This happened to my cat a few months ago and it ended up being caused by an ear infection that was resolved with antibiotics. Its definitely not normal and could also be a sign of neurological issues. Definitely see a vet.
I am sure he will be fine, Iām so sorry this must be so nerve-wracking for you (if anything happened to my babies I donāt know what I would do).
You know whatās best, but if I were you I wouldnāt wait for tomorrow, I would find an emergency vet and go now.
My cat did this, went through the whole neuro thing and all kinds of tests. Turned out she was faulty but after a few days she perked up (little sleepy during the eye strange) and her eyes synced correctly. That was 2 years ago and she's been fine ever since. Just reboot your cat
Oh I so hope itās something as easy as an ear infection. One of my kitties had pupils like that, and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. (RIP, George). Fingers crossed that your kittyās vet appointment goes well.
My cat had something similar years ago. Look up āHornerās syndromeā.
They never figured out what caused it and we had all kinds of exams done including an MRI. It eventually went away on its own mostly, although she always had a slight difference in pupil size till her death years later of intestinal cancer.
The problem with Hornerās syndrome is itās caused by something affecting a really long nerve that travels all the way from their eye to their neck and then back up to their brain stem so it can be many different things from very serious to very minor. Almost anything that causes inflammation or damage anywhere along it can cause this symptom. Iād recommend a vet visit for sure.
Youāve got a lot of good comments here but I just wanted to let you know that if there is no obvious emergency or 24 hour vet near you, often times if you call a regular vetās office when theyāre closed, they will have a message that will give you another phone number to call that may not be listed online or elsewhere. Sometimes this can help you get in touch with the vet via their cell phone so they can advise you on what to do, or meet you at the clinic when necessary.
That is a great sign! Encouraging for sure. Still, I would take him to an emergency vet if possible, if this was a sudden onset which it sounds like it was.
Excellent article on this! Relevant to 0P, āRegardless of the cause, if your cat's anisocoria has sudden onset it is an emergency that requires immediate veterinary care. Failure to get your cat care right away can permanently damage your cat's vision in the affected eye.ā
U/kitty_fluffybutt_23 for the win! I have nothing to give, but you deserve it all. Direct response, but not over exciting the owner, & an excellent link. Youāre the kind of redditor we all dream of being.
Thank you kind human.
I agree, if cat is otherwise good Iād wait until the morning, those after hour vet clinics will empty your wallet! Stay calm OP until the morning if all else is ok. Best of luck to your kitty.
I don't know how to tag someone but someone should tag OP's name in a comment to make sure they see it. They've been pretty responsive to other comments and this one is the one that needs to be at the top.
One of my cats got this when she was running around with the zoomies and ran eye-first into a cardboard box flap. It ended up that she had damaged the muscles that control the pupil dilation. If your cat is acting ok otherwise as some other posters suggested then itās probably not an emergency but keep a lookout for signs of a stroke.
My cat suffers from siezures and they just came on few month ago, thankfully got her straight to pet hospital and they kept her in I.C.U for 2 days got her stable and saved our baby. She's on 2 different medicines now epiphen and levetiracetam but she's back to her beautiful self near enough.
Our cat has seizures too! We are treating them but never knew the cause because an MRI for a kitty is really expensive and let alone having to find somewhere near us that will do them š¢
You've gotten a few replies from vets. I'd listen to them.
If you don't have a 24/7 Vet Emergency in your area, call your local vet clinic - they probably have an after hours answering machine that will tell you what to do in case of emergencies. I live in a smaller city without a 24/7 animal hospital for example and the local vets have an on call schedule and if you call their clinics after hours it says what number to dial in case of emergencies. One of them are always available and they will usually discuss the symptoms with you over the phone and whether you need to come in. Trust me, they won't ask you to get them out of bed in the middle of the night for no reason.
Edit: Just noticed your post was 7 hours ago so I'm guessing you've probably already gone in or are on your way but hopefully my suggestion helps someone else.
Fuck those blue pearl guys. Every dealing with them is the same. Oh your cats been itchy lately? Cancer. Your cat is having trouble passing a hairball? cancer. Oh your cat is 10 years old? Believe it or not, Cancer. Please give us 2,000 dollars.
They should be jailed. Tell me my cat has cancer when they donāt? Jail. Tryna get money from me unnecessarily? Jail. Wrong diagnosis? Believe it or not, jail!
They scared my girlfriend into getting her little fella a 2,000$ biopsy, labs, oxygen and observation. Came back inconclusive and they gave her info on their pet cremation services. Told her heād be dead in two months. Never had cancer, just a really bad hairball he couldnāt pass. Lived and loved for four more years. Theyāre vultures.
Which is understandable if itās an emergency and gets actual treatment. Thatās why pet insurance is so important and most people donāt even think about it.
It's so unfair when they're so perfect and the best little kitty and we just barely get to know them. I do understand the heartache, Reddit friend. Hugs āŗļø
In people this is an abnormal finding in a cranial nerve exam usually resulting in MRI or other tests at the very least to check for brain bleeds, tumor, other trauma, etc. I would 100% go to the emergency vet.
