How to Cure Cat Nasal Congestion

Nasal congestion in your cat can be caused by both minor, or serious medical conditions. Some symptoms of cat nasal congestion include difficulty breathing, sneezing, facial swelling, loss of appetite, nasal discharge, and frequent swallowing. These symptoms can result from respiratory infection, allergic reaction, or nasal tumors. In order to effectively treat this condition, it's important to get a proper diagnosis to pinpoint the cause.

Things You'll Need

  • Veterinarian diagnosis
  • Eyedropper or bulb syringe
  • Vaporizer
  • Cat nasal decongestant
  • Antibiotic
Show More

Instructions

  1. Examine Symptoms

    • 1

      Examine the appearance of your cat's nasal discharge, if present.

    • 2
      Cloudy discharge is a symptom of bacterial infection.

      Determine if the nasal discharge is clear or cloudy. Clear usually indicates a minor allergic reaction or respiratory infection. Thick and cloudy may indicate an elevated bacterial infection. The presence of blood can indicate nasal tumors, and requires immediate medical attention.

    • 3

      Take note of any additional symptoms that may indicate respiratory infection, allergic reactions, or nasal tumors, such as itching, scabs, sneezing, diarrhea or hair loss.

    • 4

      Confirm your cat's condition by getting it diagnosed by a veterinarian, to properly treat symptoms.

    Treatment of Nasal Congestion Due to Respiratory Infection

    • 5
      Help your pet recover.

      Using an eyedropper, keep your cat's eyes and nasal passages clear, by removing any excess mucous from its eyes and nose.

    • 6

      Place a vaporizer in the area your cat frequents most, to produce humidity and to help it breathe.

    • 7

      Treat symptoms with any nasal decongestant your veterinarian may prescribe.

    • 8
      Administer any medicines your vet prescribes.

      Obtain an antibiotic prescription to treat a respiratory infection, and to prevent any secondary infections.

    • 9

      Follow up with your veterinarian if your cat's symptoms persist, or become worse.

    Treatment of Nasal Congestion Due to Allergies

    • 10

      Determine the source of your cat's allergic reaction and confirm it with your veterinarian. Common causes of feline allergic reactions are food, fleas, or environmental irritants.

    • 11

      Follow the veterinarian's recommendations to determine the cause of the allergic reaction. Your veterinarian may suggest an exclusion diet to determine a food allergy. He may suggest elimination of irritants, or even quarantine, to determine if your cat has an environmental allergy. He may examine your cat to look for skin irritation or hair loss, and to determine the presence of fleas or other parasites.

    • 12

      Adhere to the veterinarian's directions, following an allergy diagnosis, to relieve your cat's symptoms.

    • 13

      Follow up with your veterinarian, if symptoms persist or become worse.

    Treatment of Nasal Congestion Due to Tumors

    • 14

      Confirm the diagnosis of nasal tumors with your veterinarian.

    • 15

      Explore options and veterinarian recommendations for medical treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

    • 16

      Determine the best option for your cat, and adhere carefully to your veterinarian's directions.