Mary Allen
A prolapsed nictitating membrane in a cat is not harmless. It impairs their vision and can be a sign of other illnesses, including serious ones.
When making eye contact with the house tiger, you can sometimes see a thin membrane that slides sideways from the edge of the nose over the eye. Especially when the purring housemate is just waking up and is still tired and relaxed, it is easy to observe.
You only need to pay attention to that fold of skin when it won’t retract anymore. Then we speak of a nictitating membrane prolapse in the cat’s eye. Find out more about the symptoms, causes, and treatment options here.
What is the nictitating membrane?
The thin, almost transparent membrane is also known as the third eyelid (palpebra tertia) and is called the nictitating membrane (plica semilunaris conjunctivae).
It is a thin conjunctival fold that can slide from the inner edge of the eye over the cat’s eye. Most vertebrates use the nictitating membrane to keep their eyes moist.
You’ve probably already noticed that your kitty rarely blinks. All the more important for our house cats is their nictitating skin, which cares for and moistens the large and heavily used cat’s eyes.
We humans also have a nictitating skin. However, this is atrophied in all primates, since our two lids can sufficiently moisten the eye.
Symptoms: Recognizing a prolapsed nictitating membrane in the cat
A visible nictitating membrane in the corner of a cat’s eye is not a cause for concern. Only when this does not push back when the animal is fully awake do you have to watch the velvet paw closely. In some cases, the nictitating membrane covers a large part of the eyeball and thus the pupil. So it limits the view.
If this abnormality does not regress in your cat, you can assume a nictitating membrane prolapse. This abnormality on the eyelid is therefore a symptom that laypeople can easily recognize.
In some cases, only one of the eyes is affected by a nictitating membrane prolapse. Sometimes a prolapsed nictitating membrane can also be seen in both eyes. Below we tell you how this difference helps the veterinarian to find the cause.
Is a cat’s nictitating membrane dangerous?
no A nictitating prolapse per se is not dangerous in the sense of being life-threatening or even fatal. The protruding conjunctiva is “only” a symptom, like coughing or diarrhea in cats or in us humans. These symptoms – like the protruding third eyelid – can point to harmless causes as well as to more serious diseases.
An accurate diagnosis of the incident is therefore important. Only then is it clear whether a dangerous or harmless trigger is behind the symptom?
The nictitating prolapse itself does not hurt our cats, nor does it cause any physical harm. But you must not forget that if left untreated for a long time, it can cause symptoms such as nervousness, restlessness, tension, insecurity, and finally fear. One can imagine what it means for “eye animals” like cats to be able to perceive only half or even less of their field of vision. What a dog’s nose is, a cat’s eye is – day and night! With this sensory organ, the velvet paws perceive the majority of the stimuli from their environment.
In extreme cases, the cat’s field of vision is so limited due to the prolapse of the third eyelid that our house tigers can no longer assess where and how they are moving, where exactly they are walking, and from what height they can jump.
If the causes remain untreated, all sorts of sequelae can develop. Therefore, you are advised: that even if a prolapsed nictitating membrane is not a life-threatening illness or a dangerous symptom, take your cat to a veterinarian you trust for treatment. He can find the trigger and discover or rule out diseases.
What causes a nictitating skin prolapse in cats?
For veterinary medicine, one difference is particularly important in order to find out the causes of the nictitating membrane prolapse. If one eye is affected, this is an indication of a specific disease of the affected eye or its surroundings (bacterial or viral inflammation).
If the nictitating membrane occurs on both sides, the veterinarian assumes that there is a systemic disease in the background (nervous system, digestive system). Then the nictitating membrane prolapse affects the general condition of the animals. Veterinary medicine uses various technical terms for this, which are explained below.
Harmless causes
Our house tigers are very sensitive and react to changes in their environment with tension and nervousness. Reasons for stress in cats are relocations, a change of caregiver, longer car trips (holidays), or the expansion of the cat family.
When a nictitating prolapse occurs due to tension or stress, we are talking about “harmless” causes that go away once the cats have calmed down.
If you haven’t dewormed your cat for a long time, it may be that over time it becomes very emaciated due to the parasites in its digestive system. A nictitating membrane prolapse can be the result.
Even simple conjunctivitis of the cat’s eye can lead to prolapsed nictitating skin if left untreated.
Diseases
Horner Syndrome
This disease usually affects only one eye. The eyeball seems sunken, the eyelids no longer open fully. Causes can be:
- nerve damage caused by inflammation and abscesses around the eye (such as the ear)
- a tumor
- an injury caused by an accident or dispute/fighting
The exact cause can often only be determined by extensive investigations. The vet will advise you on the best course of action. Sometimes it makes sense to wait and see because Horner’s syndrome can heal spontaneously, depending on the cause.
X-rays of the skull computed tomography CT or magnetic resonance imaging MRI can be used for a precise diagnosis. As you know, these examinations are very expensive. Of course, our treasures are worth all the money in the world to us, but if funds are scarce, such an investigation can tear an additional hole in the household budget. In addition, your cat must always endure this treatment under anesthetic, which can put a strain on your pet’s organism.
