When to see a vet urgently
Seek urgent assessment if watering is accompanied by any of the following:
- Squinting, keeping an eye closed or constant rubbing.
- Corneal cloudiness, a visible surface injury or sudden visual difficulty.
- An eye injury or chemical exposure.
- Rapidly worsening swelling and obvious pain around the eye.
Persistent painless watering also deserves investigation. You can find a vet near you.
Overview
Normally, tears drain through the tear duct into the nasal cavity. When the duct becomes blocked or inflamed, fluid builds up and overflows. In some short-muzzled breeds, including Persians, Exotic Shorthairs and British Shorthairs, epiphora is more common because of structural features.
Epiphora primarily describes a symptom: tears running from the eye onto the face. Not every cat has a blocked duct. Irritation may increase tear production enough to cause overflow even with an open drainage route. Irritation and structural drainage problems may coexist.
The tear gland produces the watery component of tears. Fluid protects the eye's surface, and excess enters small openings near the inner corner. A drainage problem may lie at an opening or deeper in the duct. A wet cheek therefore does not identify the blockage location alone.
Causes
- Congenital or acquired tear duct obstruction.
- Inflammatory eye diseases, including conjunctivitis, keratitis and uveitis.
- Inward-turning eyelids (entropion) and abnormal lash growth (trichiasis or distichiasis).
- Eye or nasal injuries.
- Tumours around the eye socket or tear duct.
- Chronic rhinitis or sinusitis.
- Breed predisposition in short-muzzled cats.
Rubbing from eyelid hairs or lashes can damage the cornea and increase watering. In a flat-faced cat, eyelid position, prominent eyes and facial folds may affect surface protection. Breed does not determine the cause, however: a structurally predisposed cat may also develop a separate painful eye disease.
Conjunctivitis can cause redness, swelling and variable discharge alongside watering. Infection or an environmental irritant such as dust may underlie it. A corneal ulcer can instead trigger marked reflex tearing. These problems require more than coat cleaning.
Risk factors
- Short-muzzled breeds, including Persians, Himalayans, British Shorthairs and Exotic Shorthairs.
- Chronic eye infections.
- Kittens with congenitally narrow or malformed tear ducts.
- Older cats with tumours or inflammatory diseases.
Breed predisposition concerns individual structure, and not every cat of these breeds has tear drainage disease. Congenital abnormalities may appear early, while later symptoms can reflect acquired inflammation or another change. Evidence about risk magnitude across every age and breed group is incomplete, so new symptoms are investigated in previously healthy cats too.
Typical symptoms
Epiphora causes:
- Continuous or intermittent watering.
- Wet patches beneath the eyes.
- Brown or reddish fur streaks, called tear stains.
- Irritated, red skin below the eyes.
- Clear discharge, or mucopurulent discharge with infection.
- Frequent blinking and discomfort.
Brown or reddish colour may result from tears staining fur and does not establish infection alone. The same marks show more readily in light fur. The extent of old staining does not measure current eye pain either.
Record whether one or both eyes are affected and whether onset was sudden or gradual. Note rubbing, squinting, redness, sneezing and nasal discharge. A photograph before cleaning may show the practice what discharge looked like at home. Appearance alone does not determine antibiotic choice, because different causes can look similar.
Complications and consequences
- Maceration and inflammation of the skin beneath the eyes.
- Increased bacterial or fungal infections.
- Chronic eye inflammation.
- Reduced quality of life from persistent irritation.
Continuous moisture may irritate the skin surface beneath the eye. Odour, hair loss, swelling or broken skin warrants skin examination too. A secondary infection requiring treatment may then accompany tear staining.
Inflammation of the tear sac is called dacryocystitis. It may be associated with drainage obstruction and cause persistent watering and poorly responsive conjunctivitis. Sometimes a draining opening forms in the skin. This differs from dry fur staining alone.
The underlying cause determines the actual danger to the eye. Overflowing tears alone do not mean your cat will lose vision, but a corneal ulcer, for example, may threaten eye health. Pain must therefore not be dismissed because of a familiar tendency to tear staining.
Diagnosis at the vet
- Eye examination.
- Fluorescein testing to assess tear duct patency.
- Cytology or bacterial culture of discharge.
- Nasal endoscopy, X-rays or CT if a tumour or injury is suspected.
- Assessment to exclude entropion and congenital defects.
Examination first distinguishes excessive tear production from poor drainage. The vet checks eyelid position, hairs contacting the eye and visibility of tear openings, among other features. Tear production, eye pressure and corneal staining are assessed when needed.
