What are Crossed Eyes?
Crossed eyes may appear at birth but can also develop later in life. Cats who are born with a convergent strabismus generally adjust to the condition on their own and enjoy a good quality of life. Cats who develop crossed eyes as adults may have a more serious underlying problem present. Some of these issues are treatable, so veterinary care should be sought. When balance seems to be affected, a problem with the cat's inner ear may exist. Disease or injury can also cause sudden changes of eye positioning.
Eye movement is controlled by small muscles that allow side to side and up and down motion. When one of these muscles is stretched out or too strong, or if the nerves that control the muscles are damaged, abnormal direction of the eye occurs. This is referred to as a “strabismus”. It can happen to one or both of the eyes. When the eye veers toward the nose it is called “esotropia”. When both eyes are misdirected at the nose, the cat will appear cross-eyed. This is known as a convergent strabismus. Certain breeds such as the Siamese seem predisposed.
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Symptoms of Crossed Eyes in Cats
The more rapidly that symptoms arise, the more serious the underlying condition may be. Bring your cat to the veterinarian immediately if you notice the following symptoms developing in your cat.
- One or both eyes facing abnormal directions
- Uncoordinated eye movement
- Nystagmus (involuntary rapid eye movement)
- Lack of movement in one eye
- Pupil size difference
- Head tilting
- Turning to one side
- Weakness
- Difficulty walking
- Lethargy
- Seizures
- Loss of appetite
Causes of Crossed Eyes in Cats
The majority of convergent strabismus cases are due to genetics and are harmless to the cat. These issues can be seen from birth on. Crossed eyes that develop later in life are generally an outward sign for an internal problem. Known causes are as follows:
- Genetic predisposition (commonly seen in Siamese, Persian and Himalayan cat breeds)
- Vestibular system disease (disease of the inner ear)
- Eye trauma from injury
- Birth defect in the development of the eyes, muscles or brain
- Feline leukemia virus
- Nerve damage
- Hydrocephalus (water on the brain)
- Inflammation
- Cancer of the brain or nervous system
- Benign or malignant tumor growth
Diagnosis of Crossed Eyes in Cats
If sudden onset of crossed eyes occurs, bring your cat to the veterinarian at once. The vet will need your cat’s full medical history records to assist in diagnosis. A complete physical, neurological, and ophthalmologic examination will then be performed. This can help to differentiate between problems of the eye, muscle, nerves or brain. A neurological exam may include testing for reflexes, natural movement and ear issues. An ophthalmologic evaluation involves multiple eye response tests such as a Schirmer tear test, pupillary light reflex tests, tonometry (eye pressure tests) and fluorescein staining of the cornea.
Full blood work will be collected to run a Complete Blood Count and a biochemical profile. This will show the overall health of the cat and can help detect malignancy (the presence of cancer). Feline leukemia virus should also be tested for from the blood samples. Urinalysis can help determine bodily functions and can reveal bacterial infections. X-rays of the skull may be needed to confirm the presence of tumors. Often a CT scan or MRI will then be requested to get a more detailed view of the eyes and brain. The cat should also undergo pre-anesthetic testing to establish whether or not it is an appropriate surgical candidate.
Treatment of Crossed Eyes in Cats
If the condition is not genetic, the underlying issue should be treated. Some causes of convergent strabismus are not serious, while others can be life-threatening.
Surgical Correction
If trauma has caused damage to the eye muscles, specialist surgery may be performed to correct the abnormal lengths or strengths of affected eye muscles. This can help to realign the eyes. General anesthesia is required for the procedure. If quality of life isn't affected, this would not usually be considered.
Surgical Removal
If a tumor is found to be the cause of eye issues, removal of the tumor will be attempted if possible. If the tumor is malignant, a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be paired with the surgery for the best results. If the cancer is aggressive, it may be necessary to remove the whole eye to prevent metastasis (spreading).
Antibiotics
Post surgery, antibiotics are often prescribed to prevent infection from developing. Antibiotics may also be necessary if a bacterial infection has been found to be affecting the vestibular system. Prescriptions generally last from one to four weeks.
Physical Therapy
After surgery, or if the cat is a poor surgical candidate, physical therapy may be used to help strengthen the eye muscles. This may include daily eye exercises to perform with your cat. Not all cats will comply!
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Recovery of Crossed Eyes in Cats
If your cat has undergone surgery, be sure to follow all at-home care instructions closely. Monitor the incision daily for signs of infection. Limit your cat’s activity to prevent it from injuring itself. Administer all postoperative medications and antibiotics as prescribed. A follow-up appointment with the veterinarian will be needed to assess the success of the surgery.
If your cat suffers from an untreatable vestibular issue, it may experience vertigo (dizziness) from time to time. You may need to prevent your cat from climbing to great heights to protect it from falling and injuring itself. Some vestibular issues are temporary and will resolve after a short period and never return again. If the crossed eyes are congenital, no real issues exist and the cat will adapt to its double vision well. Keeping your cat indoors may reduce incidents of trauma and FeLV infection exposure.