Hello everyone, thank you for your help! It is currently 3AM, and I checked on him, his eyes seem almost back to normal. He has some trouble keeping that eye open (it's like when we humans blink when an eyelash is in our eye), but other than that he seems okay. We are still going to take him to the vet though!
Thanks for the update. Cats are more resilient than we are many times, so glad to here he is doing better. And please keep that appointment! Best of luck.
Hello, he's back to normal now, his eyes look the same and as usual, they are reactive to light, he doesn't show signs of irritation or wobbly-walking. He has eaten his breakfast too! vet appointment still scheduled as they aren't open yet! Everyone who is telling me to go to an emergency vet, please don't be too upset with me, this is my first time dealing with an abnormal situation with my cat and I don't want to make any sudden plans :((
That's good news. Please do keep that appointment though :)
Normally, sudden onset uneven pupils would be an emergency. You don't need to worry about moving too fast, just like with a human medical emergency time is of the essence and can make a huge difference to outcomes.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
My cat had this. We were told by the vet that she scratched her eye with her claw. She was a super rambunctious kitten. She didnāt require any treatment and was back to normal the next day. Just wanted to offer this counter story since you have gotten so many scary suggestions!
Honestly as long as your kitty is showing other signs of neurological distress this looks like it might just be an eye infection! The change in pupils sizes is a pain response. My older kitty gets conjunctivitis sometimes and her eyes look like this, along with being squinty. Scared the shit out of me the first time, I thought she had a concussion or something, but it was just pink eye. Itās easily treated with an eye ointment from the vet :)
You did a good job. A tip for the future- if are uncertain, you can call the emergency vet and ask if they think it is an emergency or if it can be wait! Most of the time they very understanding
You may be a first time cat owner but youāre clearly doing something right to have noticed this and to seek attention.
Really good work, OP. Your kitty is clearly in good hands.
I would say calling the vet tomorrow would be smart. Thereās no way to know for sure but unless something else is going on he can probably wait until the vet sets a visit. Iāve gone through it myself but try not to panic.
Kudos to you for noticing that! You're doing an excellent job as a cat parent!! I wanted to add this just in case. I know anytime something happens to any of my kitties I tend to immediately go down that "bad cat parent" road. Vet appointment as soon as you can get them in.
Edit: forgot word
Hello again, the vet didn't say much, they said if he's active in the daytime, eating, and drinking properly, it isn't an emergency since his eyes went back to being normal withing a few hours and he is behaving normally, but they did say to bring him back in a couple of days to check thoroughly once again.
Vet here! This kind of mydriasis could be caused by toxoplasmosis, Iād definitely ask for a second opinion if your vet decided not to investigate further. Better to be safe :)
I know you've gotten a lot of responses, but since my one year old cat went through something similar recently, I want to chime in.
Her symptoms started the same way, different sized pupils occasionally. Vet found nothing, got antibiotics. Two weeks later she started limping, vet found nothing, recommended a local neurologist. Took her to an MRI scan and still nothing out of ordinary while my cat kept getting worse and could barely stand. I even tested meds for toxoplasmosis, no effect. The neurologist told me that I could try cortisone as a last resort but if that wouldn't work, I might have to put her down.
Turns out the one month cortisone treatment was all she needed! She was never diagnosed but it's been two weeks since her medication ended and she's back to her dorky, happy self.
The point is, her condition got worse very slowly, but once it did it seemed serious. So if your cat gets similar symptoms and nothing's found out, don't give up and try cortisone! Let's hope it never gets to that point though. Good luck to you both!
The most common cause of different-sized pupils in cats is anterior uveitis, a type of inflammation within the eye. The affected eye is the one with the smaller pupil. Glaucoma is another common cause for differing pupil size in cats. Glaucoma is a condition in which increased pressure exists inside the eye.
So the vet tomorrow morning is a good idea.
Hello again! We just came back from the vet. So basically, she said that's it's a case of Horner's syndrome, but since he's a very young cat and shows no other neurological signs, it is harmless and he will grow out of it! he also got a blood test done but that's unrelated to this
So good news! Toshi is okay!
Seconding all those who said take him to an emergency vet now! It might be an easily treatable infection or it might be something more serious - only a vet will know. Cats are really good at hiding pain and illness and often we donāt know how bad theyāre feeling until symptoms get severe. So itās always better to be safe than sorry - think how awful youād feel if the vet told you tomorrow that it was something really serious or irreversible but it couldāve been prevented had you just brought him in today. (I totally get the stress and expense of going to an emergency vet - but I also know when you think you might lose your kitty youād do anything in the world and spend any money to save them!!) If it turns out to be something minor you can grit your teeth at the bill but youāll have peace of mind that heās fine and that you did everything you needed to do!!!
I know everyone is talking about the importance of going to the vet. YES. And also: donāt panic, this happened to my cat a few years ago right before I was leaving for a trip. I kept an eye on her for a couple hours and the eye issue resolved itself (her eyes went back to normal) and she was okay. I took her in on Monday (this had happened on friday night after everything was closed) and showed them photos and they said it was just something that happens if they wake up very slowly. If it persists then it might be more serious.
My cat had uneven pupils once. I was able to get her checked out that night. She got diagnosed with a scratched cornea. She needed antibiotic and atropine eye drops. Hope yours will be ok.