Fluorescein has two uses: detecting corneal surface injury and following tear flow to the nose. Dye appearing at the nose supports an open drainage route. Its absence does not prove complete obstruction alone; other findings determine further investigations.
For flushing, the vet uses a fine instrument with appropriate pain relief or sedation. Flushing may both investigate the route and remove a mild blockage. Cytology, culture and imaging are used selectively: a long list does not mean every cat with watery eyes needs CT.
Report previous eye diseases, injuries, nasal signs and medicines used. Symptom duration and earlier treatment response help assess whether the problem mainly affects the surface, eyelids or drainage route.
Treatment according to the cause
Treatment targets the identified problem. Corneal ulcer or conjunctivitis treatment differs from management of structural drainage problems. Antibiotics do not open every blockage or correct abnormal eyelid position. Examination determines medicine needs; do not start old drops for watering alone.
Inflammatory swelling may improve as it is treated. Flushing can sometimes open a blockage. A tear opening that has not developed properly may need a procedure. Foreign material, a tumour compressing the duct or a clear eyelid abnormality may require surgery instead. Severe duct damage is assessed by a vet experienced in eye disease.
Some structural watering may persist despite treatment. The aim is then a healthy eye and intact surrounding skin. A perfect cosmetic result cannot be promised. Antibiotics are not used merely to lighten fur, because unnecessary use promotes bacterial resistance.
Cleaning and monitoring at home
Once eye disease has been assessed, gently remove surrounding discharge with a soft cloth moistened with warm water. Carefully dry wet fur with a clean towel. Do not rub the eye's surface or pull away dried discharge forcefully. Pain during cleaning requires reassessment.
Ask about a suitable eye-area skin product before use. Avoid peroxide-containing whiteners, which may seriously damage the eye if they enter it. Seek professional help with trimming when needed so hairs or tools do not enter the eye.
If eye medicine is prescribed, wash hands before and after giving it. Keep the bottle tip away from the eye and fur. Tell the practice if administration fails or the eye remains irritated after medication. Monitor eye pain, discharge volume and skin condition separately: fur colour alone does not show treatment success.
Prevention
- Take predisposed breeds for regular eye examinations.
- Treat infectious eye diseases promptly.
- Maintain eye hygiene through discharge removal and care of surrounding fur.
- Prevent facial and eye injuries.
Home care cannot prevent every congenital structural abnormality. Keep cleaning sprays and other irritants away from your cat's face. Clean surrounding skin supports care but does not replace examination of a painful eye or remove a possible duct blockage.
Important for cat owners
Epiphora is more than a cosmetic flaw: it signals an eye or tear duct problem. Remember that persistent tear tracks and wetness beneath the eyes warrant assessment by a vet experienced in eye disease. Timely diagnosis helps address the cause and prevent complications.
After examination, some longstanding unchanged tear stains may prove mainly cosmetic without significant eye disease. New pain, cloudiness or a clear discharge change still needs separate assessment even with a previously diagnosed benign structural tendency.
This article provides general information and does not replace veterinary care. Contact a vet if you notice signs of illness in your cat.
Frequently asked questions
Does a brown tear stain always mean infection?
No. Tears can stain fur without active infection. Redness, odour, broken skin or eye pain nevertheless requires examination. Fur colour alone does not determine medication needs.
Does a negative tear drainage test prove obstruction?
Not alone. If dye placed in the eye does not appear at the nose, further investigation may be needed. The vet combines this result with anatomy and other findings.
Can I unblock a tear duct at home?
No. Flushing uses appropriate equipment and the pain relief or sedation the cat needs. At home, care concerns cleanliness around the eye; do not insert anything into the tear opening.
This article is for general information only and is not a guide to treatment. If you notice the first signs of illness, contact your vet.
Paw4care editorial team
Sources
- Eye Discharge (Epiphora) in Cats, VCA Animal Hospitals, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Lacrimal Duct Obstruction in Cats, VCA Animal Hospitals, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Disorders of the Nasal Cavity and Tear Ducts in Cats, Merck Veterinary Manual, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Conjunctivitis, Cornell University, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Corneal Ulcers, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Understanding Brachycephalic Ocular Syndrome (BOS), American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Physical Examination of the Eye in Animals, Merck Veterinary Manual, accessed 2026-11-05.
- No need to cry over tear staining, VCA Animal Hospitals, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Applying Eye Drops to Cats, VCA Animal Hospitals, accessed 2026-11-05.
