Bloodshot Eyes With No Other Symptoms?

[catlover1717]

I’ve noticed from time to time, starting at least maybe 2 months ago, that when one of my cats is looking to the far left or right, he’s got some redness in each eye on the sclera (whites of the eyes). Dark red. Not the whole sclera - just a section. You don’t tend to see the sclera a lot on a cat, so I’m not sure how long it’s been there. It could honestly be a year or more.

He’s got no discharge, he’s not squinting or blinking unusually, he’s not pawing at his eyes, his vision seems to be 100% fine (he certainly tracks his wand toy just fine during playtime), and no other part of his eye looks red or anything.

Should I be concerned if he’s showing ZERO other symptoms? Google searches have taught me a lot about various eye diseases cats can experience, but it seems like all of them mention discharge, obvious pain (squinting), etc. Nothing just about bloodshot eyes with no other symptoms.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! When's the last time you had your furbaby in to the vet?
Can you talk with your vet about this?

 

[neely]

Without seeing your cat it's difficult for us to know exactly what your cat's eye looks like but we appreciate the description. If he is not showing any other symptoms and, as you stated, his vision is fine, no discharge, squinting or blinking it does not sound urgent. However, the best advice I can give you is to contact your vet. Any health issues with the eye(s) are something to take seriously and you do not want to procrastinate. Please call your vet and keep us updated. Good luck!

 

[catlover1717]

We’re trying to find a mobile vet/a vet who will do home visits, as they’re getting older and the vet causes them EXTREME stress. They pee everywhere in the office!

 

[Furballsmom]

oh gosh - have you tried any calming products?
as I understand it besides diffusers and collars, there are sprays, wipes and treats, depending on how broadly and intensely (?) you'd want to extend the benefit.

Some cats such as my Big Guy are completely unaffected by Feliway, but there are other products with different ingredients such as L-Tryphophan and casein.

Vetri-Science's Composure is one to look at, Pet Remedy (it has valerian) is another, as is Essential Pet Pet-ease, Only Natural Pet (brand and website) has one, Pet Naturals also has one I believe. Lambert Vet Supply is a website to look at, and of course amazon and chewy, also there's Petwishpros.

There are a couple of current discussions about calming items, here's the link to one thread. Post #6 in this has a link to the second discussion.
Calming Treats?

 

[catlover1717]

Oh yes. We moved 5-6 years ago and they dealt with it extremely poorly. During that period we tried honestly EVERYTHING recommended to us - products, little tips and tricks, etc.

Only thing that worked was time. One of them peed in various corners for about a year before fully adjusting. Good times!

Vet visits are unfortunately extremely traumatic for these guys. Like...extremely. We warned the vet during our last visit and she was like, “oh yeah, we see nervous cats all the time.” By the end of the visit she said “wow, you were NOT joking.” LOL.

 

[Furballsmom]

oh dear. Well, it seems like there are more, and new products on the market with different ingredients, maybe take a look, there might be something that helps. Good luck!

 

[catlover1717]

Got a couple photos.

 

[Furballsmom]

What a simply wonderfully beautiful cat!! WOW

 

[catlover1717]

His brother’s the one who kinda let himself go in his old age.

 

[neely]

What a simply wonderfully beautiful cat!! WOW

Ditto, my thoughts exactly! He's extremely handsome.

Since you mentioned old age, has he had a blood panel done lately? The reason I'm asking is because it's a good idea when our cats become seniors. Here is an Article about some of the ailments as our cats age: Health Concerns In Aging Cats

I'm sorry to hear how traumatic vet visits are for your cats. A mobile vet or one who does home visits is a good idea. Otherwise have you considered some type of anti-anxiety medication prior to going to the vet? I hope you can find the best solution for medical care that will work for both you and your guys. Best of luck!

 

[catlover1717]

I’ll double check.

You can see in the picture how the whites of his outer eyes aren’t totally white. His brother’s are. But zero other symptoms. It’s funny - there’s not much info about bloodshot eyes that I can find. Seems like most cat-related eye issues, there’s a laundry list of other symptoms.