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.
My Cat Is Sneezing A Lot Viral Fungal Or Bacterial Infections
If you suspect a bacterial, fungal, or viral infection, its time to start fighting it. To start treatment, you need to know what infection it is. Sadly, there are dozens of possible guilty parties:
- Feline calicivirus
- The Feline herpes virus
The good news is that many of these illnesses are preventable. There are vaccines out there that protect young kittens from ever getting these nasty infections.
Is Sneezing A Symptom Of Covid
If your cat is sneezing, its unlikely that its a symptom of COVID-19. COVID-19 is primarily spread from human to human, and although there were cases of animals contracting the virus, its not likely that your cat has it unless they were exposed. However, it is important to note that cats can contract their own variation of coronavirus, a term used to describe a large family of viruses. The main coronavirus symptoms to watch in your pet are respiratory illness and diarrhea.
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Dust And Other Airborne Particles
The occasional sneezing can be caused by inhaled allergens or possible irritants in your home that get into your cats nasal passages. Such airborne irritants can trigger a random sneezing episode for your cat. But once the identified trigger has been eliminated, your cats nasal passages should feel relieved and the sneezing will stop.
Unfortunately, the list of potential irritants is long, and some cats are more sensitive than others. Some common irritants are dust, smoke, perfume, cleaning products, and even specific kinds of grass.
Be observant of your cats surroundings and activities before it goes into a sneezing fit so you can identify the possible culprit.
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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How To Treat Cat Sneezing
If your cat has more than a mild sneeze, you should seek treatment from the vet. Depending on what your vet determines to be the cause of the sneezing will dictate the treatment. Possible treatments include:
- Eye and/or nose drops
- Blood and urine tests to detect viruses and other infectious diseases
- Small biopsies from the nose
When You Should See A Vet
Kittens are vulnerable to illnesses because their immune systems are not fully developed. If your kitten only sneezes occasionally and otherwise appears happy and healthy, you can monitor him at home, but persistent sneezing and any additional symptoms warrants a trip to the vet to treat any underlying problems before they progress to something more serious.
Schedule a vet visit if your kitten:
- Sneezes frequently
- Has enlarged lymph nodes
Your kitten may just have a straightforward upper respiratory infection, but could also have a secondary infection taking advantage of his already weakened immune system.
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What To Do About Cat Sneezing
If your cat sneezes occasionally and otherwise seems healthy, then you probably have nothing to worry about. Make sure you bring your cat to the vet for a yearly physical, or as recommended by your vet. Your vet may be able to determine if there is an underlying health issue before it gets out of control. In between vet visits, you can check your cat’s head and face at home to look for abnormalities.
If your sneezing cat is also experiencing nasal congestion, eye discharge, or other cold-like signs, then it might be an upper respiratory infection or similar issue. URIs often cause a cat to sneeze out mucus that could be yellow or greenish in color. The eyes might be glassy, teary, or even excreting a yellow or green mucus. You may notice loud breathing and trouble passing air through the nostrils. It may seem just like the common cold we humans get, except that healthy cats don’t often “catch colds.” URIs in cats are often caused byfeline herpesvirus orcalicivirus. Be sure to bring your cat to the vet soon for treatment.
Inflammation Of Nasal Cavity
Like humans, cats can also experience inflammatory conditions in the nasal cavity like sinusitis and rhinitis.
Rhinitis is when the mucous membranes of the notes get inflamed, much like a stuffy nose you would experience. Sinusitis, on the other hand, is when the lining of your sinuses gets irritated and swollen.
For cats, these two conditions occur together. The feline term for it is rhinosinusitis. Apart from the frequent sneezing, you will also notice your cat pawing at its face and nose and some yellow or green nasal discharges.
Your cats breathing may also be labored, causing your pet to breathe through its mouth and not through its nose.
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Can A Cat Cold Cause My Cat To Sneeze
Its time to get the cat out of the bag -no pun intended- and deal with the most common and asked question of all times: Do Cats Have Colds?
~ And the answer is yes.
Your cats cold is an Upper Respiratory Infection caused by a virus that differs from the human cold virus. We call these viruses colds because they cause similar symptoms. Human cold viruses tend to be either respiratory syncytial virus or influenza A virus. But do not worry as viruses are not contagious between species, so pet viruses cannot infect people or vice-versa.
Irritants And Foreign Bodies
The occasional cat sneeze could be brought on by an inhaled allergen, or a nearby irritant thats attacking their sensitive nasal passages. Like with humans, irritants can trigger a sneezing fit in a cat from out of nowhere.