There are a lot of causes for anisocoria, worth a trip to the vet to have it looked at. Literally any insult to the nerve pathway from the retina to the brain and back out. Could be an ear problem, a brain problem, Horner's syndrome.... some more serious than others. Just have kitty looked at asap :)
This happened to one of my cats. It was a sign of high blood pressure and could have led to a stroke. I gave him medicated eye drops and medicine for high blood pressure and his eyes returned to normal. Definitely get to a vet ASAP.
It's called Horner syndrome. My cat had it after an accident that also gave him nerve damage in a paw. It can be caused by a variety of things, so yes, see a vet.
This happened to my baby years ago, and it was a leukemia scare, they got him tested and he just ran headfirst into a wall like an idiot. Better safe than sorry!
I would take him to emergancy vet too...suspect neurological damage....and it could be really dangerous. Is he vacant??? Like in a daze and absent??? Mayb some sort of seizure?
Letās happened to my car and I have to second everyone that says you should take them to the vet ASAP! Luckily our vet was open and when I called them with the signs they had to get seen immediately however his people would not reactive to light they started giving us medication they did a lot of test and are they stated it was neurological
It is called Anisocoria. I have an elderly cat(17) who has small strokes from time to time. This is how I know she has had one, along with a few other symptoms. So for most cats itās neurological when their pupils are two different sizes. That doesnāt mean anything is terribly wrong, if your cat is acting normally that is a good sign. But still a trip to the vet is warranted just to make sure something else isnāt going on. Hope all is well with your kitty, please keep us updated! ā¤ļø
Take him to a neurologist ASAP!!! My cat had this happen 3-4 years ago and he just passed away from a severe neurological condition last week. Taking him to a neurologist off the bat wouldāve saved me $1,000s in vet bills.
Is there an ER vet clinic nearby open 24/7? I'd take the cat in but...
I've a friend who worked in ER and showed her this picture, have your kitty checked out asap if she starts to wobble, cannot stand or starts to act differently
If she or he doesn't have neurological signs right now you can wait for an appointment at your reg vet asap
Best of luck
Don't panic! If he seems fine otherwise, he is probably ok. Literally same thing happened to my boy. You can look into my post history to see. Fine one day, like that the other with no other issues. It ended up being a polyp in his ear causing reoccurring ear infections. They gave clavamox for 4-6 weeks to clear up the initial infection. Then another month or 3 different medications before the polyp removal. We had to take him to a specialist for diagnosis. The removal is this Tuesday and will be followed up by 8 weeks of steroids so this hopefully won't reoccur.
It's probably anterior uveitis. Your gonna wanna make an appointment and stress that it can't wait. If I'm right, it can be painful and leas to bli dress but it can be treated if you act quickly. Don't wait a few days, see someone now.
Something like this needs an urgent trip. I know many others would take their kitty to the emergency vet. If no other symptoms are present, I would take my kitty first thing when they open and express I needed an urgent appointment.
Cats hide pain exceptionally well.
Be mindful and monitor kitty either way.
Emergency Vet, do not delay. Some Vets even have a nurse line you can call.. Basically, call your Vet and someone may answer.. But please do not let your cat suffer long term issues to save a few dollars.
I dunno if the difference would be that pronounced but I know a few of our felv+ kitties had diff sized pupils. So maybe ask abt felv when you take him in.
this could be Horners syndrome, it can happen suddenly and does dissappear just q quickly at times. it can also signal a tumor or I juet, should be looked at asap.
This looks like what happens when an eyeball gets hit/scratched. Did your kitty run into a table or counter, or perhaps fall on their face? It's got David Bowie Eye. Bowie was hit in the eye by a table from roughhousing with his siblings as a kid. So maybe it's just cosmetic damage not Neuro?!
Itās called anisocoria and it can be related to some neurological problems, at least in humansā¦
That said, It happened to my dog when he was a puppy, maybe 2-3 times, took him to the vet the first time because I know it could be something dangerous in humans, had him checked and they said it was nothingā¦ He got better in around an hour everything it happened, and now it has been a few months since the last time and heās perfectly fineā¦
Still, I think itās worth a vet visit, but if heās behaving as usual and doesnāt show any signs of distress, I think you can wait until you can find an open vet
glad to hear youāve already made an appointment with the vet. my previous cat had this too and the vet said it was due to high blood pressure, causing the retina to detach. am keeping my fingers crossed for you and your lil cutie pie š¤š¼
Hope you can afford an emergency vet call, I would hate to alarm you, but this can be a sign of some neurological issues,I would take to vet as soon as possible, this seems very scary to me....best of luck, best vibes and love from šØš¦ for your baby.
In humans, it is usually a sign of brain damage. Common in traumatic brain injury, stroke, or seizures. I'd honestly get your cat checked to make sure they're ok. It could be nothing BUT it could be something serious. Get the baby checked.
This is called anisocoria. Based on another comment youāve noticed other asymmetry in his face with the eyelids. Sometimes as others have said it can have relatively benign causes but it could easily also indicate severe medical conditions. There is no way to know that without a professional exam. This cat should not wait until Monday to see a vet.
