What this means
A healthy eye looks clear and glossy, and the pupil looks dark. Cloudiness can sit on the surface of the eye, the cornea, or deeper, behind the pupil. You notice it as a greyish, milky or bluish film that can cover the whole eye or only part of it. It matters whether one eye or both are changed, and when it appeared: over a few hours or over a few weeks.
Cats rarely show that an eye hurts. They do not complain; they simply squint, hide more or play less. So a cloudy eye that seems to cause no trouble still needs to be examined. Do not put drops, herbal products or any other home remedy in the eye: until the cause is known they can do harm. Only a vet can find the cause.
Cats adapt very well to failing sight. They rely on smell, hearing and whiskers and move confidently around a familiar home, so a change can go unnoticed for a long time. If your cat has started to bump into things, avoids jumping up or moves hesitantly at dusk, it may have lost some sight even when the eyes look only slightly changed.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
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An inherited change in the cornea
The cornea can slowly lose its clarity and turn grey or bluish, sometimes in both eyes. If small blisters form on it, the eye may water and become sore.
About the condition: Corneal dystrophy -
Damage to the cornea or an ulcer
A scratch, tear or sore on the cornea clouds its surface. Such an eye is usually squinted, watering, and the cat rubs it.
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Inflammation inside the eye
When inflammation affects the inside of the eye, it can look hazy or red and the pupil can change. It can be linked to an infection or to an illness elsewhere in the body.
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Raised pressure in the eye
When pressure rises inside the eye, the cornea can turn cloudy and the eye can look larger or bulging. It is a painful condition that can damage sight quickly.
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Clouding of the lens
A cloudy lens behind the pupil looks like a whitish or grey patch deep in the eye. A vet can tell it apart from normal changes of ageing.
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Changes that come with age
The eyes of an older cat can take on a bluish or grey tinge. Only an examination can show whether it is a harmless change.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether one eye or both are changed
- Whether the cloudiness came on suddenly or spread gradually
- Whether the eye is squinted, watering or rubbed with a paw
- Whether the pupils are the same size
- Whether your cat moves hesitantly at dusk, bumps into things or avoids jumping up
- Whether your cat has become quieter, plays less or hides more
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if you notice cloudiness in an eye, even if your cat does not seem bothered. If the eye changed suddenly, is squinted or painful, or the pupils are different sizes, see a vet the same day.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
Body systems: Eyes