Uveitis in Cats: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Name: Uveitis in Cats: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Creator: Dr. Zubair Khalid

By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD · 2026-10-03

Uveitis in cats treatment begins with a veterinary exam, because this painful inflammation inside the eye is usually a symptom of something else going on in the body. The sooner the inflammation is controlled, the better the chance your cat keeps useful vision. This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.

Quick Answer

Uveitis means inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented lining inside the eye that includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid [1].
Common signs are a red or cloudy eye, a small or oddly shaped pupil, squinting, tearing, and light sensitivity [2].
Causes include trauma, eye parasites, cancer, infections, immune-mediated disease, and whole-body inflammatory conditions [1][2][3].
Treatment targets the underlying cause plus the eye itself, using anti-inflammatory medication, pain control, and sometimes antiviral drugs for feline infectious peritonitis [4][5].
Uveitis can scar the eye and cause glaucoma, cataracts, or blindness, so same-day veterinary care is the safest choice [2].

What Is Uveitis in Cats?

The uvea is the colored lining inside the eye. It has three parts: the iris (the colored ring around the pupil), the ciliary body (muscles that help the lens focus and that make the clear fluid inside the eye), and the choroid (the blood-vessel layer that nourishes the retina at the back of the eye) [1].

When the front portion of this lining becomes inflamed, vets call it anterior uveitis or iridocyclitis [1][2]. It is diagnosed often in cats [1]. The inflammation can affect one eye or both. One-eye cases are more often linked to trauma, eye parasites, or certain cancers, while both-eye cases usually point to a whole-body infection or an immune-mediated disease [1].

Uveitis is not the same as conjunctivitis, the pink eye that affects the outer surface of the eye. The two can look alike at home, which is one reason a veterinary exam matters. If the redness seems to come from inside the eye or the eye looks cloudy, read more about bloodshot eyes, uveitis, glaucoma, and trauma.

Uveitis in Cats Symptoms: What Owners Notice

The signs of acute uveitis can appear quickly [2]. Watch for:

A red eye, especially redness around the iris instead of just the white surface
Cloudiness or a hazy look in the eye
A pupil that is too small, or a pupil shape that is irregular (called dyscoria) [2]
Squinting, holding the eye closed, or pawing at the face
Tearing or discharge
Sensitivity to light
A change in eye color or a dull look to the iris
Bumping into things or seeming less sure of where it is walking

Chronic uveitis adds more problems. Scar tissue can form between the iris and lens (synechiae), white blood cells can stick to the inner surface of the cornea (keratic precipitates), cataracts can develop, and pressure inside the eye can rise into secondary glaucoma [2]. Any of these can permanently reduce vision.

If your cat's eyes look wrong and it also seems to be losing sight, see sudden blindness, hypertensive retinal detachment, and uveitis.

Uveitis in Cats Causes and Risk Factors

Vets divide causes into problems inside the eye and problems elsewhere in the body. When both eyes are inflamed, a whole-body cause is more likely [2].

Eye-related causes

Blunt or penetrating trauma [2]
Eye parasites [1]
Cataracts and lens instability [2]
Intraocular tumors (cancer inside the eye) [2]
A reflex from a corneal ulcer [2]

Whole-body causes

Infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases [2]
Metastatic cancer that has spread to the eye [2]
Severe body-wide inflammation. In one study of hospitalized dogs and cats, 38% of patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome developed anterior uveitis, compared with 7.7% of patients hospitalized without it [3].
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). In a study of 118 cats with FIP, 40.1% had eye abnormalities at their first exam, most often anterior uveitis, keratic precipitates, and chorioretinitis [4]. Another report found eye disease in 33% of cats with FIP, including anterior uveitis, posterior uveitis, and panuveitis [5].
Leptospira infection is being studied as a possible cause. In one small pilot study, 2 of 37 cats with uveitis had antibodies to Leptospira, and none had Leptospira DNA in the eye fluid [6]. This is an area researchers are still working on, so it is not yet a routine explanation for most cases.

