Looking at cute images is more powerful than you might realize. They can boost our mood, reduce stress, and leave us feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, even on a gloomiest of days. But research has also found that scrolling through adorable pictures can help improve our concentration, and can even make us feel closer to our partners.
Eyebleach is a catch-all community for sharing beautiful, happy, or adorable content. Over 4.4 million people come here to cleanse their souls by looking at cute and uplifting posts. As the page puts it, “after a long day of seeing what internet anonymity can do to people, you're bound to need some eye bleach.” Judging from the content, it seems animals are among the best form of eye bleach.
We've picked our favorites posts from the community, for when you need some help taking your mind off things. Bored Panda also chatted to veterinarian, Dr. Riaan Pont from the Panorama Veterinary Clinic. He gets to spend his days surrounded by cuteness. And, as as a surgeon specializing in small animals and wildlife, dedicates his life to saving animals.
#1 This Woman Adopted This 20-Year-Old Cat From A Shelter Because She Didn't Want Him To Spend The End Of His Life Alone In A Cage
Image credits: Mohan_Yadav
#2 Whenever We Foster A Singleton Kitten, Our Dog Becomes Foster Mama
Image credits: pinkhairgirl37
#3 It’s Never Too Late
Image credits: hootersbutwithcats
No matter how much you love animals, not everyone is cut out for being a veterinarian. Yes, you’ll spend your days surrounded by cuteness. But you’ll also have to see and deal with the not-so-nice side of the job: sick, injured, neglected, or dying animals.
For Dr. Riaan Pont, being a vet was a calling he couldn’t ignore. Pont is a surgical resident at Panorama Veterinary Clinic and Specialist Centre in South Africa. He took some time out of his very busy schedule to chat to us about what his job entails.
“I grew up on a farm in Limpopo, where my passion for the veterinary profession started. Every school holiday I used to work together with the wildlife vet in the area and ever since, I also wanted to become a veterinarian,” Pont told Bored Panda during our interview.
#4 After The Overwhelming Support I Got I Realized Older Cats Get Adopted Less Than I Thought. Here Is 12 Year Old Hermes Who Has Lived In The Shelter For Six Years. The Lady Started Crying In Joy When I Said I Wanted Him
Image credits: Bloodyfaucet
#5 This Veterinarian Has A Comfort Dog Assistant That Helps Sick Dog Patients Know That Everything Will Be Alright
Image credits: Obito_GF
#6 A Baby Lynx Napping In A Tree
Image credits: reddit.com
After completing his veterinary degree, Pont went on to do a year of compulsory community service. Naturally, having worked with wildlife before, he has a keen interest in that area. But he also has a passion for little creatures, which led him to complete his Honours degree in small animal surgery in 2022.
Fascinated with surgery, Pont decided this was where he would specialize. He embarked on a residency under the guidance of two expert vets in 2024. "I enjoy the surgical side of the veterinary profession, as it constantly challenges you and you can often make a big difference to the quality of life of a pet," he told us.
#7 Growing Old Together!
Image credits: hootersbutwithcats
#8 Adorable Little Boi
Image credits: Aztery
#9 Blind Dog Was Scared To Walk. So Owner Made This For Him
Image credits: Nevuary
As expected, Pont says his job is not all fluffy cuteness all the time. He has some tough moments. "Unfortunately, in our profession there is not always a black and white answer and it can be difficult to make a diagnosis in some cases," he revealed, when asked what the hardest part of being a vet is. "The big emotional component can also be challenging. For example, having to euthanize a dog and seeing a family lose their loving pet can be very difficult."
#10 Everyone's Welcome In This Pack
Image credits: hootersbutwithcats
#11 Like Father, Like Son
Image credits: reddit.com
#12 A Very Smol Dragon
Image credits: killHACKS
We asked Pont what pet owners should look out for when it comes to the well-being of their furry friends. According to the expert, general signs of illness include lethargy, a loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting and diarrhea. But there are some other signs that warrant an emergency trip to the veterinarian.
Pont says you should never ignore “difficulty breathing, collapse, seizures, swollen face, severe bleeding, or dehydration,” which could be the result of severe vomiting and diarrhea. But also, trust your gut. If you feel there is something seriously wrong with your four-legged furkid, get them to an animal doctor as soon as possible.