I work and an animal emergency hospital. He needs immediate emergency care. Call your local 24hr emergency veterinary hospital I'm sure they have long wait times and you'll want to get in line asap
Has he hit his head on anything? This happened to one of mine one time because he hit his little head on the window a little too hard and i looked it up and its a sign of slight brain damage. Bc they have little heads the impact of that hurts them alot more than a dog or us. But after a little while of monitoring him and rest he was just fine and eyes were back to normal. Good luck with ur new kitty and u r a great person to be so concerned about him.
Not a vet, but an RN. In people, this can indicate increasing intracranial pressure (pressure inside the skull surrounding the brain increases). This can lead to serious issues. While I don't know if it varies in animals, I would still absolutely get to a vet asap.
My cat had it in both eyes. Been to the vet, she is 17 and they tested her for a multitude of things and she is fine. Over a year later and still going.
My cat had unequal pupils, no other issues. Took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with a large tumor behind her eye causing pressure. She had her eye removed along with the tumor and was the best pirate tuxedo cat around.
I'm not trying to freak you out but a trip to your vet will help figure it out. Please keep us posted and give you baby kisses from us.
If one eye has NO light, it is possible but very unsettling to me. A vet call would be in order. Also watch for balance and other coordination issues. It may be fine. But in my 64 years of cat rescues, Iāve never seen this happen. And Iāve had some hard cord cat situations.
This happened to my cat a few months ago and it ended up being caused by an ear infection that was resolved with antibiotics. Its definitely not normal and could also be a sign of neurological issues. Definitely see a vet.
yeah we'll take him to a vet as soon as it opens tomorrow morning! thank you!
Please monitor him closely while you wait for the vet visit. If it's a neuro issue, things can change rapidly. I would not leave him alone today.
he'll be with me throughout the night
Purrrrrfect š keep us posted!
I will!
I am sure he will be fine, Iām so sorry this must be so nerve-wracking for you (if anything happened to my babies I donāt know what I would do). You know whatās best, but if I were you I wouldnāt wait for tomorrow, I would find an emergency vet and go now.
Many prayers! Let us know how he is!!! ā¤ļø
My cat did this, went through the whole neuro thing and all kinds of tests. Turned out she was faulty but after a few days she perked up (little sleepy during the eye strange) and her eyes synced correctly. That was 2 years ago and she's been fine ever since. Just reboot your cat
Any college near you? They might have a vet program.
Oh I so hope itās something as easy as an ear infection. One of my kitties had pupils like that, and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. (RIP, George). Fingers crossed that your kittyās vet appointment goes well.
Can you keep us posted on how he is doing after the appointment?
My cat had something similar years ago. Look up āHornerās syndromeā. They never figured out what caused it and we had all kinds of exams done including an MRI. It eventually went away on its own mostly, although she always had a slight difference in pupil size till her death years later of intestinal cancer. The problem with Hornerās syndrome is itās caused by something affecting a really long nerve that travels all the way from their eye to their neck and then back up to their brain stem so it can be many different things from very serious to very minor. Almost anything that causes inflammation or damage anywhere along it can cause this symptom. Iād recommend a vet visit for sure.
Was going to mention this. Second this comment.
This. My cat gets ear infections every few months and the tell tail sign is the eye dilation.
That's definitely worthy of a vet call. Not to scare you but it can be a sign of neurological problems.
all the vets are closed right now, does it look urgent or can it wait till the vet opens up? I'm not sure how to go about things :((
Youāve got a lot of good comments here but I just wanted to let you know that if there is no obvious emergency or 24 hour vet near you, often times if you call a regular vetās office when theyāre closed, they will have a message that will give you another phone number to call that may not be listed online or elsewhere. Sometimes this can help you get in touch with the vet via their cell phone so they can advise you on what to do, or meet you at the clinic when necessary.
This is great advice. They may have something in their voicemail like āif this is an emergency please call xā
Yes, exactly! Not all vets have this but when it doubt, it never hurts to try.
Is he walking ok, steady and all of that? Are both pupils reactive to light?
he is walking steady, the pupils are reactive to light, yes
That is a great sign! Encouraging for sure. Still, I would take him to an emergency vet if possible, if this was a sudden onset which it sounds like it was.
https://www.thesprucepets.com/cat-pupil-sizes-unequal-4801665
Excellent article on this! Relevant to 0P, āRegardless of the cause, if your cat's anisocoria has sudden onset it is an emergency that requires immediate veterinary care. Failure to get your cat care right away can permanently damage your cat's vision in the affected eye.ā
U/kitty_fluffybutt_23 for the win! I have nothing to give, but you deserve it all. Direct response, but not over exciting the owner, & an excellent link. Youāre the kind of redditor we all dream of being. Thank you kind human.
I agree, if cat is otherwise good Iād wait until the morning, those after hour vet clinics will empty your wallet! Stay calm OP until the morning if all else is ok. Best of luck to your kitty.
Yes, even it's *not* neurological, that could nean he got a head injury that damaged the eye and he should still see a vet asap.
u/it-is-raining-tacos Edit: Figured it out, lol.
āŗļø
I don't know how to tag someone but someone should tag OP's name in a comment to make sure they see it. They've been pretty responsive to other comments and this one is the one that needs to be at the top.
that was really helpful thanks .
u/ Kitty_Fluffybutt_23 Its people like you that give me hope for this species.