Some veterinarians choose to do a CSF test for an accurate diagnosis. CSF is a nerve fluid that is taken from the spinal cord of cats by means of a puncture.
Haw syndrome
If cats show symptoms of a prolapsed nictitating membrane in both eyes and also appear weak and sick, the vet will assume Haw’s syndrome. It is usually triggered by stubborn parasites such as giardia. The eyeball appears sunken, and the cats are very emaciated and show signs of muscle wasting. They also appear severely dehydrated due to vomiting and diarrhea.
Cat flu
Caused by a combination of several bacteria and viruses, cat flu is a common disease that needs to be treated. It can also lead to a nictitating membrane prolapse in the cat. A preventive vaccination works!
Feline dysautonomia
It is a dangerous systemic disease of the nervous system of cats. The nictitating membrane prolapse is accompanied by other symptoms such as dry eyes, permanently dilated pupils, digestive problems, and poor general condition. Unfortunately, this fortunately very rare disease leads to death in two-thirds of all cats.
If your cat shows the symptoms described, it is much more likely that there is a more harmless cause. If you have a third lid prolapse, stay calm and take your kitty to the vet. The sooner you have clarity, the faster you will be reassured.
Does the cat have to go to the vet in the event of a nictitating membrane prolapse?
No layman can determine what exactly caused the incident in his cat. However, this is necessary for appropriate therapy. For example, parasites as a cause must be combated differently than cat flu. If the cause is stress, the procedure is different than for conjunctivitis. That’s why you should always take your pet to the vet if the third eyelid prolapse doesn’t go away within a day or two.
Therapy: How is a nictitating membrane prolapse treated in cats?
Because there can be so many different causes behind the symptom, a conscientious veterinarian must conduct a variety of tests before making a decision about therapy.
A bacterial infection of the eye is often the easiest to diagnose. Various antibiotics in drop form or as an ointment help against bacteria. After a few days, your cat should be able to see well again.
In the case of inflammation, the cause of which cannot be clearly determined at first, broad-spectrum, anti-inflammatory drops are often prescribed. These must be consistently instilled at the prescribed intervals.
If the cause is an infestation by parasites, the cat must be dewormed quickly. As a cat owner, you are probably already familiar with this procedure. Most veterinarians recommend regular deworming for cats every quarter, which is every three months.
For cat flu and Horner’s syndrome, stronger antibiotics are administered in tablet form or – if necessary – as infusions.
For all other diseases (diseases of the nervous system, tumors), the therapy differs from case to case.
Do home remedies help with a nictitating skin prolapse?
As with the questions above, no general statement can be made here either. Too many possible causes do not allow a uniform statement about home remedies. But if you have a clear diagnosis from the vet, you can turn to specialists who are familiar with animal homeopathy. In this way, the causes can be gently eliminated and the incident hopefully disappears quickly. However, don’t take any risks! Don’t try to get lucky! It’s about your cat’s eyes! If the alternative treatment is unsuccessful, it is better to have the prolapsed third eyelid treated conventionally.
Acupuncture is not considered a home remedy, but an alternative treatment option. Some cats respond to this, but only a few of our sensitive house tigers can be treated in this way.
But you can never go wrong by reducing your cat’s feelings of stress. A limited field of vision – especially on both sides – means a great burden for your sweetheart. Give it a lot of attention during this time, spoil it more often and rely on relaxation: Catnip can distract your velvet paw from its problem just as much as valerian, to which some cats react with passion.
You can steam rooms with pheromones that have a calming and relaxing effect on your cat. The market now offers many options for relaxation therapy. The principle of holism also applies to our velvet paws: In order for the body to be healthy, the soul must also be healthy.
Do you have to operate on the nictitating membrane prolapse?
An operation is not a must. However, if the incident does not resolve after all causes have been addressed, surgery at a veterinary clinic may be an option to help the cat.
How long does a cat’s nictitating membrane last?
If you count the total time from the diagnosis to the disappearance of the symptom, you should assume two to four weeks until your sweetheart can see unhindered again.
The vet will need some time to rule out the various causes of your cat’s prolapse step by step. Once the reason has been found, it takes time for therapeutic measures. So patience is required here.
Can you prevent it?
Partly. You can prevent it if you know why the third eyelid could prolapse. If a draft in the apartment was to blame for conjunctivitis that developed, you must avoid this. If parasites were the cause, you must deworm your cat more often or prevent other uninvited guests.
If your cat has never had an incident like this, you can’t prevent it. If you don’t know what your cat is sensitive to with a prolapsed nictitating membrane, you can’t protect her from it.
Is a nictitating prolapse contagious?
no, Since the prolapse of the nictitating membrane itself is not caused by microbes (bacteria, fungi, viruses), it is NOT contagious. BUT: As described above, there can be various triggers behind it. These triggers can very well be transmitted from one cat to another, such as Giardia or the combination of pathogens in cat colds. However, that does not mean that every cat with a prolapsed nictitating membrane reacts in the same way to an infection.
We wish you and your cat all the best!