Hello,

Your cat may have an eye infection or a foreign body in his eye, and this is causing swelling of the eyelid, discomfort, and for him to keep his eye closed. It's important to have your cat's eye evaluated in person by a vet, as soon as possible, so he doesn't risk further complications, such as a corneal ulcer, especially if he has a tiny particle of debris, litter, etc., in his eye.

Yes, what your dad told you is true, however, it's not just 'tea', but a cool, damp, wrung out teabag, placed on the closed eye, which may help to draw out infection, for the time being. However, because you don't know if there is a foreign body in your cat's eye, it would not be advised to place a teabag on the lid, causing more pressure and possilby injury.

If it's now after hours for your regular vet, bring your cat to the nearest ER vet center for evaluation, diagnosis and treatment.

I hope all will be well with your furry boy.

Cher

Hello again, and thanks for your reply.

I'm glad you clarified that your cat's eyelid is not swollen and he's able to open and close it. I wasn't sure it it was 'swollen shut', from your initial description.

If a cat chooses to keep his eye closed, something is hurting him or bothering him inside the eye. He may have scratched his cornea, by accident, or as I mentioned, has a tiny speck of 'something' irritating his eye. However, an eye infection is always a possibility, as well. Only the vet, after an in person examination of the eye, can make a definite diagnosis.

If he's sleeping and his eye doesn't seem to be bothering him enough to keep him awake, that's good, but the inside of his eye still needs to be checked out by a vet to find the cause of him wanting to keep it closed.

You can flush his eye with sterile saline ophthalmic solution (eye wash) available in your
pharmacy or supermarket, near the contact lens solutions, but make sure the only ingredient is 'sterile saline' solution for eyes.

Cher

Hello again,

Yes, it would be fine to gently bathe (flush) the eye with some plain, warmish (barely warm) water tonight, until your neighbor can help you get the sterile saline eyewash tomorrow.

If you can contact your RSPCA or other agencies that may help you find reduced-cost or free vet care or help you pay the vet fee, I know you understand it would still be best to have your cat's eye evaluated by a vet. If, after flushing the eye several times (3 times a day), he seems to improve, that would be wonderful!

Cher