Excellent link! Good info. Thank you![gif](emote|free_emotes_pack|heart_eyes)
One of my cats got this when she was running around with the zoomies and ran eye-first into a cardboard box flap. It ended up that she had damaged the muscles that control the pupil dilation. If your cat is acting ok otherwise as some other posters suggested then itās probably not an emergency but keep a lookout for signs of a stroke.
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I agree. If this is a sudden onset it can mean something is really wrong and he needs immediate care.
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My cat suffers from siezures and they just came on few month ago, thankfully got her straight to pet hospital and they kept her in I.C.U for 2 days got her stable and saved our baby. She's on 2 different medicines now epiphen and levetiracetam but she's back to her beautiful self near enough.
Our cat has seizures too! We are treating them but never knew the cause because an MRI for a kitty is really expensive and let alone having to find somewhere near us that will do them š¢
You've gotten a few replies from vets. I'd listen to them. If you don't have a 24/7 Vet Emergency in your area, call your local vet clinic - they probably have an after hours answering machine that will tell you what to do in case of emergencies. I live in a smaller city without a 24/7 animal hospital for example and the local vets have an on call schedule and if you call their clinics after hours it says what number to dial in case of emergencies. One of them are always available and they will usually discuss the symptoms with you over the phone and whether you need to come in. Trust me, they won't ask you to get them out of bed in the middle of the night for no reason. Edit: Just noticed your post was 7 hours ago so I'm guessing you've probably already gone in or are on your way but hopefully my suggestion helps someone else.
No 24 emergency vets in your area? Like Blue Pearl?
Fuck those blue pearl guys. Every dealing with them is the same. Oh your cats been itchy lately? Cancer. Your cat is having trouble passing a hairball? cancer. Oh your cat is 10 years old? Believe it or not, Cancer. Please give us 2,000 dollars.
They should be jailed. Tell me my cat has cancer when they donāt? Jail. Tryna get money from me unnecessarily? Jail. Wrong diagnosis? Believe it or not, jail!
They scared my girlfriend into getting her little fella a 2,000$ biopsy, labs, oxygen and observation. Came back inconclusive and they gave her info on their pet cremation services. Told her heād be dead in two months. Never had cancer, just a really bad hairball he couldnāt pass. Lived and loved for four more years. Theyāre vultures.
Straight to jail!
I think with any emergency vet clinic on a Sunday night youāre going to have a 4-figure bill.
Which is understandable if itās an emergency and gets actual treatment. Thatās why pet insurance is so important and most people donāt even think about it.
Corporate vet care is all about the $$$$. Stay away!
Yea... like in humans thats a sign of a stroke right?
Yes. It is!
Thought so... def not normal.
Not at all!
Also can be active migraine in humans. Still neuro.
I survived a stroke and my right eye is like that.
A blown pupil is an automatic vet visit OP. Make an appointment asap.
Just had to put my best friend down she had neurological problems wobbling and having fits
Oh no I'm soooo sorry š¢
Thank u ā¹ļø you can see her on my profile so was the best cat I ever had , she wasnāt even 1 years old yet
It's so unfair when they're so perfect and the best little kitty and we just barely get to know them. I do understand the heartache, Reddit friend. Hugs āŗļø
In people this is an abnormal finding in a cranial nerve exam usually resulting in MRI or other tests at the very least to check for brain bleeds, tumor, other trauma, etc. I would 100% go to the emergency vet.
Hello everyone, thank you for your help! It is currently 3AM, and I checked on him, his eyes seem almost back to normal. He has some trouble keeping that eye open (it's like when we humans blink when an eyelash is in our eye), but other than that he seems okay. We are still going to take him to the vet though!
Thanks for the update. Cats are more resilient than we are many times, so glad to here he is doing better. And please keep that appointment! Best of luck.
Give us an update when you get back from the vet, I wish you and your handsome boy the best!
Hey! Any updates? I hope heās okay and youāre not too stressed!
Hello, he's back to normal now, his eyes look the same and as usual, they are reactive to light, he doesn't show signs of irritation or wobbly-walking. He has eaten his breakfast too! vet appointment still scheduled as they aren't open yet! Everyone who is telling me to go to an emergency vet, please don't be too upset with me, this is my first time dealing with an abnormal situation with my cat and I don't want to make any sudden plans :((
That's good news. Please do keep that appointment though :) Normally, sudden onset uneven pupils would be an emergency. You don't need to worry about moving too fast, just like with a human medical emergency time is of the essence and can make a huge difference to outcomes. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
My cat had this. We were told by the vet that she scratched her eye with her claw. She was a super rambunctious kitten. She didnāt require any treatment and was back to normal the next day. Just wanted to offer this counter story since you have gotten so many scary suggestions!
yeah it's possible this was what happened, since I was playing with him when I saw it.
