Itchy eyes due to cat allergies?

Does my cat have allergies?...she keeps squinting her eyes and has some crust in the corner of her eyes.?

• She also keeps scratching, a lot, and sneezes. I want to take her to the vet but she refuses to go inside her carrier and the doctor can make a home visit in 2 weeks! Iv'e tried everything to get her into the carrier but she refueses since the last time she went in it to go to the vet. ..What can I do to make her feel better????

• Answer:

  She may have an upper respiratory infection (URI), which are pretty common in cats, but do often need to be treated. If you absolutely can't stuff her in a carrier, you can try over the counter infant saline nasal rinse (make sure the only ingredient is saline, some have other stuff that cats can't tolerate), and use it to rinse out her nostrils and clear away the crusties or snot at her nose. At most pharmacies you can also buy OpCon-A eye drops and use those twice daily. It may or may not help, but it won't hurt her. Make sure she's eating and drinking. When cats can't smell, they tend to eat less or not eat, but it is very important she stay hydrated. To encourage her to drink, you can add a small amount of clam or tuna juice or a small amount of a boullion cube to make it smell yummy. If, at any point, she becomes more lethargic, the mucous turns green, she refuses to eat or drink, or struggles to breathe, she will need to be seen immediately. Many cities have pet taxi services that can help. Also, she is probably contagious to other cats, so keep her indoors and away from your other kitties if you have any. Good luck!