Just like humans, sneezing in cats is normal as long as it’s occasional. There is no cause for alarm. Sometimes even excitement can bring sneezing. Hence, it may seem adorable to see a cat sneeze, but if it is persistent, then you need to take this as a concern.
Sneezing is considered a useful body function that forcefully clears the nose. When you identify an unusual pattern in sneezing, then this is different & it could be a symptom to indicate an underlying disease. The following article will help you to know more about various aspects of cat sneezing, including the causes, concerns, and how you can help the cat, etc.
5 Important Reasons why your cat is sneezing
Simple Tickle
A simple tickle is an obvious cause of sneezing. Mainly the soft and ticklish fabric can cause reflexive sneeze in cats. When the material comes closer to the nose, the cat feels ticklish and itching & it starts sneezing. In such situations, the cat sneezes continuously for several hours. To an extent, this type of sneezing helps in bringing out the dust from the nose. It is a type of dry sneezing and immediately stops when you change the place.
Foreign Bodies
When your cats unknowingly inhale any foreign materials like grass, threads, and powdery substances, it irritates the nasal passage and causes sneezing in cats. Usually, sneezing aid in removing the small particles, but it is not effective for large particles. Hence, you will be required to go to a vet where he will perform Rhinoscopy in which the camera is inserted into the nose. Doctors perform nasal flush to remove the material while the cat is in anesthesia.
Dental Problems
To many pet owners, this reason may come as a surprise that a dental problem can cause sneezing in cats. In many species, the roots of the upper jaw are right next to the nasal passage. Hence, whenever the teeth are infected in this area or due to inflammation, your cat faces trouble while breathing. Especially while the cat is eating, the materials can get stuck between the tooth socket and nose, leaving it to the loop of sneezing. In the medical term, it is known as Chronic Rhinitis. It is quite painful & hence it needs immediate medical attention.
These are some of the common external problems that can cause sneezing in cats. However, keeping this in mind, the table below will give you an idea about the infections that cause sneezing in cats.
Infections |
Causes |
Symptoms |
How to help the cat? |
| Bacteria | Bacterial infections are one of the important symptoms of an upper respiratory problem of cat sneezing. | Yellow or green snot coming out of the cat’s nose.
Continuous sneezing leads to eye discharge. |
Treatments with proper antibiotics can help in clearing the infections. It will dramatically improve the condition and help the cat in breathing more comfortably. |
| Viral | Researchers have found out that 80-90% of cats got infected by the herpes virus in their lifetime. Sneezing occurs with great stress in the nasal area. | Herpes virus leads to breathing trouble.
Stress in the muscles and bones. Discharge from lungs. Body pain. |
There are vaccines available to help the cat from these viral diseases. However, there is no proper lifelong cure. |
| Fungal | Cryptococcus is a common fungus that causes infection in cats. It can be due to poor eating habits and frequent consumption of contaminated foods. Cat sneezes with no patterns. Hence, it is difficult to diagnose. | Cat meows as crying due to the pain.
Cat feels suffocation. You may notice swelling around the nasal area.
|
Fungal infection can be found only through rhinoscopy or bioscopy. There are effective treatments and home remedies, but the foremost way is to maintain a proper diet and live in a hygienic place. |
The infections mentioned above can give a fair idea about how sneezing acts as a symptom of an underlying disease. However, similarly, some of the conditions may require serious identification. For instance, tumors are always on the list of the causes. When there are older cats, the tumors grow inside the nasal passage while causing irritation and sneezing. It is highly painful, and the worst part is that the prognosis is quite poor for the tumor.
When should you worry about cat sneezing?
Even though cat sneezing is common, you need to identify the reason. It will help you understand if the cat is sneezing because of environmental factors or some diseases. The irritants such as molds, dust, debris, pollen grains, and other small particles are the common causes of sneezing in most households. In such cases, cat sneezing is not serious, and you can see that it doesn’t affect their daily life.
You have to worry when you identify a pattern or can sense the pain in cats. There is a subsequent inflammation in the nasal area while causing damage to the architecture inside the nose. It is one of the profound symptoms that can be easily noticed in cats. In these situations, try the home remedies for the first week, but if the problem persists, take them to the hospital immediately. HomeoPet’s Nasal Relief is an effective natural homeopathic remedy that can flush out the unwanted materials stored in the nose. It does not cause any side effects on kittens or elderly cats.
Look out for these signs along with the cat sneezing:
- Loss of Appetite
- Persistent coughing
- Weight loss
- Nasal Discharge
How to prevent cat sneezing?
The simple way to avoid sneezing in cats is to keep the cat’s place clean. The main problem is the allergens, while they can be eliminated using vacuum cleaners and air purifiers. Always take note of when the sneezing occurs and suspect the irritants at home. Importantly, the litter box needs to be cleaned frequently. Vets also suggest alternating the litter box whenever necessary. Doing so can greatly improve the condition and reduce sneezing in cats.
Most owners think that it’s adorable when the cat sneezes, especially with the kittens. But always watch out when you sense there are serious symptoms and abnormality while sneezing. Take your kitty to your vet if you feel something fishy.
