cat with runny eye

Question
I have a male tonkinese cat, a year and a half old, I got him from a previous owner, who had him and another cat. Ever since I got him, he has had a runny left eye. It doesn't seem to be bothering him any, it isn't itchy or sore, but his eye tissue looks a bit more discolored than the other eye. Do you have any ideas what this might be? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

Answer
My sincere apologies for the delay.  I have been dealing with some health issues and fallen terribly behind.

I am not certain how long you have had him but there are a couple of possibilities.  Cat that experience upper respiratory infections can become persistent carriers and during times of stress, including being relocated to a new home, they can have relapses where you will see recurrence of especially ocular signs.

If the tearing has been of a more long term nature it is possible that he has an obstructed tear duct, such that the fluid on the surface of the eye does not drain properly.  This can indeed lead to staining of area a bit.  It should not negatively impact his health, however if concerned your veterinarian should be able to give him a full eye exam to check for any problems.

Best of luck to you and your feline friend.