Those dark tracks wipe off. One fresh eye wipe per eye, nose outward, then a snack. New, colored or constant tearing is a vet call.
In this guide
One fresh wipe per eye, nose outward
Those dark tracks under your cat's eyes come off with an eye wipe made for the job. Fresh wipe per eye, inner corner outward, pat dry, snack. Never toward the eye, never scrub.
New or colored discharge? Skip the wipes and call your vet.
What you need
Wipes made for the eye area, fragrance-free.
A calm moment, ideally after a nap or a meal.
A treat for the end.
Step 1: Pick your moment
Wait until your cat is mellow, then sit it in your lap or on a towel in a quiet room. Skip the session if your cat is wound up. A tense cat means a fight, and a fight means a wipe near the eye.
Step 2: Wipe each eye with its own wipe
Earth Rated Eye Wipes are made for exactly this spot: soft and fragrance-free, so nothing perfumed goes near the eye. Fresh wipe for each eye. Start at the inner corner by the nose and wipe outward and down along the track. The catch: they clean the tracks that are there. Tracks back by tomorrow? Same wipe. Back as fast as you clean them? That's the vet list below.
Step 3: Pat dry, then treat
Pat the fur dry with a soft cloth, then hand over the treat. Your cat starts to connect face-wiping with a snack. A quick wipe under each eye slides into the daily routine.
Old, dried tracks
Dried-on tracks take patience. Wipe, pause, then wipe again, and keep the pressure light. Skin and fur around the eyes are delicate.
What to skip
Skip these
Paw wipes or all-purpose wipes near the eyes. Eye wipes are for eyes only, and grooming wipes are for paws and bodies. See the Earth Rated grooming wipes review for those.
Anything with fragrance or essential oils. Nothing perfumed belongs near the eyes.
Human eye products and home remedies. Your cat's eyes get wipes made for the eye area, full stop.
Scrubbing. Gentle wipes beat hard rubbing, so keep the pressure light.
Cat hates face-touching? Go slow
Start with a wipe along the cheek, treat, and move closer to the eye over a few days. Short and boring beats a wrestling match. For whole-cat cleanups, see cat waterless shampoo: when and how to use it.
When to ask your vet
The tearing is new, constant, or only in one eye.
The discharge is colored (green, yellow) or thick.
Your cat squints, paws at the eye, or the eye looks red or swollen.