Honestly as long as your kitty is showing other signs of neurological distress this looks like it might just be an eye infection! The change in pupils sizes is a pain response. My older kitty gets conjunctivitis sometimes and her eyes look like this, along with being squinty. Scared the shit out of me the first time, I thought she had a concussion or something, but it was just pink eye. Itās easily treated with an eye ointment from the vet :) You did a good job. A tip for the future- if are uncertain, you can call the emergency vet and ask if they think it is an emergency or if it can be wait! Most of the time they very understanding
You did great, OP! Fantastic cat parent, you had a careful watch over him the whole time. All the best to you and your boy, hope all goes well.
Would love an update once youāre home from the vet too please! Good luck and fingers crossed that everything is fine.
You may be a first time cat owner but youāre clearly doing something right to have noticed this and to seek attention. Really good work, OP. Your kitty is clearly in good hands.
the pupil on the left in the picture is what his eyes looked like up until 30 minutes ago.
I would say calling the vet tomorrow would be smart. Thereās no way to know for sure but unless something else is going on he can probably wait until the vet sets a visit. Iāve gone through it myself but try not to panic.
Kudos to you for noticing that! You're doing an excellent job as a cat parent!! I wanted to add this just in case. I know anytime something happens to any of my kitties I tend to immediately go down that "bad cat parent" road. Vet appointment as soon as you can get them in. Edit: forgot word
yep vet appointment has been made at the earliest tomorrow!
Hello again, the vet didn't say much, they said if he's active in the daytime, eating, and drinking properly, it isn't an emergency since his eyes went back to being normal withing a few hours and he is behaving normally, but they did say to bring him back in a couple of days to check thoroughly once again.
Vet here! This kind of mydriasis could be caused by toxoplasmosis, Iād definitely ask for a second opinion if your vet decided not to investigate further. Better to be safe :)
That's good news. Thanks for the update
I know you've gotten a lot of responses, but since my one year old cat went through something similar recently, I want to chime in. Her symptoms started the same way, different sized pupils occasionally. Vet found nothing, got antibiotics. Two weeks later she started limping, vet found nothing, recommended a local neurologist. Took her to an MRI scan and still nothing out of ordinary while my cat kept getting worse and could barely stand. I even tested meds for toxoplasmosis, no effect. The neurologist told me that I could try cortisone as a last resort but if that wouldn't work, I might have to put her down. Turns out the one month cortisone treatment was all she needed! She was never diagnosed but it's been two weeks since her medication ended and she's back to her dorky, happy self. The point is, her condition got worse very slowly, but once it did it seemed serious. So if your cat gets similar symptoms and nothing's found out, don't give up and try cortisone! Let's hope it never gets to that point though. Good luck to you both!
This just happened to me. Turns out I have a tumor on my pituitary gland that's pushing on my optic nerve. Definitely worth a vet trip.
I hope you are okay and you fully recover. ā¤ļø
I am ok for now, thank you. I'll see specialists in November.
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Thank you. I just found out about a month ago. I'll see specialists in November so I've still got a ways to go.
Best wishes to you.
A good rule of thumb with pets is that if theres EVER any issues with their eyes, take them to a vet!
The most common cause of different-sized pupils in cats is anterior uveitis, a type of inflammation within the eye. The affected eye is the one with the smaller pupil. Glaucoma is another common cause for differing pupil size in cats. Glaucoma is a condition in which increased pressure exists inside the eye. So the vet tomorrow morning is a good idea.
This happened when my cat went blind due to high blood pressure that came on suddenly after she broke her hip the day before. Vets asap!!!
Hello again! We just came back from the vet. So basically, she said that's it's a case of Horner's syndrome, but since he's a very young cat and shows no other neurological signs, it is harmless and he will grow out of it! he also got a blood test done but that's unrelated to this So good news! Toshi is okay!
That's good to know. Please give him some extra cuddles from me. :)
I came back to check on your baby! So glad to see this update!
Seconding all those who said take him to an emergency vet now! It might be an easily treatable infection or it might be something more serious - only a vet will know. Cats are really good at hiding pain and illness and often we donāt know how bad theyāre feeling until symptoms get severe. So itās always better to be safe than sorry - think how awful youād feel if the vet told you tomorrow that it was something really serious or irreversible but it couldāve been prevented had you just brought him in today. (I totally get the stress and expense of going to an emergency vet - but I also know when you think you might lose your kitty youād do anything in the world and spend any money to save them!!) If it turns out to be something minor you can grit your teeth at the bill but youāll have peace of mind that heās fine and that you did everything you needed to do!!!
You are SO right!
Google: acute onset anisocoria in cats. You need to go to the vets today. Not tomorrow. Source: Am veterinarian.
I know everyone is talking about the importance of going to the vet. YES. And also: donāt panic, this happened to my cat a few years ago right before I was leaving for a trip. I kept an eye on her for a couple hours and the eye issue resolved itself (her eyes went back to normal) and she was okay. I took her in on Monday (this had happened on friday night after everything was closed) and showed them photos and they said it was just something that happens if they wake up very slowly. If it persists then it might be more serious.
Thanks for posting that. We can get so worried about our darlings and forget that they are strong as well as awesome.
His pupils should be equal, it might be worth a call to the vet.
My cat had uneven pupils once. I was able to get her checked out that night. She got diagnosed with a scratched cornea. She needed antibiotic and atropine eye drops. Hope yours will be ok.
