The cat sneezes: reasons and help for the pet

It’s normal to be concerned if your cat has been sneezing more frequently than usual. Cat sneezing can indicate a number of underlying problems, from minor allergies to more significant medical conditions. Knowing the cause of your cat’s sneezing will enable you to treat them properly and determine when a trip to the vet is required.

Cats frequently sneeze as a reaction to allergens or infections in their nasal passages. It might be the result of a respiratory infection, or it could be brought on by something as straightforward as dust or an environmental shift. You can get hints about the severity of the problem by keeping an eye on your cat’s general behavior as well as other symptoms.

This post will discuss the typical reasons cats sneeze and provide helpful tips on how to assist your pet. Whether you’re looking for at-home solutions or need to seek professional assistance, this guide will help you maintain your cat’s comfort and well-being.

Reason	Description
Allergies	Just like humans, cats can have allergies to dust, pollen, or certain foods, leading to sneezing. Observing any patterns or triggers can help in managing their symptoms.
Upper Respiratory Infections	Common in cats, these infections can cause sneezing along with other symptoms like a runny nose or coughing. A vet can prescribe appropriate medication to treat the infection.
Foreign Objects	A cat might sneeze if something is stuck in its nasal passages, such as a small toy or piece of debris. Check their nose and mouth, and consult a vet if you suspect something is lodged there.
Environmental Irritants	Strong odors, cigarette smoke, or chemicals can irritate a cat"s nose and cause sneezing. Ensure their environment is clean and free from such irritants.
Dental Issues	Sometimes sneezing can be linked to dental problems, like infections or abscesses. If sneezing is persistent and accompanied by mouth issues, a vet checkup is needed.
How to Help	Monitor your cat’s symptoms and keep their environment clean. Ensure they stay hydrated and consider consulting a vet for persistent or severe sneezing to rule out any serious issues.

Why do cats sneeze

The noses of purrs are highly sensitive to strong scents, as members of the feline family are known for having keen senses of smell. For this reason, curious cats frequently sneeze.

Cats often sneeze when they breathe in strong smells.

A cat with a mustache can get under a dresser or sniff at a perfume bottle, and it won’t take long for it to sneeze. Cats also find it offensive when tobacco products and household chemicals like air fresheners and powders smell. All of these cases are connected to how local irritants affect the nasal mucous membranes and end when the underlying cause is removed.

Cat sneezes can occur for a number of serious reasons, in addition to the physiological reaction:

• a cold – also accompanied by the release of mucus from the nose, excessive warming of the paws and ears, coughing, a constant desire to sleep, refusal to eat and an increase in body temperature above 38 degrees (measured through the anus with a special thermometer);
• inflammation of the mucous membranes in the throat (laryngitis) – recognized along with constant sneezing by wheezing in the larynx and difficulty breathing, coughing with vomiting and general weakness of the pet;
• allergic or infectious rhinitis – in the first case, the mucous discharge is liquid and transparent, in the second it has a thick consistency of a greenish tint and a specific odor, in both cases the nose turns red and the eyes water;
• sinusitis – similar to rhinitis, difficult to diagnose on your own, manifested in the behavior of the animal by rubbing the nose with its paws and careful head movements, general slowness;
• carious infection – due to the development of pathogenic microflora in the oral cavity, the nearby nasal passages become inflamed, sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes appear (a veterinarian will be able to determine this cause, since the symptoms are similar to a cold);
• pulmonary helminths – cause not only sneezing in cats, but also a runny nose with cough and fever;
• asthma – characterized by multiple sneezes against the background of shortness of breath and attacks of suffocation;
• oncological disease of the mucous membranes of the nose – a rarity among cats, determined only by a specialist, can be indirectly confirmed by a strong odor from the mouth and loss of appetite (along with sneezing and a runny nose, especially with blood).

The signs of a cold are the same in humans and cats.

The most serious infections that can be fatal for cats include panleukopenia, mycoplasmosis, and calicivirus. If a cat has a runny nose or sneezes frequently, getting them medical attention right away will help protect both their health and lifespan.