#13 Beans Are Coming Up Nicely This Year
Image credits: heardyoumeow
#14 The Cat , Saved From The Wreckage, Does Not Leave Her Rescuer (Turkey )
Image credits: -AliRaza-
#15 Hehe My Dog
Image credits: Sensitive-Marsupial8
Pont says the most common problems he sees in dog patients are osteoarthritis, gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea), allergies, itchiness and periodontal disease. The vet has the following advice for pooch owners to help keep their pets happy and healthy: Make sure they have their annual vaccinations, have regular deworming, tick and flea treatments, get regular dental check-ups, eat good quality dog food and get all the exercise they need.
#16 This Grandpa Created An Incredible Cradle For His Grandson
Image credits: unnaturalorder
#17 This Cat On A Fluffy Seal Pillow
Image credits: hikui87
#18 This Photo Undoes A Year Of Internet Browsing
Image credits: kingsaw100
We’ve often heard that a cold, wet nose signals good health in a dog and that a warm, dry nose could mean your mutt is under the weather. We wondered whether this is true. So, we asked Dr. Pont. "Unfortunately we cannot use the moistness of the nose as an indicator of health status," he said.
"The moisture of the nose is more dependent on the environmental temperature, therefore a healthy dog can have a dry nose." So now you know... No matter what's happening with Fido's nose, if he shows any of the signs Pont warned of earlier, it's best to seek professional advice.
#19 If You Can't Afford A Real Tiger
Image credits: very_alex
#20 Prince Harry Meets A Fellow Ginger
Image credits: GallowBoob
#21 Fortune Finally Came True!
Image credits: kiki9988
#22 My Dog Made A Friend At The Park, They Became Inseparable. After Chatting With The Other Owner, We Worked Out They Are Brother And Sister!
They hadn’t seen each other since they were 8 weeks old, and were both rescues
Image credits: raejohnston
#23 This Is Daisy And Luna. Daisy Doesn’t Like Car Rides, So Luna Comforts Her Until They Both Fall Asleep
Image credits: Kiplon92
#24 Not Nearly Enough Crustaceans On This Sub
Image credits: JMyers666
#25 We Upgraded Our Lab Equipment. Bunsen (Our Berner) Now Has A Little Sister Named Beaker
Image credits: zedscience1
#26 My German Shepherd Was Having A False Pregnancy So I Got Her A German Shepherd/Alaskan Husky Puppy. She Thinks It’s Hers And The Pup Thinks She’s Her Mom And I’m Never Going To Tell Them Different
Image credits: PhoenixFireCat
#27 I'm Pretty Sure You've Never Seen Such A Scary Lion Before
Image credits: ratihes
#28 My Aunts Cat Everytime I Pick Him Up
Image credits: lil_c00kie
#29 Someone Told Me This Page Might Like Him…
Image credits: fuKpolitness
#30 Summer Floof V/S Winter Floof
Image credits: d3333p7
#31 Is My 20 Year Old Still Worthy Of Eyebleach? All He Wants To Do Is Cuddle These Days
Image credits: BellaTgirl
#32 This Is Enzo, He Was Born With A Rare Skin Condition Causing A Lil Black Freckle To Appear On His Face. Believed To Be The Rarest Golden Retriever On The Planet
Image credits: reddit.com
#33 Ladies And Gentlemen, The Real Puss In Boots!
Image credits: eff8ble
#34 Woke Up And This Was The View Two Inches From My Face :)
Image credits: icazz
#35 The Best Portrait
Image credits: Quaggalecht
#36 My Baby Helped My Boyfriend Propose To Me Yesterday. 11/10 Good
Image credits: doyouwatmoore
#37 Besties, Rudy The Golden Retriever And Barkly The Duck
Image credits: -rbbt
#38 Seal Getting A Checkup
Image credits: GAMINGTROOPERYT
#39 Bernie Played With His Alpaca So Hard He Fell Asleep Still Holding It
Image credits: IfOnlyISpokeFrench
#40 The Quokka. Possibly The Happiest Animal On Earth
Image credits: fabulous_shark
#41 My Dad Reassuring His 25yo Coco During A Fire Alert (All Was Ok)
Image credits: jplmnop
#42 Cat And Lowercase Cat
Image credits: Holden-McGroin
#43 A Bowl Of Baby Otters
Image credits: Flums666
#44 Where This Cat Chose To Fall Asleep
Image credits: paper--plane
#45 Look At This Baby Goat, Aww
Image credits: Kronyzx
#46 The Absolute Cutest Cheetah Cub Ever
Image credits: I_Am_Err00r
#47 The [former] Finnish President And His Dog Lennu
Image credits: FairlyShaft57
#48 Kitten Does A Big Grow
Image credits: hootersbutwithcats
#49 Little Hedgehog Camper
Image credits: KILLSTER121343
#50 I Hold Da Han
Image credits: [deleted]
