Answer

Watery, dripping eyes are a relatively common problem in cats, particularly kittens. They can be a sign of an upper respiratory infection, specifically a viral infection. One sore eye could also be a sign of a foreign body, something that’s irritating your cat’s eye. There’s also the possibility that an upper respiratory infection earlier in your cat’s life left his tear ducts clogged or scarred shut.

The best thing you can do for your cat is to seek veterinary care right away. Viral infections can cause corneal ulcers or progress to more serious disease if left untreated, and foreign bodies in the eye can cause damage or disease of the eye. All of these problems are preventable if you see your veterinarian. A veterinarian can treat a viral infection, remove a foreign body from the eye, or flush out clogged tear ducts. In some cases, occular problems can be a sign of more serious systemic conditions (problems that affect many systems in an animal’s body), so it’s very important that you seek veterinary care.