My Cat's Mysterious Third Eyelid

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A few days ago, I took Taffy (my cream coloured Siamese/Burmese mix cat) to the vet. Her third eyelids were covering three quarters of her beautiful blue eyes. From my rather limited knowledge of cat biology, third eyelids could mean anything from eye infection to immune deficiency problems. Whatever it is, it is definitely bad news! 

 

Taffy with visible third eyelids

The paranoid cat parent in me took immediate action and arranged for an appointment with her vet.  Taffy is more than 8 years old and has chronic bladder issues so I tend to be very jumpy about her health. I was not always this paranoid but that is a story for another day. 

 

Taffy with her beautiful blue eyes

As I did not have the car with me, I had to take a cab. Not all cab driver are accepting to cats in Singapore but my driver agreed to bring us to the vet, grudgingly. He has a scroll on his face the whole way and kept turning his around to eye the kitty carrier Taffy was in suspiciously. Oh well, I’m just grateful he was willing to take us.

Taffy was not happy! She knows that if I have to stuff her into her carrier and take her anywhere by CAB, it can’t mean anything good.  Taffy is used to taking trips in the car roaming between the front and back seats. She got the usual pokes and prods at the vet like getting her temperature taken (Rectal! Poor girl) and the nasty test which make her eyes neon green.

To my immense relief (for the time being), Taffy was diagnosed with nothing bigger than a probable eye infection. With almost a spring in my step, I collected Taffy’s eye drops and exited the clinic.  At the bottom step, I caught sight of 2 grown man hugging and sobbing into each other.  They must have just said their last goodbyes to a dear friend.  They cried a good 5 minutes and then left hand in hand with their heads bowed in resignation.

I recognized myself in them. I lost Stoppy here more than a year ago and cried at that same spot. I wanted to go over to offer my comfort but I was at a loss of what to say. After all, the sorrow  of losing Stoppy is still the same. I ended up sobbing my way home that day. 

My Stoppy boy that I mourn for till this day