Kittens can develop uveitis too. A report on kittens described a resolving undifferentiated uveitis that looked similar to FIP-associated uveitis but behaved differently. The undifferentiated form was more common in domestic kittens from shelters and cleared faster, while the FIP-associated form was more common in purebred or stray cats and lasted longer than two months before the exam [7].

A note on iris cysts

Sometimes owners or vets spot iris cysts, which are colored spheres floating in the fluid inside the eye. In cats they often attach at the pupil edge. They rarely need treatment because they do not interfere with vision, though a cyst may occasionally be removed or ruptured [1]. These are not uveitis.

How Vets Diagnose Uveitis in Cats

Diagnosis starts with a full eye exam. Your vet looks for the classic signs of acute anterior uveitis, which include protein and cells floating in the front chamber of the eye (aqueous flare), a low pressure reading inside the eye, blood vessels on the white of the eye looking injected, and a small pupil [2][3].

Pressure inside the eye is usually low with acute uveitis. It can be normal or high if inflammation blocks the drainage of fluid [2]. That is why a pressure check matters. It helps separate uveitis from glaucoma, which needs very different treatment.

Because uveitis is often a window into the rest of the body, expect a broader workup. Your vet may recommend blood tests, infectious disease testing, chest X-rays, or an ultrasound of the belly. In some cases, a veterinary ophthalmologist collects a small sample of the fluid inside the eye for testing [6][8]. If FIP is suspected, testing may include a PCR test on that fluid [8].

Uveitis in Cats Eye Treatment Options

Treatment has two jobs: calm the inflammation in the eye and address the cause behind it. Prognosis and treatment depend on the underlying cause [2].

Eye-directed treatment

Vets commonly use topical and oral anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain and swelling inside the eye. They may also use drops that dilate the pupil to ease discomfort and prevent scar tissue from forming. If pressure inside the eye is high, they add medication to lower it [2].

Never use a leftover steroid drop from a previous pet or a human prescription. A steroid can make a corneal ulcer much worse, and ulcers can look like uveitis at home. Your vet will check the cornea first.

Treating the underlying cause

If an infection is found, treatment targets that infection [2].
If FIP is the cause, antiviral treatment with GS-441524 or remdesivir can improve the eye. In one study of 118 cats with FIP, eye findings improved significantly during treatment, with rapid improvement in the first 7 days [4]. In another report of 61 cats, eye changes improved after antiviral therapy [5].
If cancer is found, the plan depends on the tumor type and location [2].
If the cause is immune-mediated, vets use medication to quiet the immune response [2].

What about cost?

No one can quote an exact price, because it depends on your location, the tests needed, and whether a specialist is involved. A single exam and eye pressure check costs far less than a full workup with bloodwork, imaging, and infectious disease panels. Long-term medication and recheck exams add to the total. Pet insurance or a payment plan can help. Ask your vet for an estimate before treatment starts so there are no surprises.

A related eye condition worth knowing

Eosinophilic keratitis is a different eye disease that also causes a red, inflamed eye in cats. In one study, cats treated with topical corticosteroids or topical calcineurin inhibitors improved in about 16 to 19 days, and the disease was controlled at the last follow-up more often with corticosteroids [9]. This is not uveitis, but it shows why an exam matters. For surface eye problems, see cat eye conjunctivitis treatment and feline ocular diseases: common conditions and treatment.

Recovery, Outlook, and Long-Term Management

How well a cat does depends mostly on the cause and how quickly treatment starts [2]. Some cats recover fully with a short course of medication. Others need months of treatment or lifelong management.

Situation	Typical outlook	What you will likely do
Mild uveitis from trauma or a treatable cause	Good with prompt care [2]	Short course of drops and oral meds, recheck exams
Uveitis from a body-wide infection	Depends on the infection [2]	Treat the infection, monitor the eye closely
FIP-associated uveitis	Often improves with antiviral therapy [4][5]	Long antiviral course, frequent rechecks
Chronic uveitis with scarring	Guarded, vision loss possible [2]	Ongoing medication, pressure checks, possible surgery

Complications to watch for include synechiae, cataracts, and secondary glaucoma [2]. Some cats also develop persistent corneal edema, which can be linked to a structural problem in the cornea that may need advanced imaging to find [8].

