Eye Cleaning

[LadyZephyr]

I'm a new Sphynx owner Whilst I seem to have got to grips with the bathing and other cleaning duties (although haven't done it much yet), I'm not convinced that I am cleaning her eyes properly on a daily basis. Does anyone have any tips and possible some videos so I know that I'm doing it adequately, I think at the minute I'm being a bit too frightened of hurting her. I know I'm meant to wipe of the dried blood looking crust off the corners off her eyes, but sometimes this jelly like glob will come out her eyes also, is that safe to remove? Or am I not supposed to be going for that and just cleaning the dried red gunk. Sorry if this sounds a bit silly lol Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ilovemysphynx]

Hi LadyZephyr welcome glad you found us
As far as the eye cleaning goes for the dark hard stuff in the corners you can wipe with a damp cloth and it should come off pretty easy. Some times I just use my finger. For the jelly stuff, how much are we talking about? and is it clear? There should not be much of that comeing out of the eye and if there is it could be the start of some kind of infection. I don't want to freek you out because without seeing it I am just guessing by the explanation you have given. If there is alot I would have the vet check it out just to be safe.

 

[MissMySphynxBoys]

Welcome to Sphynx Lair. I'm glad you found us.

As ilovemysphynx said, eye crusties and some goo are normal, but there shouldn't be an excessive amount of eye goo that requires more than a quick wipe more than a few times a day.

As you spend get to know your new Sphynx you will learn more about what feels normal.

Please keep us posted. We love pictures and learning kitty names.

 

[LadyZephyr]

Hiya guys Thanks for your responses I'll post some piccies of my little Bluebelle when I'm back from work, she's a blue/cream very bald little girlie.

As for the eye gunk, its not HUGE amounts, just like a little glob of it, and yeah it's clear it's not yellow or green or anything funky, kinda clear/opaqueish and has like a jelly consistency. I will say though I only noticed the globs after the little madam squeezed behind our dishwasher (god knows how) and came out covered in dirt, so maybe her eyes are just clearing themselves out? But yeah if her eyes were watering or there was tons of gunk I would take her to the vet straight away, I couldn't bear anything happening to her seeing as she's so new to us.

I know you are meant to remove her eye crusties/goo with a quick wipe, but it's proving somewhat difficult as my little angel just closes her eyes and goes to sleep when I stroke her face with anything lol especially a warm damp flannel and its hard to 'get at it' if ya know what I mean, especially the tiny bits of goo, nigh impossible to get at when she does that and I really dont want to be too gung ho about it lol

 

[marlene]

Sounds like everything is normal! I use a Kleenex for cleaning eye goobies and stay just in the corners. I think it's one of those things that gets easier with experience.

 

[MissMySphynxBoys]

Yay for normal Sphynx eye goops! I'm glad to hear that Bluebelle's eye goopies aren't anything to be concerned about. You don't have to try too hard to wipe them away. Like Marlene suggested, a tissue should do the trick most of the time. The ones you don't easily nab with a tissue will eventually blink out on their own. And if they are too dry for a tissue, ilovemysphynx's damp washcloth tip should work.

Eye boogies are definitely a part of being a Sphynx owner. You'll get used to it.

In the meantime here's a link to a funny thread on Sphynx eye boogies:
http://www.sphynxlair.com/f7/butternuts-has-eye-boog-3472/

 

[2baldies]

We call them eye boogers here. Cosmo has always had a lot of them and sometimes if I don't get to it quick enough he will shake his head and then I get wall boogers! I much prefer wiping them off his eyes then scrubbing the crusties of the wall!

 

[ckutkuhn7]

You have recieved great eye goober advice and I have none to offer. However, I would like to welcome you to the Lair!

 

[KushielsTart]

We have to get eye boogers fast around here, or they end up in my hubby's goatee. They love rubbing their faces all over his chin, and first thing in the morning some transfer usually occurs. Gross! lol!

 

[klreese]

we also get eye boogies. i usually just fish'em out of course without hurting them.. but i just kinda pull them out w/ my fingers. sometimes i noticed my kitties are bothered by the loose ones... so it's just easier to wipe them out.

 

[LadyZephyr]

Turns out her eye boogers arent really that normal, she's developed a runny snot nose and keeps sneezing. She may have a bacterial infection apparently I thought something wasn't quite right, hopefully she'll be right in a few days though with some antibiotics.

 

[MissMySphynxBoys]

Turns out her eye boogers arent really that normal, she's developed a runny snot nose and keeps sneezing. She may have a bacterial infection apparently I thought something wasn't quite right, hopefully she'll be right in a few days though with some antibiotics.

Poor Bluebelle. Maybe a search of the threads might have some helpful tips to speed up her recovery. I hope she feels better soon.