Crucial! In order to ensure that you receive the proper diagnosis if you feel ill, you should speak with a veterinarian right away as laryngitis can occur concurrently with rhinotracheitis and TB.

In cats, coughing may indicate asthma symptoms.

Additionally, a foreign object getting into the nasal passages can cause repeated sneezing. Should the foreign object be tiny, it can be extracted from the cat’s nose on its own through forceful exhalations. However, in a veterinary clinic, big objects that are firmly embedded in soft tissues will need to be extracted. An operation of this kind cannot be performed on its own; otherwise, the pet’s health will undoubtedly suffer.

Therefore, you shouldn’t be concerned about the health of the cat if it only sneezes once and shows no other signs of illness. If not, you should visit a veterinarian for cats as soon as possible to receive a diagnosis and recommended course of action.

Video: colds in animals

Frequent sneezing in your cat may indicate a number of underlying problems, ranging from minor allergies to more significant medical conditions. You can choose the best course of action by being aware of the common causes of cat sneezing, which include respiratory infections, environmental irritants, and dental issues. Maintaining a cat’s environment and knowing when to see a veterinarian will help you keep your pet happy and healthy.

How to help a sneezing cat

In the event that there is no time to call the veterinarian when the pet starts to sneeze and purr, you must attempt to first relieve the pet’s discomfort and stop the illness from getting worse.

First aid

If there are no internal causes for your sneezing, you must get rid of any irritating things. For instance, remove any dust the cat may have tracked into the animal’s muzzle or open the door to let out strong scents.

Cats who sneeze with runny noses will feel better if their eyes and nose are cleared of mucus.

If the cat keeps sneezing uncontrollably, you must act quickly to stop it. Wipe the eyes with a 0.05% chlorhexidine solution or a weak potassium permanganate solution (soak a cotton ball in the liquid, squeeze it out, and wipe the sore areas). After removing the crusts from around your pet’s nostrils, arm yourself with a syringe without a nozzle and rinse their nose with saline or chlorhexidine.

To ensure that the rinsing process is successful, you must:

1. Heat the saline or chlorhexidine in a water bath to a temperature of no more than 37 degrees.
2. Place the kitty on its back, firmly fixing the limbs (you can "swaddle" it in a towel).
3. Draw liquid into the syringe and lift the animal"s muzzle.
4. Carefully drip two to four drops into each nostril, without touching the cat"s nose.
5. Make sure that the solution gets into the nasal passages.
6. Let the animal wash itself and repeat the procedure twice.
7. Clean the cat"s muzzle from discharge.

Following that, it’s crucial to take your pet "on the road" and visit a vet. The fluffy one will receive the accurate diagnosis and prompt prescription at the clinic.

Video: how to rinse the nose cat

Medicines

The drugs that will help the animal recover from the illness will be determined by a visit to the veterinarian. You cannot treat your cat on your own with medication, as the outcome might be not only negative but also zero. It’s critical to address your pet’s health issue responsibly and pay close attention to the doctor’s advice.

Your cat should only take medications in strict compliance with the advice of the veterinarian.

The cause of sneezing determines the course of treatment.

Therefore, two to three drops per nostril are advised for a cold:

• 0.5% novocaine solution (for pain relief), mixed in a 1:1 ratio with adrenaline (has a vasoconstrictor and anti-edematous effect);
• 0.2% ethacridine solution (characterized by an antiseptic effect without irritating the mucous membranes);
• 2% zinc sulfate solution (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and drying drug).

The doctor may prescribe antibiotics like Tobrex (eye drops based on tobramycin) or Ciprofloxacin (a bactericidal agent of the fluoroquinolone group) if the condition worsens (purse eyes and thicker nasal discharge).

Photo gallery: cold medicine for cats

The cat’s eyes will no longer have suppuration thanks to ciprofloxacin. Ampules containing novocaine are filled with a clean container and collected using a pipette. It is prescribed to use Tobrex drops for cats with conjunctivitis.

