Stuffy Nose in a Feline

Cats often come down with stuffy noses, runny noses and sneezing. Owners are often stumped about what these symptoms mean. The symptoms could be a result of a sinus infection or environmental allergies. Although home remedies can be tried to treat stuffy noses in cats, only veterinarians can diagnose and treat stuffy noses appropriately.

  1. Upper Respiratory Infections

    • Kittens and cats can get respiratory infections, which in young kittens can be fatal. Cats can transmit the disease to other cats, so it is important to get cats diagnosed and treated early. Two types of upper respiratory infections, feline virus rhinotracheitis and feline calicvirus, both make breathing difficult and can cause stuffy noses.

    Allergies

    • Environmental and food allergies can cause stuffy noses in cats. Other symptoms of feline allergies include sneezing, wheezing, itchy skin, runny eyes, snoring and skin/paw chewing. Allergies last longer than colds, and while some symptoms may come and go, there are usually always at least a few symptoms present in the cat.

    Home Treatment

    • Home remedies include saline drops in the cat's nose, humidity, hydration and feeding. Putting saline drops in a cat's nose can help to lubricate the nasal passage and clear up the sinuses to allow the cat to breath easier through the nose. Taking a cat into a steamy bathroom or a room with high humidity can help clear passages. Keeping a cat well fed and hydrated will help them fight a cold or infection. A cat must smell their food in order to eat it. When a cat has a stuffy nose it is best to give them aromatic food, like wet cat food or tuna fish. Offer the cat water all day, because hydration will keep the sinuses moist and make breathing easier.

    Prevention

    • Vaccinations are one of the easiest ways to prevent feline stuffy noses. According to Animal Pet Doctor, vaccinating kittens at an early age can help prevent illness throughout the rest of their lives. The vaccinations include feline distemper, panleukopenia, herpes, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and chlamydophila. Other ways to prevent illness are regular veterinarian check-ups and keeping cats as indoor pets. Outdoor pets are more likely than indoor animals to catch disease, get in accidents and get sick.