Cat scratching left eye

[madara]

This is driving me nuts. My cat scratches under his chin, right ear and worst of all gets incredibly close to scratching his left eye sometimes making it red and watery. Only two times during the day does he do this, while he is eating and when he his laying next to me. The Vet has ruled out food allergies after year long process plus he never believed it was that, the scratching was seconds after digestion, food reactions are not anywhere near that quick. I moved him for a week in three different locations, he still did it, so it not my apartment. Leaning more towards learned behavior as he is single indoor cat with no signs of fleas or dark stuff.
The only thing I can think of is he has so much hair, at least compared to my first cat that was female. He has tons of hair coming out of his ear, which he scratches, he has about six hairs that dangle down towards his left eye that I would never dare try to cut, so close to the eye. I think it would just grow back that way anyway.

 

[strange_wings]

It could still be an environmental allergy. Something in the home - a product you use that is at least serving as an irritant, or it could be allergies that are from allergens outside.

You could try stepping up cleaning/dusting, adding air purifiers, and making sure that if you have central air that you're changing out your filters ~ every 3 months (cat hair clogs them quickly).

 

[girlsetsfiyah]

My one boy has a skin issue, also environmental...we give him 1 reactine tablet a day (5 mg) and it has helped ALOT! Not saying to just do that, get an Rx from your vet first...
We also had him on a 3 week course of pred, which cleared everything up.
Your guy could just be an agressive groomer, or a form of OCD? Just a thought!

Best of luck to you!

 

[merrytreecats]

Something that has irritated it, even if it was just a bit of dirt in his eye or a small rash on his face near the eye... if he scratches it, he irritates it more and so on in a vicious cycle.

...He may need the Cone of Shame, in addition to any other treatment for allergies or such. It'll keep him from repeatedly bothering the area and starting the healing process all over again.

 

[taryn]

The hair in the ears alone wouldn't cause this unless he had an ear infection or if he had mites.

Attitude has a ton of hair coming out of her ears and so does Nuts but it doesn't bother them. He might have an environmental allergy, at keast that's what it sounds like.

I'd say he might need a cone until this is resolved so he doesn't accidentally scratch his eye. Corneal ulcers are not fun to treat(Attitude has had at least 1 possibly 2.) I couldn't cone her due to the fact that she could get her front leg through the cone no matter how tight I made it. If it's allergies or behavioral the cone would make him unable to scratch.

Taryn