How to Clean Persian Cat Eyes (The Easy Way)


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Persian cats are arguably the most beautiful cats. From their flat faces and big eyes to their luxurious coats, they’re a sight for sore eyes. However, their beauty comes at a price to the owner. You see, unlike other cats, Persian cats are very high maintenance in terms of grooming. One area you need to pay close attention to is their eyes.

These cats’ eyes are prone to mucus discharge and constant tearing. If left unattended, the brown liquid stains the coat around their eyes and nose. As a result, your cat ends up looking old and unkempt – a look you definitely don’t want. To prevent this, you need to practice proper Persian cat eye grooming. Here’s the right way to do it.

Once you have the right supplies, you should wipe around your cat’s eyes gently with a cotton pad dipped in warm water. Next, carefully wipe around your Persian cat’s closed eyes with a cotton cloth wet with boric acid. Finally, clean off excess boric acid with a cotton cloth wet with warm water.

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Gather the Right Supplies

The first thing you need to do is to ensure you have the right supplies. Luckily, you don’t need much to clean a Persian cat’s eyes. All you need are cotton pads, some warm water, hair trimmers, and boric acid.  Do not buy special products or use soap because it may irritate the cat’s eyes.

Also, be careful when you’re choosing cotton pads. You want to steer clear of cotton pads that have too much fluff. These may irritate your feline’s eyes as well. An excellent choice is lint-free cotton pads. These are gentle on the eyes and won’t leave any fluff on the cat’s eyes.

Ensure the water is clean and don’t add anything to it. It should also be warm and not scalding hot. Test it with your finger to ensure the temperature is just right.

Clean Your Hands

Once you have your supplies ready, the next step is washing your hands. This is a crucial step because dirt, lotions, or oils on your hands can irritate the cat’s sensitive eyes. Wash your hands with mild soap and warm water.

Repeat until you’re confident your hands are clean. Do not apply any moisturizer or oil once you’re done. As we’ve mentioned, these may irritate the cat’s eyes.

Prep the Hair Around the Cat’s Eyes

Before you start cleaning your cat’s eyes, it’s best to prep the hair. Begin by trimming or clipping the hair around the cat’s eyes or nose. Doing so will not only eliminate some of the dirty hair but will reduce the amount of hair coated by eye discharge in the future.

However, don’t do it too close to the skin. The goal is to trim and not get rid of all the hair around the cat’s eyes. So, make sure you’re only trimming a small amount.

Begin Cleaning

Once you’ve trimmed the hair around the feline’s nose and eyes, you’re ready to start cleaning. Follow these steps:

  • Wipe your cat’s eyes: Dip the cotton pad in the warm water and gently squeeze out the excess. Next, use the wet cotton pad to wipe around your cat’s eyes gently. It’s crucial to use a damp cotton pad because wiping the eyes while they’re dry may cause irritation. Do this on both eyes.
  • Wet a cotton pad with boric acid: Take a cotton square and wet it with a small amount of boric acid. It should be wet but not dripping. Boric acid is safe for eye cleaning and helps bleach the stained fur around the eyes and nose.
  • Clean your cat’s eyes: Take the wet cotton pad with boric acid and clean the cat’s eyes while they’re closed. You can squeeze the boric acid out of the cotton pad to ensure it comes into contact with the coat. Repeat several times with fresh cotton pads until the stain is gone. Repeat the process on the other eye.
  • Remove residue: When you’ve cleaned both eyes, and there are no stains left, the final step is getting rid of any residual boric acid. Take another cotton pad, wet it with some warm water, and gently wipe the eyes until they’re clean.

Speaking of the hair on a Persian cat, check out our article to find out if Persian cats have hair or fur: Click Here.

Repeat

If you clean your Persian cat’s eyes regularly, you’ll often not need to use boric acid. Boric acid is often a requirement when there’s a lot of staining, which happens with irregular grooming. To prevent your cat’s fur from staining, make it a habit to clean their eyes at least twice a day.

Use cotton pads and warm water to clean the cat’s eyes every day, and you shouldn’t have a problem with staining. It only takes a few minutes, and it’s an inexpensive habit since all you need are cotton pads and warm water.

Why You Should Clean Your Persian’s Eyes Daily

You’re probably wondering why it’s necessary to clean your cat’s eyes every day. After all, isn’t the consistent eye discharge something normal for these cats? Yes, it is. However, if you don’t clean the cat’s eyes regularly, it could lead to several problems.

For starters, as we’ve mentioned, accumulation of the eye discharge stains the cat’s fur. This results in an unkempt look that makes your furry friend look old. Furthermore, if there’s too much discharge around the cat’s eyes, it may be a breeding ground for bacteria, which may cause an eye infection.

Pollen and other allergens may also attach to your cat’s eyes, thereby causing irritation. Therefore, you can’t afford to slack on grooming your Persian’s eyes.

Tips for Cleaning a Persian Cat’s Eyes

If this is your first time attempting to clean a Persian cat’s eyes, you’re probably nervous and don’t know what to expect. It happens. However, there’s nothing to worry about. If you do it correctly, it will be effortless.

Consider the following tips:

  • Begin grooming when the cat is calm: Your cat won’t be willing or comfortable the first time you attempt to clean their eyes. Therefore, it’s crucial to begin the grooming process when the cat is relaxed. Also, use gentle strokes to ensure maximum comfort for the cat throughout the process. This way, your cat will get familiar with the process and is less likely to resist in the future.
  • Keep an eye on signs of infection: You may also notice signs of infection when you’re cleaning your cat’s eyes. If they appear reddish or inflamed, it’s a sign the cat’s eyes are infected. Discolored eye discharge is also a sign of infection. If you suspect an infection, schedule a visit to the vet immediately.
  • Avoid stopping the discharge: You may be tempted to buy a product that stops the cat from producing too much eye discharge. Don’t. The continuous eye discharge is a normal process, and you shouldn’t interfere with it.
  • Use regular allergy medication: When the weather changes or there are strong winds, allergens may get into your cat’s eyes and change the color of the discharge. When this happens, use regular allergen eye drops for cats for a few days until the discharge is back to a normal color. It’s best to get a prescription from a licensed vet. Also, avoid using strong medications to prevent the cat from gaining resistance to certain medications.

In Conclusion

Video: Cleaning Persian Cat Eyes

As you can see, although high maintenance, taking care of Persian cats is quite simple. When it comes to their eyes, the only difference with other cats is that you’ll need to clean them more often. However, the process is the same. All you have to do is to use a wet cotton pad to wipe the excess discharge away.

Make a habit of doing it at least twice a day to prevent their fur from staining. And remember, you shouldn’t use any medication that’s not prescribed by a vet to treat an infection or stop the cat’s eye discharge.

If you liked this article, check out a couple of other articles on Persian cats:

Christopher Carlson

I have an Domestic Shorthair Tabby named Charlotte. She is full of energy when she isn't sleeping most of the day. I share what I learn about cats on this site.

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