A reader named Sandra from Wisconsin wrote to us about her 11-year-old calico who had developed a small grayish mass in the inner corner of one eye. The cat did not seem bothered by it, but Sandra was understandably worried. This is a question we have received many times, and the answer is not always straightforward.
A gray or pinkish mass near the medial canthus, the inner corner of the eye where the upper and lower lids meet, can have several causes. The most common is a prolapse or inflammation of the third eyelid gland, sometimes called cherry eye, though this is more frequently seen in dogs. In cats, a visible mass in this area is more likely to be a small growth such as a squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, or a benign polyp. The color and texture can help your vet narrow down the possibilities, but only a biopsy provides a definitive answer.
The nasolacrimal duct, which drains tears from the eye into the nasal passage, has its opening in the inner corner of the eye. When this duct becomes blocked, fluid can accumulate and sometimes a swollen, grayish tissue develops at the drainage point. Blockages are often caused by chronic inflammation, scar tissue from previous infections, or in some flat-faced breeds like Persians and Himalayans, by the shape of the skull itself. Your vet can flush the duct under sedation to determine if a blockage is present.
Something many cat owners do not realize is that severe dental disease, particularly infections of the upper premolar and molar teeth, can cause swelling and discharge near the eye. The roots of these teeth sit remarkably close to the eye socket and nasal passages. A tooth root abscess can create a draining tract that appears as a lump near the eye or on the cheek just below it. If your cat has a mass near the eye along with bad breath, difficulty eating, or pawing at the face, dental disease should be high on the list of suspects. A dental X-ray under anesthesia will reveal whether a tooth root is involved.
In Sandra's case, the mass turned out to be a small benign adenoma that was successfully removed with surgery. Her cat recovered fully.