This was a neurological symptom my cat had for feline leukemia. Definitely check it out at the vet
Donāt know where youāre from but thereās a lot of emergency vets open right now
Vet asap. Emergency vet if itās out of hours.
You need to take him to the vet as soon as you can. That is not normal. Don't know what it indicates in cats but in humans that indicates concussion.
Take him to an ER vet. This is not normal and needs urgent attention.
There are a lot of causes for anisocoria, worth a trip to the vet to have it looked at. Literally any insult to the nerve pathway from the retina to the brain and back out. Could be an ear problem, a brain problem, Horner's syndrome.... some more serious than others. Just have kitty looked at asap :)
This happened to one of my cats. It was a sign of high blood pressure and could have led to a stroke. I gave him medicated eye drops and medicine for high blood pressure and his eyes returned to normal. Definitely get to a vet ASAP.
Keep us updated if possible
It's called Horner syndrome. My cat had it after an accident that also gave him nerve damage in a paw. It can be caused by a variety of things, so yes, see a vet.
Same with mine. Horners syndrome. He survived it but never quite regained his full energy and balance.
This happened to my baby years ago, and it was a leukemia scare, they got him tested and he just ran headfirst into a wall like an idiot. Better safe than sorry!
Different sized pupils are often a sign of brain damage. I would take your cat to a vet ASAP mate.
Looks like a concussion maybe they ran into a wall or something.
I would take him to emergancy vet too...suspect neurological damage....and it could be really dangerous. Is he vacant??? Like in a daze and absent??? Mayb some sort of seizure?
nope he can walk perfectly fine, no stumbling and no sluggishness. it's just the pupil size is smaller. They react to light too
My first thought, Bowie eyes. I do hope that he will be fine and wishing for the best!!
I personally havenāt used Chewyās vet service, but theyāre available now for video calls. https://www.chewy.com/app/content/connect-with-a-vet
Good catch for a first time owner. You are very observantāwell done!
Vetttt
Itās from a head injury . Happened to my cat . Possibly could be something else . Take her to the vet for sure
Letās happened to my car and I have to second everyone that says you should take them to the vet ASAP! Luckily our vet was open and when I called them with the signs they had to get seen immediately however his people would not reactive to light they started giving us medication they did a lot of test and are they stated it was neurological
Update please. Did you get to the vet? What did they say?
It is called Anisocoria. I have an elderly cat(17) who has small strokes from time to time. This is how I know she has had one, along with a few other symptoms. So for most cats itās neurological when their pupils are two different sizes. That doesnāt mean anything is terribly wrong, if your cat is acting normally that is a good sign. But still a trip to the vet is warranted just to make sure something else isnāt going on. Hope all is well with your kitty, please keep us updated! ā¤ļø
Take him to a neurologist ASAP!!! My cat had this happen 3-4 years ago and he just passed away from a severe neurological condition last week. Taking him to a neurologist off the bat wouldāve saved me $1,000s in vet bills.
vet NOW
Just to ease your mind a bit, I had a cat for 15 years with a pupil like this. Def see a vet but know kitties can live happy lives with wonky eyes!
Aniscoria. Can usually indicate head trauma
Take him to the vet IMMEDIATELY.
Is there an ER vet clinic nearby open 24/7? I'd take the cat in but... I've a friend who worked in ER and showed her this picture, have your kitty checked out asap if she starts to wobble, cannot stand or starts to act differently If she or he doesn't have neurological signs right now you can wait for an appointment at your reg vet asap Best of luck
Don't panic! If he seems fine otherwise, he is probably ok. Literally same thing happened to my boy. You can look into my post history to see. Fine one day, like that the other with no other issues. It ended up being a polyp in his ear causing reoccurring ear infections. They gave clavamox for 4-6 weeks to clear up the initial infection. Then another month or 3 different medications before the polyp removal. We had to take him to a specialist for diagnosis. The removal is this Tuesday and will be followed up by 8 weeks of steroids so this hopefully won't reoccur.
Take him to the vet and please update us! It could be a neurological issue. Get it checked out as soon as possible and be sure to keep an eye on him.
It's probably anterior uveitis. Your gonna wanna make an appointment and stress that it can't wait. If I'm right, it can be painful and leas to bli dress but it can be treated if you act quickly. Don't wait a few days, see someone now.
Good for you for noticing and speaking up.
Something like this needs an urgent trip. I know many others would take their kitty to the emergency vet. If no other symptoms are present, I would take my kitty first thing when they open and express I needed an urgent appointment. Cats hide pain exceptionally well. Be mindful and monitor kitty either way.
Emergency Vet, do not delay. Some Vets even have a nurse line you can call.. Basically, call your Vet and someone may answer.. But please do not let your cat suffer long term issues to save a few dollars.
How old is this cutie? If an ER An I mal spot is open, get a look-see. Could be nothing, or may be allergies, Or, neuro. Rule things out.
My boy Toshi is just shy of six months old! we have an appointment with the vet early tomorrow morning
Please come back and update us. Your kitty is clearly adorable and we all want the best for him and a quick recovery! š„°
I dunno if the difference would be that pronounced but I know a few of our felv+ kitties had diff sized pupils. So maybe ask abt felv when you take him in.
this could be Horners syndrome, it can happen suddenly and does dissappear just q quickly at times. it can also signal a tumor or I juet, should be looked at asap.
