Eye Problem .... Need Advice

[Vrycool]

Sunny the Feral cat I watch over... well more like she watches over me...but. She developed a black mass in outer corner of eye, tearing and looking worse daily. I am able to pet her minimally on her terms. Lol No way to pick up and get her to the vet. Doubtful she will let me put drops in but I would try. I feel horrible that I don't know how to help her. I'm really a Dog person... But she made me love her and picked me to be her only human. I feel like I'm failing my poor Sunny. Any advice ideas or suggestions are sincerely appreciated."

She is defiantly at least 9 years old. Not sure how that adds up in cat years (vs dog years) and how the 9 lives factor into the equation.

 

[maggiedemi]

It sounds like what my former feral has- feline herpes. Do her eyes run clear but dry to a brownish crust? I use Lysine. It comes in treats or powder that you mix in their food.

 

[Vrycool]

Oh wow that would be ideal... She loves when I sit with her and pet her while she eats. Last night I was thinking if she needs drops Ill get a watergun and pray my aim is good on first squirt. Lol. Can I get Lysine at any pet store? Her eye does tear clear but not constant or frequently. And sometimes it is brown. The outer corner is black I had first thought it was black tar but then yesterday it increased in size and her Comfort level was markedly worse. Haven't seen her yet today but I know my neighbor woke my whole complex up around 5 a.m. with his calling for for her. . . she still hasnt responded for her breakfast. He must be worried too. If I even start walking down my stairs Which is why I haven't gone outside yet for fear I may smack him for waking me up so early Actually he feeds her but I get all the love. She hates everybody and everything except me... I don't know how I got so lucky. I sing to her " You made me love you! I didn't want to do it... I didn't want to do it... " But she did & now she's Breaking My Heart. We have come both come a long way with both of trust issues with each other..... but she won't even even look at me directly she knows I want to fix it. between having zero cat knowledge and keeping to all her rules and demands forhaving so many rules I have to follow that she hastand that I can't help her I appreciate your quick response I know I need to do my research and start learning how the other half lives LOL but she did Is there any harm in giving her the lysine if it's not herpes?

 

[Norachan]

Hi V Vrycool

There is still some debate about whether L-lysine works for feline herpes or not. Some studies suggest it may actually make the condition worse.

Study Shows L-lysine Is Ineffective For Herpes Virus

I don't know for sure. I tried it for my semi-feral cat who has herpes flare-ups and she refused to touch it. I think the whole tub ended up in the compost eventually.



Has this cat ever been seen by a vet? Has she been spayed? Even if you can't handle her you could use a humane trap to get her to the vets. They could give her a blood test to find out what is wrong with her. Some conditions can be treated with an injection, others with medicine you mix in her food.

Maybe the other neighbor who feeds her could help you pay the vet bill?

If you want to try the L-lysine treats they won't do any harm, but whether they will actually help or not I can't say.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I used Lysine for awhile too with my kitty who has upper respiratory herpes flares. His eyes run and become very red. I now use Vetri Science DMG drops. It's very easy to administer into wet food. My cat has only had very minor flare ups since I started using this daily a few years ago.

 

[maggiedemi]

The lysine works for my cat, it comes back when I stop the lysine. I use Pet Naturals of Vermont Lysine treats in the purple bag. The two powders I've tried are Now Foods and Source Naturals. I buy them online, but some health food stores might have them. I agree, get the cat checked by the vet when you can. But it wouldn't hurt to try the lysine, it's just an amino acid.

 

[Sarthur2]

I think you should try to trap her and get her to a vet. It sounds like she is in pain.

At her age this could be many things going on. It sounds like she needs medical intervention.

If possible, can you post a picture of her eye?

I hope she shows up again today. Let us know.

Thanks for caring for her!