Remedies for a Feline Sinus Infection

Symptoms and Causes

• A sinus infection is simply an inflammation of your cat's mucous membrane, which is the soft tissue that lines the inside of the cat's nostrils. Depending on the cause, the sinus infection can last for a short period of time or can be a chronic problem. You should visit a veterinarian to determine what the underlying cause is of your feline's sinus infection. The diagnosis will affect what is the most appropriate treatment for your cat.

  According to Petplace.com, there are several infectious causes for a cat's sinus infection. Your cat may be suffering from a viral infection, such as adenovirus or distemper. There could be a fungal infection inside your cat's nostrils as well. A typical fungus is ryptococcus. Commonly, bacteria like bordatella or a parasite like cuterebriasis will invade the cat's sinuses.

  Non-infectious diseases that cause sinus infections may result from an injury to the face or foreign particulate in the air. Similarly, your cat may be allergic to chemicals in your home or plant matter, such as pollen or mold. Finally, the cat may be suffering from a more extensive disease such as cancer or liver disease.

Remedies for Infectious Diseases

• Veterinarians typically prescribe medication if the cat has an infectious disease that is causing the sinus infection. Anti-inflammatory medication called corticosteroids may be used to reduce the inflammation from the sinus infection. Unfortunately, with viral infections there is no "cure" and the remedy is simply limiting the symptoms. For bacterial infections, veterinarians prescribe anti-bacterial medication, which may be topical or in pill form. Cats with fungal infections may need a course of anti-fungal medication, which is topical. The veterinarian may go so far as to surgically remove soft tissue that is chronically infected.

Remedies for Non-Infectious Sinus Problems

• Remedies for non-infectious sinus infections focus more on cleaning the environment in which the cat resides. The best approach is to provide adequate ventilation in your home for your cat. Additionally, you can obtain vaporizers to administer to the cat's nasal cavities. Another effective approach is to flush out your cat's nasal cavities with a warm saline solution.

  Natural-pet-info.org also suggests that you regulate the cat's diet to promote immune strength. This includes providing the cat with a raw food diet. This diet should consist of primarily raw meat, a small amount of bone and some vegetables such as carrots or chopped leafy greens. Avoid milk products because they tend to increase mucous in the cat's body, and avoid any refined sugar in your cat's diet.