Natural Remedy for a Cat With a Cold in the Eye

A running, mucus-secreting eye is, well, unsightly on your cat. Although commonly referred to as a "cold in the eye," the condition is almost always conjunctivitis, according to vets at the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Symptoms of conjunctivitis include fever, sneezing, general lethargy and discharge from both the eye (or eyes) and nose. Conjunctivitis can be caused by several diseases, but the most common are chlamydiosis and herpesvirus. Antibiotics are usually prescribed to treat the cat, but there are natural strategies that can help.

Diagnosis

It's important to have your cat properly diagnosed, as some diseases require medications to cure effectively. Bacterial infections usually respond well to a short course of antibiotics. However, if your cat has a simple upper-respiratory infection or conjunctivitis, there are things you can do to treat it. If your cat's health does not improve in a couple of days using home treatment, visit the vet for an accurate diagnosis.

Remedies

Use a topical herbal remedy such as Eye-Heal or Eye-Easy. Eye-Heal contains burdock, which can detoxify the tissues while cleansing the eye. It also contains rosemary to clean the eye, greater celandine to support the immune system in general, and meadowsweet to act as a general soothing agent.
Eye-Easy also contains rosemary in addition to chamomile, which acts as an anti-inflammatory; eyebright, which has astringent properties to help dry the discharge; and goldenseal, which is a decongestant.
To administer eye drops to your cat, first gently cleanse the area around the eye to remove mucus, then wrap your cat in a towel that will hold it securely. Tip your cat's head back and hold it near the affected eye. Position the eyedropper over the center of the cat's eye and quickly dispense the dose, making sure that the dropper does not touch the eye. Ointment can be applied in a similar manner, but once you have the cat's eye open, squeeze the ointment onto the lower lid. Your cat will blink the dose into its eye.

Home Remedies

Cats respond to steam treatments in much the same way as humans do. First, make sure to keep the affected eye clean and dry. This will help you gauge if your cat is improving. Then, run a hot shower and sit with your cat in the steam for 10 or 15 minutes. The steam may help open the cat's nasal passages.
In addition, make sure that your cat gets lots of water to help move the mucus out of its body.

Warning

Never give your cat medicines or herbs meant for human use unless instructed by your vet.