it has been going on for a few days now. I can't tell if he has feline pink eye since there seem to be differentiated symptoms online. He is eating normally and has been going about his daily habits normally. Please help! I am a college student and would really like to know if this is anything serious before I spend money on a vet visit or if it is possible that it will go away on its own.

Thank you!

Answer
Hi Melissa,

It's always best to have the vet look at any eye discharge or crust. Most of the time, an antibiotic is helpful. However, if none of the tissues in the eye are inflamed at all, it's probably likely that he's suffering from something less worrisome, like some allergies, or a blocked tear duct.

With infection, you will usually notice a yellow discharge with swelling of the eyelids or redness/pinkness in the white areas of the eyes. There may also be discoloration of the iris, or cloudiness inside the eye or a film over the eye. If none of these are present and his eye doesn’t seem irritated (he is not squinting it at all), keep a close eye on it and keep the discharge cleaned from it with a moistened cotton ball.

Dark discharge/crust is typically caused by normal tear drops that are either being produced excessively, as is the case with cats with allergies, or are not draining properly, as is the case with a blocked tear duct. The dark pigment we see is called porphyrin.  It’s a purplish-red compound found in saliva and tears, and when tears start to dry, it can cause dark goop and crust.

Blocked tear ducts are not usually necessary to treat. Just clean the eyes as necessary. Allergies can be treated, usually with a cortisone shot, if your cat seems very bothered by them. This is usually indicated by scratching, pulling out fur or pawing at the face and ears.

But as mentioned, I would recommend a vet visit to ensure this is not an infection or injury, if at all possible.

Good luck!

Jessica