Cat Allergic To Catnip Sneezing

Can Cats Be Allergic To Catnip

• Asked by: Omer Funk

  Last update: October 24, 2021Score: 4.5/5

Allergies: Some cats suffer from allergies, and a low percentage of them may be allergic to catnip. According to www.myhealthycat.com, When first giving your cat catnip or a catnip toy to play with, you should watch to see what kind of reaction your cat has.

Do Hairballs Make Cats Sneeze

Hairballs may cause your feline to cough and hack at random times. Sneezing seems like a natural addition to this, but you can be sure theyre unrelated.

A hairball is a compact, sticky mass of ingested fur covered in digestive fluids and mucus. There is no part of a hairball that would result in a cat sneezing. That is, unless there is something physically wrong with the cat and fluids find a way into its nose. The odds of this happening are minimal.

If your cat exhibits odd behavior or seems to struggle with ejecting a hairball, have it examined by a vet. Inhaling fluids will cause more troubles than just sneezing.

Do Cats Sneeze When They Have A Cold

Felines wont catch a cold, but they can still grow ill. Repeated sneezing is one of the more recognizable signs of an upper respiratory infection in cats. In fact, they even have their own brand of the flu.

A small family of viruses causes cat flu. As stated in Antiviral Research, feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus are the main causes of cat flu. With that in mind, there are three primary categories for upper respiratory infections:

• Fungal
• Bacterial
• Viral

Most cat flu strains are contagious, able to be transferred through contact of eye, mouth, or nasal discharge. Even indirect contact is enough if the infected cat shares food or water or sneezes and leaves mucus on trafficked surfaces. Asides from sneezing, cat flu will manifest symptoms like:

• Coughing
• Runny eyes
• Nasal discharge, clear, yellow, green, or bloody in color

A cat with cat flu will sneeze and cough, which will spread contaminated mucus everywhere. It is best to keep an infected cat isolated to a room that can be disinfected once treatment is complete. Of course, the cat will need treatment. The specifics of the treatment will vary depending on the cause of the flu. Generally, supportive therapies and antibiotics will be prescribed.

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Treatment For Feline Asthma

There are two main types of treatment to manage asthma in cats anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids to reduce the inflammation which leads to the symptoms, and bronchodilator medication which helps to widen a felines air passage when needed. Antihistamine drugs may also be used when cats havent responded to other treatments.

Medication is often administered through an inhaler, but can also be given in tablet or injection form. If an inhaler is recommended then ensure you are clear on how to use it, with guidance from your vet. Inhalers used by people work differently from those prescribed for cats because you cant ask your pet to breathe deeply to trigger release of the drug.

What Are Common Cat Food Allergy Symptoms

Its no surprise that gastrointestinal symptoms could be a sign of food sensitivity in your cat, and both diarrhea and vomiting could indicate that your cats food isnt agreeing with them. You might be less aware that symptoms like ear infections and skin itching can also point to something in your cats diet. While true food allergies are less common and can usually only be diagnosed by a vet, food sensitivities are more common. Ingredients like dairy, fish, eggs or beef sometimes disagree with cats tummies.

Keep in mind that cats can also be allergic to common substances like rubber and cleaning chemicals, so if your cat isnt feeling good after meals, youll want to make sure their dishes or eating area arent to blame. Choosingcat food and suppliesthat help keep them feeling their best is a wonderful way for you to show how much you love being a pet parent.And performing a DNA test on your cat may also help you identify certain predispositions for some allergies.

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Do Cats Sneeze When Stressed

Stress will lead to cats exhibiting some strange behaviors. Sneezing is not known to be one of them. However, cats that live with constant stress are more vulnerable to viruses and infections. These, on their own, can result in sneezing as a symptom. If you suspect that your cat is stressed, it is prudent to resolve the issue quickly and quietly.

Why Does My Cat Sneeze Multiple Times In A Row

• Post category:Cats

When your cat sneezes, it can be so cute and adorable. You just want to take out your phone and start recording those small sounds it makes when it does this.

But what happens when your pet sneezes multiple times in a row? Is this a cause for concern?

There are many reasons why your cat could be sneezing multiple times in a row. It could be something as simple as seasonal allergies or having something tickling their nose. Yet, it can also be a more serious cause that you may need to investigate.

You will find yourself sifting through a lot of information regarding causes, what to do, and more. Here is everything answered that you need to know when your cat is sneezing multiple times in a row.

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Eight Possible Causes Of Cats Sneezing Repeatedly

You will find that your cat sneezing quite a few times in a row isnt always a cause for concern. Sometimes, dust or seasonal allergies can cause your pet to sneeze a few times in a row. People and pets can have sneezing fits every once in a while.

There are many possible causes for this occurrence to happen. Most of the time, it is something curable or something you can prevent or reduce the risk, but sometimes there are more dire causes for these sneezing fits. Here are some possible causes:

Is Cat Sneezing Serious

It depends on whether the cause is environmental or a disease.

