red in eye

Question
I have a three year old siamnese/mixed cat that has some red stuff in the corner of her eye. The red stuff looks like sleepers/crusties but it looks like it hurts.  It looks like blood.  I've been wiping it off but it just comes back in a few hours.  Should I be wiping it off?  Do you know what this could be?

Answer
Hi Stephanie.  It sounds like porphyrin, a red pigment that's found in tears and saliva.  Most often, red discharge from the eyes is simply due to irritants in the air or allergies.  Sometimes it happens because a cat doesn't have good drainage in his eyes because of a blocked or deformed tear duct.  But this is usually nothing to worry about. Yes, continue to wipe it off with a cloth moistened with warm water.  Or, you can buy wipes from a pet store that are made for removing tear stains.  If the eyelids themselves become inflamed or he ends up with yellow or green discharge from the eyes, he should see a vet.