If your cat is sneezing or has a runny nose, your cat may be suffering from nasal congestion and an accompanying upper respiratory infection. Both are common in cats and are generally similar to a cold in humans. Unless your cat doesn't respond to home treatment for her nasal congestion, or unless her nasal congestion is accompanied by more severe symptoms, you can effectively and safely treat the condition at home.
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Cleaning
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While your cat is suffering from nasal congestion, you'll want to keep his nose clean. It's important to wash his face twice a day to keep mucus from drying on his nostrils. Use a warm, moist washcloth and gently wipe away any dried mucus. If your cat's nose becomes chapped and cracked as a result of the upper respiratory infection, apply a bit of petroleum jelly to ease his discomfort.
Humidity
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Humidity is one of the best therapies for treating nasal congestion in cats. If you have a humidifier, run it in the room where your cat spends the majority of her time. If you don't have a humidifier, run a hot shower and place your cat in the steamy bathroom for a half-hour of treatment. Use this therapy a twice a day until her symptoms are gone.
Nose Drops
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Nose drops may help to alleviate some of the congestion that your cat is suffering from during his upper respiratory infection. While it is usually not a good idea to give your pet over-the-counter medications, you can safely use Afrin Children's Strength Nose Drops for your cat's nasal congestion. One nose drop should be administered each day; on the first day, apply a drop to one nostril and on the second day, apply a drop to the other nostril. The treatment should continue in this pattern for five to seven days. Saline nasal sprays can also be used.
Food
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If your cat has nasal congestion, odds are that she's not eating very well, either. A cat's appetite is stimulated by the smell of food---if she can't smell it, she's probably not going to eat it. It's important that your cat eat well during her illness so that her body has the ability to fight off the infection causing her congestion. Foods with a stronger odor, such as canned tuna fish or heated moist cat foods, often entice a cat with a cold to eat when dry foods or her normal diet will not.
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