I have recently noticed that one of my cat’s eyes has been accumulating a lot of “gunk” near the tear duct. Should I be concerned or is this normal? What should I do to try to minimize the gunk?
Thanks :-)
Michele
San Mateo, CA

In normal circumstances the eyes of cats, dogs, and people continuously produce tears. Tears keep the eye moist and nourish the cornea (the front portion of the eye). The tears drain through a duct into the nose.

Tears are made up of water, mucus, and fat. Over time, some of the water evaporates. This leads to dried conglomerations of mucus and fat adjacent to the eye. These so-called eye boogers develop in all cats, dogs, and people periodically. People simply rub them away from their eyes. Since dogs and cats don’t have hands, their dried mucus and fat builds up.

If your cat’s eyes are not red, uncomfortable, itchy or swollen, I don’t think you should worry. Asymmetrical accumulation of debris usually is related to irregular drainage of tears through the duct on one side. This generally isn’t a cause for concern. You can remove the debris gently with a moistened cotton ball.

Remember, however, that eyes are very sensitive and fragile. If you have noticed itching, swelling, squinting, redness, discomfort, or any other irregularities, the safest option is to have a vet look at your cat.

Photo: Captain Jack’s right eye looks healthy.

My cat was just neutered. I want to make sure that I’m taking good care of him so that he can heal properly. Could you give me some tips? For example, should I feed him a special diet for awhile? How long does it take for him to heal? Also, how soon can he take a bath?
Nikki
Los Angeles

I realize that the title of this post is only tangentially related to Nikki’s questions. I will answer all of the questions in this post, but Nikki’s e-mail reminded me of an article that appeared in the November, 2008 NAVC Clinician’s Brief.

The article discussed the tendency of pets to gain wait after they are spayed or neutered. The authors of the article reached a conclusion that is relevant to Nikki and to anyone whose pet has recently been spayed or neutered: the key to preventing obesity in spayed and neutered pets appears to be keeping them slim in the time period immediately after surgery.

Nikki, your cat does not need a special diet as he is recovering from surgery. However, be careful not to over feed him for the next several months. Monitor his weight, and cut back his food if his body fat increases.

There are several other steps you can take to help prevent complications during your cat’s recovery. All pets should be kept quiet for at least a week after undergoing spay or neuter surgery (cats should be kept indoors and dogs should be kept on leash). Prevent your cat from licking the incision excessively – in some cases, an Elizabethan collar is necessary. Unless a pet is thoroughly soiled, it should not be bathed until the incision has completely healed. This can take up to two weeks.

Finally, be sure to follow any post-operative instructions that your veterinarian may have provided.

Photo: Tiger is looking sharp in his Elizabethan collar.

Dr. Eric Barchas, DVM, is a veterinarian who lives and works in San Francisco. His emphasis is on small animal medicine, surgery and wellness. An avid traveler, he has studied lions in Botswana and salmon in southern Chile.

Dr. Barchas is the resident veterinarian of Dogster and Catster. Since May of 2005, he has provided insightful and thoughtful answers to questions from members. His professional advice has added greatly to the wealth of pet health information on Dogster.com and Catster.com from which this column comes.