How long do kittens take to open their eyes

The eyes of kittens usually open fully around the second week after birth. The process of opening their eyes is relatively long, and they will not suddenly open them. They need to gradually adapt to light before they can open their eyes. During this process, the owner can only observe and remember not to touch the kittens with their bare hands, or else the mother cat may stop nursing the kittens because she smells an unfamiliar scent, or even injure the kittens.

How long do new kittens take to open their eyes

Kittens begin to open their eyes around one week old but will not fully open them until two weeks later. The timing varies among different breeds of cats, but it's generally similar. When kittens open their eyes, their eye secretions may increase slightly, which is normal, and the mother cat will usually lick them clean. If the secretions are particularly heavy, it's important to check if there's an inflammation.

Symptoms of kitten conjunctivitis

The most common clinical symptoms of kitten conjunctivitis include: red, swollen, and congested conjunctiva, tearing, reluctance to open eyes, and increased eye secretions. The secretions can range from white mucus to yellow-green mucus. Some kittens may exhibit scratching behavior around their eyes, further causing eye discomfort, sneezing, and rhinorrhea, which may occur simultaneously with eye lesions. Severe infections can lead to permanent scarring of the cornea and conjunctiva, and in some cases, affect the tear drainage pathway, resulting in long-term tearing.

How to treat kitten conjunctivitis

Kitten conjunctivitis is caused by viral or bacterial inflammation of the conjunctiva and can be contagious in some cases. It's essential to avoid cross-infection. Treatment for conjunctivitis includes:

Initial treatment considers chlamydia, and selected drugs include tetracycline or erythromycin.
If the cytology examination shows a bacterial infection, broad-spectrum antibiotics are used.
When suspecting infection with calicivirus or herpesvirus, antiviral drugs can be administered.
If caused by allergies, antihistamine drugs are given.