Scottish Fold Eye Problems and Care

Eyes are essential to every creature, but for cats, eyes are even more important. It helps them see things clearer than we do. Night vision is also crucial as they can distinguish more than we can from a far distance. That’s why keeping their eyes healthy is so important. And while I will talk about general eye problems, I will focus more on Scottish Folds and their eye problems and some tips to keep their eyes healthy.

 

 

What kind of eye problems can cats have

Now we’re going to look a bit into the eye problems cat might have. There are a number of things that could lead to eye problems or excessive tearing. Basically, there are two kind of problems, according to Ari Zabel, DVM, “things that block the normal flow of tears and things that produce excessive tears.”

Other causes that could lead to watery eyes can be related to physical problems, like scratches on the eyeball or injuries to the eye, or even something stuck in the eye, even hairs.

There are specific issues to different breeds?

But sometimes, eye problems can also be related to the shape of the face and the eyes. There are different breeds that often experience teary eyes. The shape of the head of the cat also matters. If your cat has a flat face and a small nose, and large eyes, the tears produced can spill over rims.

Also, there are some cats who could have eye problems more than other breeds. These are characteristic to breeds like Scottish Folds, British Longhair and Shorthair, Himalayans or Persians, according to Catster. The tearing doesn’t create any pain to the cat, but it does lead some brown streaks under and in the corner of the eyes.

If you find the tearing to be abundant, you should check with a vet to make sure the cat doesn’t have any eye problems. If the tearing isn’t too bad, you can simply handle it with regular cleaning to make sure you keep the eyes dry and irritation-free. But if your cat’s eyes are constantly teary and it causes irritation, there is also the option of surgery to open up the ducts.

Other possible causes to eye problems

 

Hair

Long hair can also give your cat eye problems. Most Scottish Folds have short hair, but this could happen in the case of Scottish Fold Longhair. And as soft and beautiful as it can be, it might not be good for your cat. Untrimmed hair could get in the cat’s eyes and cause tearing, or hair itself can get into the cat’s eyes and cause irritation. If you happen to notice the hairs are bigger around the eyes, ask a groomer to trim the hair.

Infections

If your cat has an eye infection, it’s pretty easy to detect. It usually creates a white or yellow discharge and it can stain the fur around the cat’s eyes. In the early stages of the infection, it can sometimes appear as teary eyes. If you haven’t noticed your cat to have watery eyes and they’re suddenly teary, keep an eye on your pet to make sure it isn’t an infection. If their eyelids stick together, your cat will need treatment.

Corneal Ulceration

This is the scientific term for a scratch on the surface of the cat’s eye. This happens if your cat plays with another cat who accidentally scratches her eyeball. It can also come from bushes outside, climbing trees, playing with papers and even when scratching his ears. Typically, only the eye with the scratch will tear up. You should check with a vet if you happen to notice it.

Keratitis

Unlike the corneal ulceration, keratitis is the inflammation or swelling of the cornea, without an anterior wound or scratch. Generally, is related to herpes virus, but it can also come from other bacteria, fungus, dry eyes or even allergies. It can affect one or both eye. A vet could help determine the cause and provide the proper treatment.

Cat Litter

Yes, you’ve read that right. There are also cases when your cat could be allergic to the litter. Especially if it has some kind of scent. This can cause sneezes and watery eyes. If you have changed your cat recently and noticed this, you can try an unscented one.

Treatment

Generally, eye problems are easy to solve with some eye drops or ointment. In the case of chronic eye irritations or infections that produce tearing, your vet might also prescribe antibiotics.

In the case of eye drops, cat owners might know that our pets are not very submissive. While Scottish Folds are normally nice cats, they might not like eye drops. You can also ask your veterinarian to show you how to use the drops.

The easiest method is to find a calm and quiet area where your cat feels safe. Also, you should wait for your cat to calm down before trying to administer the medication.

”Some general rules include working in a calm and quiet area where your cat is less likely to be stressed or distracted; administering medication to your pet on a table instead of the floor; and rewarding your cats before, during and after the treatment, so they have positive associations with medication and won’t be quite as likely to hide under your bed before the next treatment,” Dr. Zabell shared to Catster.

You can wipe the under-eye area and try to keep it as clean and dry as possible to prevent any further skin or eye irritation. All you need is some cotton wipes or a soft cloth. You just dampen the cotton wipes in normal temperature water and gently pat their eyes. To avoid possible infection, try using a separate area of the cloth or a different cotton wipe for each eye.

Before you go…

For Scottish Folds, eye problems are kind of a given due to their face shape. But the good news is that it’s nothing that cannot be fixed with some basic cleaning and maintenance.