At home, give every dose on schedule, keep recheck appointments, and watch for changes in pupil size, cloudiness, or squinting. If your cat's eye looks worse between visits, call right away.

Prevention

You cannot prevent every case of uveitis, but you can lower the odds of a bad outcome.

Keep cats indoors to reduce trauma, fights, and exposure to infectious disease.
Stay current on vaccines and parasite prevention as your vet advises.
Treat body-wide illness early, since severe inflammation elsewhere can spill into the eye [3].
Do not wait on a red or cloudy eye. Early treatment protects vision [2].
Keep recheck appointments even when the eye looks normal again. Scarring and pressure problems can develop later [2].

Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian

This article covers general information only. Your cat needs a veterinarian who can examine the eye, measure pressure, and test for underlying disease. Individual cases always need a veterinarian's judgment.

Call your vet the same day if you see a red eye, cloudiness, a small or irregular pupil, squinting, or tearing that lasts more than a few hours.

Go to an emergency clinic now if your cat is in obvious pain, the eye looks swollen or bulging, the cornea turns white or blue, your cat suddenly cannot see, or it is pawing at the eye hard enough to injure it.

Schedule a routine visit if a previously treated eye looks slightly different, if your cat seems to see less well than before, or if you are running low on eye medication and need a refill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can uveitis in cats go away on its own?

Sometimes mild inflammation settles, but you cannot tell from the outside whether the cause is harmless or dangerous. Untreated uveitis can scar the eye and raise pressure inside it. A vet exam is the only way to know if watchful waiting is safe.

Is uveitis in cats painful?

Yes. The uvea is packed with nerves and blood vessels, so inflammation there hurts. Squinting, hiding, and reduced appetite are common signs of eye pain in cats. Pain control is a standard part of treatment.

Can uveitis in cats cause blindness?

It can. Chronic inflammation leads to scar tissue, cataracts, and secondary glaucoma, all of which can damage vision. Fast treatment gives your cat the best chance of keeping sight.

Is uveitis in cats contagious to other pets or to people?

Uveitis itself is not contagious. It is inflammation, not an infection. However, some of the infections that cause it can spread between cats, so keep a sick cat separated until your vet says otherwise.

Should I use my own eye drops on my cat?

No. Human eye drops can contain ingredients that harm a cat's eye, and a steroid drop can worsen a corneal ulcer. Only use medication prescribed for your cat by a veterinarian.

References

Disorders of the Anterior Uvea in Cats - Cat Owners. Merck Veterinary Manual.
Anterior Uveitis in Small Animals - Emergency Medicine and Critical Care. Merck Veterinary Manual.
Prevalence of anterior uveitis in cases of systemic inflammatory response syndrome in dogs and cats. Veterinary ophthalmology, 2025.
Ocular findings in cats with feline infectious peritonitis treated with GS-441524: a preliminary prospective study of 118 cases. Journal of feline medicine and surgery, 2026.
Treatment With Remdesivir Alone or in Combination With GS-441524 in Cats With Ocular Involvement of Feline Infectious Peritonitis: An Observational Case Series. Journal of veterinary internal medicine, 2025.
Evaluation of Leptospira species as a cause of endogenous uveitis in cats: a pilot study. Journal of feline medicine and surgery, 2026.
Clinical and clinicopathologic features of an undifferentiated resolving uveitis in kittens similar to that seen with feline infectious peritonitis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2026.
Anterior Segment OCT Diagnosis of Descemet's Membrane Detachment in a Cat With Suspected FIP-Associated Uveitis. Veterinary ophthalmology, 2026.
Initial Outcomes Following Treatment With Topical Corticosteroids or Topical Calcineurin Inhibitors in Cats With Eosinophilic Keratitis. Veterinary ophthalmology, 2026.