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In this lesson, we'll be going over pet eye washing, specifically showing you (well, telling you) how it's done. At the end of the lesson, we're going to try and answer a question as old as time itself: should your cat be an indoor cat or an outdoor cat?

How to Flush Out Your Pet's Eye

First off, you'll need to restrain your pet. Some pets may be OK with this, while others, probably your feline friends, will not be. So, it may take a second person to hold Fluffy still while you perform the following eye washing steps. This will also help ensure you're actually spraying into an eye, rather than all over your kitchen.

1. Grab your sterile saline solution from your pet first aid kit.
2. Tilt your pet's head back a little to allow gravity to do some of the work.

Warning: When washing your pet's eye, make sure you don't touch the tip of the bottle to the actual eye. You want to get close, but not so close that you actually do more damage. Account for squirming!

3. Aim, squeeze, spray! Again, as you begin flushing out your pet's eye, he or she isn't going to take the matter as well as you probably hope. So, expect your pet to try and wiggle free as you begin doing this.
4. Depending on how that first attempt of a flush went, you will likely want to flush some more. You want to flush a fairly large amount and ensure that the eye is thoroughly cleaned out to dislodge any foreign matter or to just simply irrigate the eye thoroughly.
5. Clean up the wayward saline sprays. This will probably get messy, so expect that too.

Pro Tip: Even though this can be a messy procedure for you and an uncomfortable or anxious experience for your pet, doing so can make a huge difference in making your pet's eye feel much better.

A Word About the Great Debate: Inside or Outside for Your Cat?

So, you can't decide whether your cat should be an indoor cat or an outdoor cat. Don't worry, this question has plagued mankind since the dawn of time (not really). And what we're about to share with you might just clear this up once and for all.

In an effort to not bury the lead, as journalists like to say, you should know that, according to WebMD, cats who are kept indoors can reach the ripe old age of 17 or more years, whereas outdoor cats live an average of just two to five years.

Outdoor cats are exposed to more risks, like predators, roads, vehicles, and even illnesses or disease. And also, according to WebMD, another reason for indoor cats' longevity is that it's easier for their owners to identify health problems early, before they become life threatening.

Having laid all that out, some cat owners will still argue for outdoor cats. Here are some reasons why:

  1. If my cat had to stay inside all day, she would get bored. That's a fair point, and we all probably would. But there's nothing stopping a cat owner from creating outdoor fun inside the safety of your house. The ideas and products are practically endless. Let Google be your guide!
  2. If my cat had to stay inside all day, she would destroy my furniture or other belongings. OK, that's a reasonable argument, but only until you realize that there are endless variations of scratching posts that your cat will likely consider a lot more fun than your Lazy Boy recliner. Again, Google to the rescue!
  3. If my cat had to stay inside all day, she would get fat and her health would suffer. Maybe. But if your cat is more stationary than you'd like and getting fat because of it, you have two options: feed her less or look again at number one above. Also, we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but do you know what's worse for a cat's health than staying indoors? Coming face to face with a hungry coyote.

What some ideas on how to transition your cat from an outdoor cat to an indoor cat? Check out the entire article on the ProPetHero blog. There are some fun cat photos, as well as two cat videos. And who doesn't love cat videos? You can read that article here: The Great Debate – Indoor or Outdoor for your Cat?