It is against the law to give cats drugs that contain paracetamol because it causes internal bleeding in purrs.

Cats with laryngitis are treated for cough in addition to drops:

• give 1 tablet of Bromhexine 3 times a day after meals – the drug stimulates expectoration and makes sputum viscous;
• add one tablet of Mucaltin to the food no more than 3 times a day – the medicine based on the marshmallow root promotes better separation of sputum from the bronchial walls due to its softening and enveloping properties.

Additionally, antihistamines (such as Diphenhydramine) are added to the treatment if laryngitis developed in conjunction with an allergy. The veterinarian determines the drug dosage and administration order based on the animal’s condition, age, and weight.

The following is the course of treatment for rhinitis:

• wipe the eyes with chlorhexidine (the safest and most effective antiseptic);
• drop Galazolin into the nose (two drops three times a day) – a vasoconstrictor drug based on imidazole;
• give Gamavit injections (2 ml per kg of body weight 2-3 times a day for 5 days) – an immunomodulator for animals, in order to maintain the body"s protective functions;
• give Doxycycline orally (half a tablet per kg of weight on the first day, 1/10 of a tablet per kg of weight – for two more days) – an antibiotic from the tetracycline group, suppresses the proliferation of pathogenic microbes.

Photo gallery: medications for rhinitis in cats

Gamavit supports the animal’s immunity in a positive way. Veterinarians most frequently prescribe galazoline to cats who have runny noses. The antiseptic chlorhexidine is both efficient and secure. Doxycycline will assist in the cat’s viral infection removal.

Furthermore, injections of the animal antiviral medication Fosprenil are recommended at a dosage of 0.5 ml per kilogram of the pet’s weight. Therapy sessions last for one week.

In the event that a cat’s veterinarian diagnoses sinusitis, the illness should be managed as follows:

• lubricate the nasal passages with Oxolin in the form of an ointment (an antiviral drug that “works” when in direct contact with the infected area);
• drop a 0.1% solution of a broad-spectrum antiseptic, Furacilin, into the nose (3 drops in each nostril 4 times a day);
• rinse the nose with a 15% solution of Maxidin (two to three times a day for a week) – an immunostimulating drug for viral infections.

If the illness is severe and the treatment is not working, the doctor might also recommend penicillin-based antibiotics.

Crucial! You must thoroughly rinse the cat’s eyes and nose with saline or slightly salted boiling water before each treatment session.

The veterinarian may also recommend the following therapies in addition to the ones listed above:

• corticosteroids (hormonal anti-inflammatory) and vasodilators — for asthma;
• antihelminthic drugs – if the sneezing is caused by helminths that have settled in the lungs.

The owner will be responsible for treating the purr on his own, but the specialist will oversee the entire therapy regimen. The feline will need to be taken to the vet once a week, and should their health deteriorate further, they will need to be admitted to the hospital.

Traditional medicine in the fight against cat sneezing

When sneezing against an illness, not only do prescription medications but also commonly used folk remedies help to improve the health of the purr. The latter will prevent the need for a lengthy course of treatment and lessen the negative effects of using synthetic antibiotics frequently.

When a cat has a cold, a salt compress can be helpful.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that these techniques shouldn’t take the place of the primary therapy and are only beneficial for conditions that don’t endanger the cat’s life.

Therefore, compress the area around your neck with warm salt for your purr if you have a cold or laryngitis. Additionally, applying sea buckthorn oil topically can aid in the healing of cuts on the nasal mucous membranes. One drop of a mild decoction of St. John’s wort, applied twice daily to each nostril, will inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms in the nose.