Sometimes the irritants that trigger the sneeze reflex are environmentallike dust, mold, or pollenwhich the cat inhales, causing them to sneeze. In these cases, sneezing is usually not serious, especially if seen in an isolated episode.

More often, though, cat sneezing is caused by one or more disease processes.

Most commonly, a viral infection is the initial problem, with subsequent inflammation and bacterial infections causing damage to the architecture inside the nose, perpetuating the problem.

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Can Allergies Give Fevers

Is it possible for allergies to Allergies cause a fever? It is generally not possible to get a bacterial or viral infection from allergies. However, you may become vulnerable to them if you have symptoms. A fever can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection, so you can indirectly blame it for your allergy symptoms.

What Causes Cat Allergy

Children with allergies have overly sensitive immune systems that mistake the protein from cat dander for something that will cause harm to their bodies. Your childs body attacks those proteins just as it would a bacteria or virus. In response, the body reacts with a wide variety of symptoms, including:

• Allergic shiners
• Coughing
• Itchy throat or roof of mouth
• Itchy, watery or red eyes
• Itchy rash if the cat scratched or licked the area
• Runny, stuffy or itchy nose
• Sneezing
• Waking up in the night with nasal stuffiness, sneezing or coughing
• Wheezing

These symptoms are usually noticeable immediately. If your childs allergy symptoms are present for more than two weeks and are not going away like a common cold or your child is having trouble breathing, then contact their doctor.

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How Do Vets Determine The Cause Of Cat Sneezing

Although treatment for sneezing cats is typically not costly, achieving a diagnosis certainly can be expensive.

You would think that testing for bacteria or a virus would determine the cause. However, because the nasal cavity is not a sterile location, a culture that is positive for certain bacteria does not prove that the bacteria are the primary cause of the sneeze, or even that they are causing disease .

Nor does testing positive for viruses confirm this as the underlying cause, since even asymptomatic cats will often test positive for either herpesvirus or calicivirus.

Here are some ways your vet can determine the cause of cat sneezing:

What To Do For Your Sneezing Cat

You can do many things to help your cat from sneezing, but first, you will have to figure out the cause of the sneezing. If your cat is sneezing due to a serious illness, consult with your veterinarian on the steps you need to take, but less serious reasons will be more manageable.

When your cat has a sneezing fit because of dust or another airborne allergen, you can easily eliminate these products. You can do some of the following to help remove these and reduce the likelihood of your cats sneezing fits:

• Dust your house regularly.
• Wash your cats beds once a week at least.
• Have plants in the home that your cat isnt allergic to.

You will find that keeping your house clean and refraining from using strong scents that can irritate your cats nostrils will be helpful. Having plants in the home has also proven to boost immune systems and enrich the environment. You will also find that all these help you as well.

If your cat suffers from seasonal allergies, you may want to talk to your veterinarian about prescribing allergy medication. You can use human allergy medicines on dogs, but this is not the case with your friendly feline. Their digestive systems will not be able to handle it, so consult with your vet.

Cleaning your home can help against seasonal allergies and ensure that you are keeping a tight lid on your home. This will reduce symptoms because they arent being exposed to the allergen.

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Do Cats Sneeze For Attention

Some cats will fake certain behavior to get your attention. For example, parrots are known to mimic sneezing to catch their owners attention. If you see your cat sneezing multiple times, then running up to you, its natural to assume that its picked up the same trick. It got a reaction before, so its trying it again, right?

Not so. For cats, sneezing is not attention-grabbing behavior. Thats because its an involuntary reaction. A cat will not fake or mimic a sneeze just to get a reaction out of its owner. It doesnt have the ability, even if it did notice the positive response from you.

Cat Sneezing With Other Symptoms

Cat sneezing in conjunction with other signs is common but doesnt always help us narrow down the cause.

Cat sneezing along with wheezing can suggest concurrent lower respiratory disease.

If a cat is coughing and sneezing, it typically means that its primarily an upper respiratory process with postnasal drip irritating the throat.

If you see nasal discharge, especially with blood or pus-colored mucus, make a note or take a picture before cleaning your cats face, as this can help narrow down the causes. Be sure to clean your cats face, as it causes discomfort for your cat.

Chronic nosebleeds raise the concern for cancer, especially in older cats, but this association is not definitive.

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Common Types Of Allergies In Cats

There are different kinds of allergies that cats can experience. Like people, cats can have allergies to foods, medications, plants, and more. These allergies generally come with symptoms such as:

• Excessive licking
• Pulling or biting out hair
• Scratching
• Chewing at paws or body
• Ear infections
• Red, dry and/or flaky skin
• Itchy, runny eyes
• Snoring due to inflammation in the throat
• Swollen, sensitive paws

The most common allergies in cats are either environmental, fleas, and/or food. Each of these allergens can cause the symptoms listed above.

