cat sneezing

Persian cats and other cats with a flat face are more likely to suffer from cat sneezing. The two most common causes of cat sneezing are the rhinotracheitis virus (Herpes-1) and Calicivirus. Although sneezing may be the only sign of infection, most cats also have conjunctivitis and run a low-grade fever. When Rhinotracheitis virus is the cause of the cat sneezing it is difficult to cure. When this disease attacks kittens it sometimes causes irreversible changes in linings of the nose that do not go away. However, low stress, good nutrition, vitamin A and antibiotics to combat secondary bacterial infections often sees the disease disappear or go into remission. Many healthy pets harbour these viruses for a lifetime and spread them unwittingly. The rhinotracheitis virus is the cause of over two-thirds of the feline sneezing cases. The incubation period after exposure is 2-6 days. It is much like the cold sore virus of people in that stress of any sort causes these cats to resume shedding the virus and is the bane of catteries and animal shelters. The next two most common causes of the cat sneezes are the organisms Chlamydia psittaci and mycoplasma. Both these organisms cause nasal irritation and conjunctivitis, with sneezing commencing 5-10 days after exposure. The most common product to cause a cat to sneeze is a dusty cat litter that contains small amounts of silica. Perfumes, cigarette smoke, household cleaners, fibreglass, bug spray and deodorants are just a fraction of the other products that can be blamed. Older cats are subject to nasal polyps, tumours and degenerative changes in their airways. As with foreign objects, the problem is usually confined to one nostril.