Why Is My Cat Sneezing? - Sneezy Kitty

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A cat is one of the best pets that anyone can own. To keep your cat healthy and even prolong his or her lifespan, you need to understand the reasons behind some of his or her behaviors. Maybe you have noticed that your cat is sneezing recently. If your cat sneezes occasionally, this may not be a cause for any alarm.

However, if you notice that this habit is happening more frequently, you are prone to ask yourself a lot of questions. One of the questions that you ask yourself is why is my cat sneezing? To answer the question for you, let’s look at the reasons which cause your cat to sneeze.

Reasons Why Cats Sneeze

Respiratory Infection – This is one of the major reasons as to why your cat is sneezing. The majority of infections which will affect your cat’s respiratory system are usually caused by viruses and bacteria. Examples of these infections include:

Chlamydia infections – This is an infection which affects the upper part of your cat’s respiratory system. Other symptoms which might indicate that your cat has this infection include a runny nose and watery eyes.

Mycoplasma – This is a bacterial infection and it is largely known to affect the lower part of your cat’s respiratory system. Other symptoms which might indicate that your cat has mycoplasma bacteria include a persistent fever and a dry cough.

Calicivirus – This virus is associated with causing upper respiratory infections or what most veterinarians will simply refer to as URIs. This is a very dangerous virus since it is highly contagious. Other symptoms that indicate calicivirus infection include squinting, fever, and anorexia.

Herpes – This is a virus which has been known to cause infections to the lower part of your cat’s respiratory system. On top of sneezing, other symptoms which might indicate to you that this virus is affecting your cat include a lot of discharge from your cat’s eyes and nose, fever, and depression.

Response to Chemical Irritants

The membranes found in your cat’s sinuses and nose are quite sensitive. If your cat gets to smell some fumes from a new type of chemical that he or she is not used to, this can lead to the inflammation of these membranes. This inflammation will cause your cat some irritation. In such a case, sneezing functions as a way for your cat to get rid of this irritation. Some of the chemicals which might cause your cat to sneeze include perfumes, cleaning agents, pest sprays, and tobacco smoke.

Foreign Bodies

If you usually allow your cat to play outdoors, this can be the reason as to why he or she is sneezing. While playing, foreign bodies may find their way into your cat’s nasal cavity. Grass blades are among the major foreign bodies which might enter your cat’s nose. Sneezing in such a case will aid in removing the grass from your cat’s nose.

Pollen Allergies

Pollen allergies are not very common in cats although they do happen sometimes. In fact, this is a reason that most people who own cats overlook when trying to determine the reason as to why their cat is sneezing.

Intranasal Vaccines

One way that cat owners keep their cats healthy and safe from respiratory diseases is by using vaccinations. In most cases, once you administer the vaccine, it may lead to sneezing for the first few days before the sneezing eventually stops.

Dental Disease

This reason is not obvious because no cat owner would expect a dental infection to affect their cat’s air passages. However, some dental infections, a good example being root infections, usually have the ability to cause sneezing. When bacteria are present on your cat’s teeth roots, they can easily move on to attack the cat’s sinuses. This is a major cause of inflammation. The presence of inflammations on your cat’s sinuses usually leads to sneezing.

Now that you know the reasons as to why your cat is sneezing, the question which remains is whether it is possible for you to reduce or eliminate this sneezing.

How to Eliminate Sneezing in Your Cat

Sometimes, it is impossible to completely eliminate sneezing in your cat. However, you can reduce the amount of sneezing quite easily by following some simple tips.
Before you take any of these steps it is highly recommended that you consult with your veterinarian.

1. Hydration

The major aim of hydrating your cat is in order to keep him or her healthy. Frequent sneezing is often a sign that something might be bugging your cat’s health. Hydrating your cat will help strengthen his immune system and hence allow him or her to fight off these infections without the need for medications.

2. Use Fatty Acid Supplements

This is something which also helps your cat in improving his or her immune system. Since some of the sneezing you see in your cat are usually caused by allergies, a boosted immune system can help your cat in dealing with these allergies.

3. Use Steam Baths

This has been proven to be effective if the sneezing you observe in your cat is not as a result of allergic reactions. The steam will aid in clearing your cat’s sinuses. Once you clear these sinuses, it will help your cat by the reducing the sneezing.

The way this works is that you first place your cat for five minutes in a bathroom which is already filled with steam. After the five minutes are over, take your cat and place him under a blanket or wrap him with some warm towels to keep out the cold.

4. Use Saline Nose Drops

If your cat is suffering from allergies, the use of saline nose drops will help reduce the allergy effects. This will keep the frequency at which he or she sneezes at the bare minimum. However, you may find it a bit tricky to give his nose drops.

5. Use Chicken Soup

This method is usually effective when your cat is suffering from common cold. You should give this soup to your cat when it is not too hot in order to avoid irritating his throat. The soup should reduce the sneezing and also speed up the rate at which he or she recovers from the common cold.

Why is My Cat Sneezing Summary

Sneezing is a behavior that is totally natural in cats. However, if you notice that the frequency at which your cat is sneezing is too high, it is important to take him or her to the vet in order to determine the underlying cause.

Taking him to the vet as soon as you notice that the sneezing is getting out of hand will make sure that any underlying health problem can be diagnosed and treated. To minimize sneezing, simply keep your healthy.