Crossed Eyes Average Cost
From 443 quotes ranging from $200 - $500
Average Cost
$300
Top
Crossed Eyes Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Siamese
Prim Rose
4 Weeks
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Cross Eyes And Shaking Eyes
I have a small kitten I think she is about 5 weeks old she was found under a porch and she was the only survivor. I'm now caring for her and I have noticed that her eyes point to her nose. I should point out that she does seem to be a Siamese mix . And when she's looking at me her eyes are starting to shake. I have set up a vet appointment for 5 weeks out so she can get her shots but I'm wondering if it could be worst and I should have her seem before then.
July 25, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Siamese cats do have some abnormalities with their eyes, and that isn't uncommon. If Prim Rose is eating and drinking well, doesn't seem to be having any neurologic problems otherwise, and it doing well, you should be fine to have her seen by your veterinarian in 5 weeks. If she seems to be having any problems with her vision, it may be a good idea to have her seen earlier.
July 25, 2018
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long haired kitten
zues
8 Weeks
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Crossed Eye
we just adopted a male kitten about 8 weeks old! he has one eye that is crossed. the breeder told us he was the runt, and was so sick when he was born they didn't think he would survive! he is very small, about the size of a 1 week old kitten. we don't have the money to run him into our local vet right now! looking for some things I can do at home to help him! we named him zues!
May 23, 2018
0 Recommendations
Some kittens are born with crossed eyes and they generally adapt to it, but it isn’t correctable; however if Zeus developed crossed eyes later in life it would be a different story to get to the bottom of. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, ensure he is hydrated and eating; but visit a Veterinarian for vaccinations and a check up when you’re able to. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
May 24, 2018
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Long hair?
Squirrel
11 Months
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Watery Discharge, Red, Irritated
I found my cat on the streets when he was a few weeks old. He has always seemed to have problems with his eyes as if he’s cross eyed and squints a lot. It seems some of his iris is inside of his pupil.. as if the pupil wall has collapsed and the iris is going inside. His pupil shape is very odd and his eyes are now watery and have discharge. This hasn’t happened before until now.
April 7, 2018
1 Recommendations
It is difficult to say what may be causing the issue with Squirrel’s eye and I there isn’t anything I can recommend for a misshapen iris, you should visit your Veterinarian to examine the eye thoroughly since traumatic injury can cause long term issues and depending on the severity it may be best to have the eye removed (but this would be your Veterinarian’s call). Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
April 7, 2018
so all I have to worry about is finding things to occupy a extra small kitten.
May 24, 2018
Vivian S.
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Unknown
Piglet
11 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
1 Eye Crossed
Redness Around Eye
Goobers Keeping Here Eye Closed
Hi um my cat piglet, for the past month her eye was closed (only one) and I lifted open her eye so I can see what is going on and the white thing that covers the cats eyes when they close theirs eyes is all red and all of a sudden when it seemed to get better her eye, it was looking at her nose and this is still going on and her eye opens now and the redness is gone but I mean her eye doesn't look forward it seems like anymore and I love all my cats and I need to know what is going on because looking at her eye just breaks my heart knowing that I can afford a vet to check what is going on with her. Please someone explain what might be going on to my cats eye?
April 3, 2018
0 Recommendations
There are many possible causes for the symptoms you are describing which may include infections, trauma, tumours, nerve damage (due to other causes), foreign objects in the eye (small ones) among other causes. Without examining the eye and Piglet in general I cannot say what the specific cause is; the redness you saw may have been caused by an infection, trauma or foreign object but I cannot say what the eye is still crossed. You should visit a Veterinarian regardless, there are charity clinics which can help with low cost examinations and care. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
April 4, 2018
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Blue Russian
Itsy
1 Year
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Loss Of Balance
My cat got a surgery to fix a hematoma in his ear. His was given anesthesia and was also nudered while he was asleep. Now it has been a couple of days and he still have trouble balancing, walking, has lost his appetite, and his ears are very cloudy and glaze. They seem to be looking in different directions as well. I’m worried because he is not acting at like himself and is hiding all day. He has had surgery before and did not react like this. Also when he stands he falls at first before being able to walk
Feb. 7, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
Thank you for your email. Without examining Itsy, I'm not sure why he is acting that way, but it would be a good idea to haev him rechecked by your veterinarian. They may be able to tell you if there was something related to the hematoma surgery that would have caused a problem with his inner ear, or if there is something else going on, and give him any treatment that he may need. I hope that he recovers uneventfully.
Feb. 7, 2018
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Crossed Eyes Average Cost
From 443 quotes ranging from $200 - $500
Average Cost
$300
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Easily compare quotes from the most trusted pet insurance companies in the United States.