The list of potential nose tormentors is long, and includes dust particles, smoke, cleaning products, perfume, even pieces of grass. Once you have isolated the irritant and removed it from your cats nose, or their surroundings, the sneezing should subside.
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If your cat’s sneezing and/or nasal discharge is mild and he/she has a normal appetite and energy level, it is okay to monitor him/her for the first couple of days. Keeping your cat separate from other cats is recommended until a veterinarian gives the okay, since he/she may have a contagious upper respiratory infection.
Something In The Nose
Its not uncommon for your cat to accidentally breathe in a foreign object that causes her to sneeze. Many cat toys contain hair or small fibers. When they inhale these objects, the bodys natural reflex is to sneeze to remove the foreign object. Sometimes the scent of perfume, smoke, or strongly scented products can also cause a cats nose to itch. In this case, the sneeze usually starts suddenly and goes away on its own after the cause of the nasal irritation disappears. Interestingly, cats sometimes sneeze when they get too excited.
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Is Your Cat Sneezing Here Are A Few Potential Causes
A cat sneezing here and there is no big deal. Its cute, even! But if Mittens is constantly sneezing and has watery eyes and a runny nose, it may be cause for concern. Excitement, seasonal allergies, and upper respiratory infections can all be behind those seemingly adorable kitty sneezes. Keep reading to find out what has your kittens nose all over the place.
How Can I Prevent Sneezing In My Cat
This depends on the cause of sneezing in your cat. For example, if your cat suffers from allergies to particular irritants such as dust or pollen, you may want to clean and vacuum more often to reduce the amount of these triggers in your home. But if your cat is sneezing as a result of a bacterial infection, veterinary care is recommended. In any event, identifying triggers is important, and can help you develop ways to prevent any sneezing in the future.
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What Causes Cat Sneezing
Cat sneezing can be surprisingly difficult to diagnose, for several reasons. First, your veterinarian will need to confirm that your cat is actually sneezing.
Coughing, gagging, reverse sneezing, hiccupping, retching, and wheezing can all be misidentified as a sneeze, and each of these symptoms come with a separate list of possible causes.
Take a video of your cat during an episode to help your vet confirm whether it really is a sneeze.
Another obstacle in diagnosing cat sneezing is the plethora of underlying causes. Infections, chronic inflammation, dental disease, cancer, and inhalation of foreign material can all cause a cat to sneeze.
Further complicating matters is the fact that in cats, more than one of these causes is usually going on at the same time.
Here are some of the possible causes for sneezing in cats.
Why Does My Cat Keep Sneezing But Seems Fine
Sneezing can be one of the normal daily routines of cats. You dont need to worry too much if your cat sneezes once or twice and then resumes normal activities. It could just be something in the air that irritates their sinuses. Just watch your cat for a day or two to see if they show any unusual symptoms.
If your pet is constantly sneezing or has other symptoms such as lethargy, cough, dry vomiting, thick nasal discharge, shortness of breath, wheezing or bloody sneezes, it could be a sign. of the following diseases:
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What Is A Normal Sneeze
In descriptive terms, a sneeze is a sudden, powerful expulsion of air from the nasal passages and mouth. It is usually the bodys way of expelling some kind of irritant from the nasal passages.
When you have a cold, this is the bodys way of getting rid of excess mucus from those passages, for example. People who suffer from hay fever know all too well that spores irritate the membranes, driving them to the point of near-madness.
Obstruction In The Nasal Passage
Sometimes, cats may inhale something that gets stuck in their nasal cavity or nasal passage. They can be trying to get rid of the object by sneezing it out.
Listen to your cats breathing. If your cat shows labored breathing or is breathing through its mouth, theres a good chance that something is stuck up its nose. Make sure to contact your veterinarian right away. Your veterinarian can expertly remove any obstruction from your cats nasal cavities.
Nasal tumors and localized fungal infections may also cause obstructions in the nasal passage.
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Other Symptoms: What To Look For
When your cat sneezes, offer a Bless you! they will appreciate it. Then, if you feel that the cat is sneezing abnormally much or intensely, try to see if any of these other symptoms are present:
- Bad coat condition
- Swelling of the eyes or ulcers around the eyes
As we move through some of the leading causes of sneezing, some of these symptoms may come into play.
