# What to do if a cat has something in it's eye?



## oceanmist

So I gave Cherry some catnip and she rolled her face in it and got some in her eye. She pawed at her eye for a minute and then continued to play. She kept that eye closed though so I checked her eye. Long story short, I had no idea how to get something out of her eye if she needed help. She did get it out, but is there anything I can do if this happens again?


----------



## Mitts & Tess

Can you see it in her eye or is she keeping the eye closed cuz the catnip maybe scratched it. 
I would use Genteal eye drops for wash it out or lubricate the eyes. 

This is what my eye specialist vet has me use on my cat which had eye surgery and needs moist eyes. there is a coupon on line also.


----------



## oceanmist

She kept her eye closed for maybe half a minute and then she looked fine. I didn't see it in her eye after.

Interesting, I'll have to look at that.


----------



## Mitts & Tess

Keep an "eye" on her eye for a day or two to make sure she didnt scratch it. Their eyes can become infected from scratches. Even in humans too!


----------



## catloverami

I'm not familiar with the GenTeal eye drops and it sounds like a good product, but you could also use "Natural Tears" saline solution.


----------



## Mitts & Tess

Genteal is sold at the Walgreen Pharmacy stores here. It’s more of a lubricant. I would think any sterile drop would do to wash out the eye. My vet was specific on the brand to use to lubricate her eyes every day though.


----------



## Nora B

These sound like really good ideas if it is something you plan for in advance and have on hand. In a crisis type situation plain water does the trick - try for room temp and poor gently over the eye - make sure you tilt kitty's head so that you don't poor from one eye into the other....basically same crisis eye rinse protocol as people but being more careful not to get water in kitty ears.

I've only ever done it once, took 2 of us, cat hated it but it rinsed the mucus hair thingy off the eye, it had almost seemed stuck to the center....this was years ago with my old kitty - a quick vet call back then told us what to do, there weren't as many options then, and no internet to look things up on either.


----------

