My 5 year old cat has a reddish brown eye discharge her whole life, but it's only ever been in the right eye. I have taken her to the vet and they gave me drops but it hasn't gone away. The vet said she was healthy but couldn't give me any answers. She doesn't have any other symptoms and it doesn't seem to bother her. She eats and poops normally and is very playful. It doesn't seem to be anything contagious bc I have a 6 year old male cat and his eyes are perfectly fine. Should I be concerned?
Hey there and thanks for this new question Re your cat.
When a discharge is present since birth, we're usually dealing with something like a chronic viral infection or a narrow/inadequate tear duct.
It can also be breed related, and certain 'snub-nosed' kitties are much more prone to tear staining and build up.
As you say, the other cat has not become affected and as she has no other signs (like sneezing or coughing) and has had this discharge for so long, we know it is not infectious.
It sounds like she got a clean bill of health from her vet, which is great, and means we can rule out less common issues such as entropion (inturned eyelid).
It may well just be a cosmetic problem that we can manage with regular cleaning. It is also sensible to monitor the eye regularly, to ensure she is not developing any signs of infection (such as redness, swelling or green discharge).