Allergens Or Inhaled Irritants
If your kitty sneezes only occasionally, something may be bothering her nasal passages. Irritants and allergens include dusty cat litter, cigarette smoke, scented sprays, candles, pollen, mold, and dust. Look for patterns when your cat sneezes. Does she do it only in a certain area of the house or after youve cleaned the litter box? This can help you narrow down a cause. However, allergies are a less common cause of sneezing than they are for humans. If the sneezing is allergy related, your cat may also have itchy skin.
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So What Can I Do At Home
Buy a humidifier.
If your cat sleeps with you, consider using a humidifier in the bedroom to help hydrate the nasal passages. This will make it easier to wipe away the nose crusts!
Bring your cat into the bathroom with you when you shower.
When you go to shower, let your cat lounge on the bathroom floor and skip the ceiling fan. The humidified, warm, steamy air will help keep your cat breathe better.
Yummy canned cat food, please!
When your cats nose is occluded with discharge or cat boogers, your cat cant smell food. If your cat cant smell their food, they wont eat their food. Youll need to tempt your cat to eat with something super palatable human meat-based baby food or INABA Churu cat food works in a pinch to tempt your cat to eat. Keep in mind that you should not feed human baby food to your cat long term, as its not balanced and can cause severe amino acid abnormalities. Alternatively, try microwaving a small amount of different types of cat food for a few seconds to make it more enticing for your cat . Also, try hand feeding your cat as it may help encourage them to eat just no force feeding as thats a huge no-no.
Quarantine time!
If you have more than one cat, its pet quarantine time. You want to keep your sick cat indoors only , and keep them away from other feline family housemates since URIs are so contagious.
Give them nursing care.
Go ahead skip the Lysine.
Should I Be Worried If The Sneezing Isnt Temporary
The occasional cat sneeze should not set off any pet parent alarm bells. However, if your feline is suddenly experiencing a high number of daily sneezing fits, or the sneezes persist for longer than a week, medical intervention may be necessary.
The first thing to do is try and identify any patterns. When are they sneezing? Is it happening at the same time of day? Do the sneezes tend to occur in a particular room in the house?
This will help you eliminate any environmental factors such as nearby irritants that may be a contributing factor.One place you should focus your attention on is the litter tray. If your cat is sneezing straight after using it, it could be a sign the cat litter is either too dusty, or contains a minor allergen.
Also, check the products you are cleaning the tray with in case these are causing your cat nasal discomfort.
Once you have identified the potential cause and removed it, you will need to keep a careful eye, and ear, on their behaviors. If the sneezing carries on then theres a good chance you may be dealing with an infection or possibly an underlying medical condition.
At this point, it is best seeking the advice of a vet who will perform a physical examination before recommending the best course of action.
Sneezing can be a sign your cats immune system is struggling. One of the best ways to boost a cats natural defenses, in order for them to fight off illness effectively, is to ensure they are eating a complete and well-balanced diet.
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When Should I Take My Cat To The Vet
Sneezing in itself is nothing to worry about, so when should you take your cat to the vet? Usually, if your cat keeps sneezing but seems fine, its because they are. So, take a deep breath and relax.
If the sneezing is due to one of the medical conditions I have mentioned above then other symptoms will become evident over time. Therefore, if the persistent sneezing lasts over five days, is extremely violent, or you notice they are sneezing in combination with any of the following symptoms, its time to take a trip to the vet:
- Nasal discharge, especially if bloody, green, or yellow
- Difficulty breathing or breathing through their mouth
- Snoring more than usual
- Pawing at their face or rubbing it on things
At the vet, your cat will be examined and the condition diagnosed. Based on the underlying condition, your vet will prescribe appropriate treatment. This could be anything from antiviral medication or antibiotics to performing X-rays of their upper respiratory tract.
If your cat doesnt show any of the above symptoms and youre still concerned, why not call up your vet anyway? After all, it is better to be safe than sorry and will put your mind at ease.
How To Stop Your Cat From Sneezing
If your cats sneezing is not severe, the best way to stop your cat from sneezing is to take steps to prevent the irritation causing the sneeze.
- Make sure your cat is up-to-date on its vaccinations
- Be aware of the scents in your house Candles, air fresheners, certain laundry detergents, or cigarette smoke, may be the cause.
- Check out the litter box Some types of litter tend to kick up more dust when being used and may be the source of irritation.
- Be careful when cleaning It is important to keep your home clean, but it is also essential that you are careful with the disinfectant used around your cats space. The chemicals and any fruity scents may cause discomfort.
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