 

[KushielsTart]

I think it's pretty common with kittens. Loki immediately got a slight eye infection when we brought him home, but it was gone after about 5 days.

 

[Nofuratu]

Perhaps Nofuratu's blog about beauty secrets will help

Adventures of A Naked Cat: Nofuratu's Beauty Secrets

We use q tips for eye boogers and carry them everywhere just in case....great for getting emergency black ear chunks when he's greeting fans.

It does sound like your cat has the normal amount of eye boogers and the right color even though he does have an URI...so dont be surprised if his boogers stay the same...thats the downside to having no eyelashes, and thats how the eye removes foriegn bodies like dirt and dust...hope the snotty nose gets better though!

 

[LadyZephyr]

Yeah she'll get better soon, this morning she woke me up at 5:45am by jumping on my face, and she's been tearing around the apartment all morning so she must be perking up Shame I'm now dying at work lol

@Nofuratu - I had a look at your website, very cute by the way and very informative. I feel a bit better now.

 

[miss_gldelx]

Yay for normal Sphynx eye goops! I'm glad to hear that Bluebelle's eye goopies aren't anything to be concerned about. You don't have to try too hard to wipe them away. Like Marlene suggested, a tissue should do the trick most of the time. The ones you don't easily nab with a tissue will eventually blink out on their own. And if they are too dry for a tissue, ilovemysphynx's damp washcloth tip should work.

Eye boogies are definitely a part of being a Sphynx owner. You'll get used to it.

In the meantime here's a link to a funny thread on Sphynx eye boogies:
http://www.sphynxlair.com/f7/butternuts-has-eye-boog-3472/

what about a pink eye booger? is that normal? my kitten has had it since day one.

 

[marlene]

Pink? Are you sure it's an eye booger and not the pink mucous membrane at the corner of the eye?

 

[miss_gldelx]

Pink? Are you sure it's an eye booger and not the pink mucous membrane at the corner of the eye?

well, i had heard this breed gets a sort of bloody eye mucus, so i am guessing this is it? It's not a lot, maybe a few times a week.

 

[marlene]

I've never seen bloody eye mucous on my kitties. What mine get are a clear, dark brown when wet and just plain very dark brown when dried.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Ok, here's the biologist in me talking, lol, but you should know that cats do have a nictitating membrane under their eyelids. The membrane should be translucent, and will be drawn across the eyeball in response to a threat. So, when you see that "jelly-like" film moving across the eye, it is not an eye booger and should not be removed, in fact, it's the normal response for a cat that is fearful of an object (washcloth, q-tip) being poked near its eyes. That being said, the nictitating membrane should not be visible unless you've manipulated the eye in some fashion. If you can see the membrane while the cat's eyes are open, then it can be a sign of infection.

I'm finding that a warm, wet washcloth works best for wiping away the gunk that forms around the outside of all of my cat's eyes; it takes a quick second and it's the least invasive method.

 

[Erica]

This eye cleaning info was a great help I was getting worried about my Sphynx kittens eye gloop it only seems to come into his left eye though. I find ear cleaning a problem to he hates it but the inner part of his ears get black with dirt any advise appreciated on ear cleaning thanks guys

 

[GoldHazel]

This eye cleaning info was a great help I was getting worried about my Sphynx kittens eye gloop it only seems to come into his left eye though. I find ear cleaning a problem to he hates it but the inner part of his ears get black with dirt any advise appreciated on ear cleaning thanks guys

What I first do is take a dry Q-Tip and get out whatever dirt is in there that I can get to.
Then I use Petco Brand ear cleaner (love it) and saturate a cotton ball, squeeze it all out and clean the ear well.
Then I use Q-Tips dipped in the ear cleaning solution followed by dry Q-Tips and their ears come out sparkling clean and quickly too.

IF you just use the ear solution first on very dirty ears, it sort of melts the dirt and it takes longer to clean out.
Also, I don't suggest using the ear solution directly into the ears because it starts to come out all over and they foam up.

 

[BluesMummy]

Yep my blue gets guey eyes, i tend to wipe them as & when i notice them but also once a week or so i'll bathe them from the inside to the out of the eye with warm milk, this is what weve done with all the children for generations in our family if they have conjunctivitous, it may well be an old wives tale but ive found with blue its calmed down the amount of gunk he gets, just make sure all his wrinkles are dry & his eyes dont seem to get gunky every day, just a usual bit in the mornings but dont we all get that !!! If it changes colour tho & isnt the usual browny-clear colour i'd get it checked with your vet to be on the safe side as for ear cleaning & nail clippings its the law in my house they get done straight after a bath while hes snuggled in a warm towel & he never argues about it, such a good baby we have x