is my cat coming in heat?

[callie37]

I have newborn kittens and I'm discovering that since there eyes have started opening eye crust has been forming over there eye and Is preventing them from opening. I did some research on the internet and apperently when this starts happening you take a cotton ball with warm water and gently without pulling or tugging at the eye just wipe all the goo and crust away and check back later.. I did this and my kittens seemed fine after I was done and went back to nursing.. but if you don't clean the eyes can they go blind?

 

[catwoman707]

No they will not go blind, however their eyes must be moistened to soften the crust and allow their eyes to open and drain if needed.

If the crust seals the lids closed they can/will likely get fluid buildup and will swell up, which you do NOT want to happen.

Bacterial eye infections are extremely common in kittens, it is easily remedied with specific eye ointment, terramycin is otc and what I use for my rescues, or vet can give you azithromycin or another antibacterial eye ointment to use.

Just be sure until you get the ointment to only moisten the crud, they will open their eyes on their own once it's softened, and I would never use a gentle swiping motion in case there is hard crust inside the lid, due to possibly scratching the eye.

When you first get the eye ointment, swipe a strip on the stuck eyelid and wait a couple minutes for it to soften the junk and allow lids to open, then gently wipe the outside and put a sterip of ointment in their eyes, all of them whether you see an issue or not as it is highly contagious, so best to treat all at the same time.

Also something the vet won't tell you to do, do not use the tube to each eye, as it contaminates the tube, squeeze amt on to the counter or any surface then swipe your finger through it and apply.

Not to mention those darn tubes are the kind that don't stop coming out after you stop squeezing it, it wastes ALOT of med! So making a little pile of it on another surface allows you to cap it right away so none is wasted.

 

[callie37]

I keep hearing that the momma cat is supposed to clean their eyes even if that is true my cat is not doing it this is her first litter so she doesn't know what she's doing that's why one of her kittens died because she dident know how to care for it.. I rubbed anti bacterial ointment on their eyes and they opened instantly one kitten gave me this weird look after his eye opened like woah everything is bigger now haha

 

[catwoman707]

Even experienced moms don't necessarily clean eye goop, that's not unusual.

Be SURE what you are using is specifically for eyes okay?