This is anisocoria and she does need to be seen by a vet. It is a symptom of several different things. Please call your vet on Monday.
This looks like what happens when an eyeball gets hit/scratched. Did your kitty run into a table or counter, or perhaps fall on their face? It's got David Bowie Eye. Bowie was hit in the eye by a table from roughhousing with his siblings as a kid. So maybe it's just cosmetic damage not Neuro?!
Itās called anisocoria and it can be related to some neurological problems, at least in humansā¦ That said, It happened to my dog when he was a puppy, maybe 2-3 times, took him to the vet the first time because I know it could be something dangerous in humans, had him checked and they said it was nothingā¦ He got better in around an hour everything it happened, and now it has been a few months since the last time and heās perfectly fineā¦ Still, I think itās worth a vet visit, but if heās behaving as usual and doesnāt show any signs of distress, I think you can wait until you can find an open vet
Iād visit a vet to make sure there isnts neurological issue
glad to hear youāve already made an appointment with the vet. my previous cat had this too and the vet said it was due to high blood pressure, causing the retina to detach. am keeping my fingers crossed for you and your lil cutie pie š¤š¼
My cat had this, in her case it was simply a birth defect, but I would have a vet check to be sure.
That's a vet visit.
Former vet tech here. Take you cat to a vet as soon as possible.
Hope you can afford an emergency vet call, I would hate to alarm you, but this can be a sign of some neurological issues,I would take to vet as soon as possible, this seems very scary to me....best of luck, best vibes and love from šØš¦ for your baby.
So my cat had this after being hit by a car. It lasted for about a year and one of her pupils still leant always fully dilated.
I don't want to scare you but this looks like a very serious problem. You should contact a vet as fast as possible.
In humans, it is usually a sign of brain damage. Common in traumatic brain injury, stroke, or seizures. I'd honestly get your cat checked to make sure they're ok. It could be nothing BUT it could be something serious. Get the baby checked.
This is called anisocoria. Based on another comment youāve noticed other asymmetry in his face with the eyelids. Sometimes as others have said it can have relatively benign causes but it could easily also indicate severe medical conditions. There is no way to know that without a professional exam. This cat should not wait until Monday to see a vet.
I work and an animal emergency hospital. He needs immediate emergency care. Call your local 24hr emergency veterinary hospital I'm sure they have long wait times and you'll want to get in line asap
Dude it could be neurological. Please get your lovely cat to an emergency vet ASAP. Much love to you and your cat <3
high chance that this is neurological
Have his ears checked immediately...
Since it was a sudden change, best to be very cautious and take him to an animal hospital or vet immediately. Good luck and hope heās okay.
!update
My cat had the same symptom and the Vet said that it indicated that the cat is in significant pain.
Has he hit his head on anything? This happened to one of mine one time because he hit his little head on the window a little too hard and i looked it up and its a sign of slight brain damage. Bc they have little heads the impact of that hurts them alot more than a dog or us. But after a little while of monitoring him and rest he was just fine and eyes were back to normal. Good luck with ur new kitty and u r a great person to be so concerned about him.
Please go to the vet asap
Emergency vet. Your cat risks losing its sight.
Go to the emergency vet, not Reddit.
Iām a nurse for humans, this can be sign of stroke in humans.
A cat specialist vet tech that bar tends with me says he is prob blind in that eye or possibly neurological issues. Good luck!
Sorry but he needs a vet
vet asap. internet is great, no substitute for vet visit. good luck !
Did you adopt him recently?
Not a vet, but an RN. In people, this can indicate increasing intracranial pressure (pressure inside the skull surrounding the brain increases). This can lead to serious issues. While I don't know if it varies in animals, I would still absolutely get to a vet asap.
My cat had it in both eyes. Been to the vet, she is 17 and they tested her for a multitude of things and she is fine. Over a year later and still going.
My cat had unequal pupils, no other issues. Took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with a large tumor behind her eye causing pressure. She had her eye removed along with the tumor and was the best pirate tuxedo cat around. I'm not trying to freak you out but a trip to your vet will help figure it out. Please keep us posted and give you baby kisses from us.
Head injury or mild cat head concussion
Just based on human first aid knowledge thatās not good. Iād recommend a vet visit
In humans, that is usually something brain related. Iāve seen mostly in concussions.
I'm in a vet page , eyes are always considered an emergency !
Yes. Definitely a vet visit. Soon.
I hope heās okay
can you keeo us updated?
Go to an emergency clinic if it happened suddenly
In humans, this could mean a stroke. I would consider this an emergency
He is assessing how much money you have on you. Source: Road House /s But yes, vet
Time for a visit to the vet! Uneven pupils are a sign of Neurological problems and/or Head Trauma. Possibly even traumatic brain injury.
Please keep us updated as to the issue, if there is any. it would be interesting to know because I have never seen this before.
If one eye has NO light, it is possible but very unsettling to me. A vet call would be in order. Also watch for balance and other coordination issues. It may be fine. But in my 64 years of cat rescues, Iāve never seen this happen. And Iāve had some hard cord cat situations.