When Is It Time To See A Vet

Since many of these conditions are uncomfortable or painful, its never a bad idea to take your cat to the vet as soon as you notice a problem, even if sneezing is the only symptom.

However, these signs are more serious and require a vet visit sooner rather than later:

• Loss of appetite

• Persistence of symptoms beyond a few days

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What Other Stimulants Affect Cats

Though catnip is by far the best known cat stimulant, researchers have noted that there are many other plants that can alter felines moods and behaviors.

Siegel, for instance, speaks of matatabi, or silver vine . This is a plant native to areas of Japan and China. In an experiment at Osaka Zoo in Japan, large felines exposed to high quantities of the active substance in matatabi showed signs of intense pleasure and addiction.

This plant contains secondary compounds closely related in chemical structure and behavioral activity to nepetalactones, Siegel explains.

After an initial exposure, the cats became so eager for more that they would ignore whatever else they were doing eating, drinking, or even having sexual intercourse whenever the chemicals were made available.

Ronald Siegel

2017 study confirmed that matatabi can be just as, if not more, effective than catnip when it comes to stimulating domestic cats.

The studys authors also identified two more plants that had a similar effect: Tatarian honeysuckle and valerian .

Almost 80% of the domestic cats in this study reacted to matatabi, and around 50% of cats also responded to Tatarian honeysuckle and valerian root.

Matatabi, the study authors also note, actually elicited a response in 75% of the domestic cats that had no reaction to catnip.

Common Causes Of Cat Sneezes

1. Environmental Factors

Cats may have tiny button noses but its easy for their nasal passages to become irritated by their environment. The occasional sneeze may be due to an irritant or allergen like:

• Household Dust
• Mold
• Cleaning Products

After a sneeze, check your cats surrounding area. Could incense or candles be the culprit? Or maybe youve switched to a new litter that creates excess dust? Also check for other symptoms that might be present. Fetch by WebMD notes that sneezing because of allergy-related reasons will likely be accompanied by itchy skin.

2. Dental Disease

What do dental disease and sneezing have in common? A cats dental roots are located right next to their nasal passages, so if their teeth become infected or if inflammation develops, their nose can become irritated. If you suspect your cat may have dental disease, PetMD advises bringing them to the vet, as this can be a painful condition.

3. Infections

Frequent sneezing that is accompanied by other symptoms may be a sign of one of the following infections:

Feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus are very common. In fact, VCA Hospitals says that these two conditions are responsible for 90% of all feline upper respiratory tract infections.

4. Inflammatory Issues

5. Vaccines

If sneezing is the result of an infection, your veterinarian may give your cat a nasal vaccine. While this can help ease their symptoms, it can also cause sneezing for a few days after it is administered.

6. Nasal Blockage

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Do Cat Allergies Eventually Go Away

It is possible for cat allergy symptoms to remain manageable even when they are not completely gone. You should be aware of this basic fact about cat allergens. If you have an allergic reaction to them, they must be airborne and you must breathe them in. Because cat allergens are very small, they remain suspended in the air for a longer time.

Seasonal And Environmental Allergies

Just like humans can be allergic to anything from pollen to laundry detergents, felines are also prone to seasonal and environmental allergies. Allergies can cause sneezing fits, watery eyes, coughing, bloating, and skin itchiness in cats. Some of the more common cat allergies are:

• Fleas and mites
• Certain types of cat litter

Luckily, discovering what your cat is allergic to is simple if you narrow down recent changes in the household.

• Did your cat begin scratching and sneezing after you changed her dry food?
• Did the sneezing and coughing start after you washed her favorite blanket with a new detergent?
• Did the trees recently begin blooming in early spring?

One by one, undo the changes youve made and see if it reverses your cats symptoms. A cat sensitive to irritants may also prefer dust-free litter, a prescription diet, unscented cleaners, and regular flea and tick preventatives. Severe cat allergies might require antihistamine treatments to reduce itchiness and respiratory responses.

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Can Asthma In Cats Be Prevented

Although there is no cure, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of your cat suffering an asthma attack. Allergy testing can be done to enable you to establish the root cause of the condition, and eliminate the relevant triggers wherever possible.

Avoid smoking around your pet or using perfumes, air fresheners or any aerosol products as they can worsen the condition, as can cat litters that create lots of dust or are scented. As stress can aggravate the disease, you should ensure your cat remains as relaxed as possible at all times.

Obesity can also increase the severity of the condition so its important to keep your cat in shape and provide a good diet.

Its also a good idea to keep a diary of any asthma attacks your cat suffers, recording the time and date, severity and treatment given to build up a picture of any seasonal patterns or environmental factors that can trigger symptoms in your pet. Taking a video to show your vet can be very helpful.