Some homeopathic treatments that work well for cats’ runny noses and sneezing relieve the illness in three to seven days, according to the owners:

• freshly collected aloe juice – has a pronounced antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect, drip 2 drops into the nostril twice a day for three days in a row;
• Kalanchoe juice solution (the anti-inflammatory qualities of the plant are combined with the ability to trigger the regeneration of epithelial tissue) – add two drops of juice to a teaspoon of warm water, drip one drop into each nostril and let the cat clear out;
• decoction of chamomile and sage – 1 tbsp. l. mix herbs with a liter of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, let stand for 2 hours in a thermos or under a lid with a towel, then rinse three times a day for a week (chamomile gives an antibacterial effect, and sage helps relieve swelling of the mucous membrane).

Despite their effectiveness, these treatment approaches shouldn’t take the place of medication therapy in my opinion. It is not advisable for you to treat your cat with herbs on your own until a veterinarian has determined what is causing the sneezing. After all, calicivirus or rhinotracheitis, two viruses that can be fatal to cats, can be treated with the same medication that we take for a cold.

Video: how to put drops in your cat"s nose

Alarming symptoms when your cat sneezes

Your purr may be developing a disease if it looks depressed in addition to sneezing constantly. You should examine your pet’s nose because cats with high body temperatures sometimes develop a dry and hot tip.

In cats, sneezing may indicate a serious illness.

Other signs that indicate you should bring your cat to the vet right away are as follows:

• chills;
• liquid stool with a strong odor;
• hair loss;
• formation of wounds and abscesses on the body;
• a sharp decrease in body weight;
• nosebleeds;
• vomiting;
• fear of bright light;
• unprovoked aggression;
• wheezing or wheezing;
• attacks of hacking cough.

The cat will be checked for foreign bodies in the nose and given a blood test for viruses and allergies upon admission to the clinic.

Take the cat to the vet and get a blood test for viruses such as toxoplasmosis if there are pregnant women in the vicinity, even if the animal just sneezes once. Ultimately, toxoplasma is a hazardous infection that has the potential to breach the intrauterine lining and result in the foetal death.

Once the animal’s cause of sneezing has been determined, the owner will typically be prescribed a course of treatment to be followed at home.

Surgical intervention is still an option, though, if an oncological condition is identified (in which case the tumor is removed and a course of chemotherapy is recommended) or if nasal polyps need to be removed.

When a kitten sneezes

Against the backdrop of persistent sneezing, adult cats tolerate treatment for infections and allergies better despite their weakened bodies from illness.

When sneezing, kittens should be handled with extra caution.

You also need to pay much closer attention and be much more cautious when a kitten sneezes. A small cat may become a hostage to an allergy to household dust, fragrances, or even cat food because of its curiosity and high "penetrating ability." It’s critical to eliminate the irritant as soon as possible and keep a close eye on the pet’s health.

Here, first aid consists of using a cotton pad soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or salt to wipe the eyes and nose. Babies’ tiny respiratory organs make it challenging to rinse the nasal cavity with a syringe or pipette.

It is preferable to keep an eye on the animal’s health for no longer than two or three days at home. You must call a veterinary clinic right away if, despite receiving first aid, the baby’s sneezing does not stop and their eyes start to water or become infected. Given their weakened immune systems, kittens shouldn’t wait to see a doctor. Medication will be prescribed by the doctor based on the purr’s age and diagnosis.

You can make sure your cat receives the care they require by being aware of the cause of their sneezes. Cat sneezing can be brought on by a range of things, from minor irritants to more significant medical conditions. Monitoring the frequency of your cat’s sneezes and keeping an eye out for any new symptoms will help your veterinarian make an accurate diagnosis.

Take into account your cat’s surroundings and recent activities when you notice them sneezing. Strong smells, dust, or abrupt temperature changes can all cause sneezing. If these are the causes, changing their surroundings might make them sneeze less frequently. However, a trip to the veterinarian is necessary to rule out infections or other conditions if sneezing continues or is accompanied by other symptoms like a runny nose or loss of appetite.

Through vigilant monitoring of your cat’s well-being and prompt veterinary guidance, you can prevent minor problems from worsening. Taking the initiative will guarantee that your pet stays content and comfortable. Maintaining a clean, safe environment and scheduling routine checkups will help keep your cat healthy and free of sneezes.

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