A problem in the nose or throat causes sneezing or snorting in a cat. Causes can for example be a dusty environment or a blade of grass in the nose. Another cause can be infectious cat sneezing disease. Does your kitten sneeze often? An open palate or congenital throat abnormality can also be a cause.

The causes of sneezing in cats

A birth defect. When a kitten has an open palate, he will get some milk in his nose while drinking, which causes him to keep sneezing.

Polyps or tumors

Allergy. Allergy is less common in cats, but if your cat sneezes after lying on a down comforter or when the hay fever season starts, this may be an indication of an allergy.

Sneezing through dust. Does your cat sneeze after a visit to his litter box? The dust from the cat litter may irritate his nasal mucosa. You could test what a different cat litter with less dust formation gives fewer sneezing complaints. Or you could switch to another cat litter such as wood fibers.

Strange object: when there is a strange object such as a blade of grass in your cat’s nose. Can this not cause complaints. As soon as the object has been removed by the vet, the sneeze complaints will disappear.

Nasal fungus. Very rare in cats (in contrast to dogs where nasal fungus is more common).

Sneezing disease: sneezing disease is usually caused by a combination of pathogens such as the calicivirus and the rhinotracheitis virus, but also Chlamydia and bacteria that infect the anterior airways play a role in this. The mucous membranes of the anterior airways become inflamed as a result, the snot production increases. As a result, the nose becomes blocked. You can notice this because you hear the cat breathing heavily. Other symptoms are eyes that are not clear and “dirty”, cough, have a fever (above 39.5 degrees a cat has a fever).

Inform your veterinarian before your visit 

Do you suspect that your cat suffers from sneezing disease? Contact your veterinarian for a check. Make your suspicion of sneezing disease well known to your vet before you visit with your cat. In this way the veterinarian is also well prepared and can take measures to minimize the risk of infection for other pets coming into his practice.

Treatment of sneezing disease

The treatment that the vet prescribes depends on the cause. If it is a bacterial infection, the doctor can prescribe a course of antibiotics. This is not possible with a viral infection. The treatment will mainly be focused on recovery, ensuring that your cat receives enough moisture and nutrients to prevent dehydration.

Vaccination is better than cure

During the annual vaccination vaccination your cat is protected against sneezing disease. In addition, it is also possible to have the vaccination run through a nose drop. (Some guest houses require a nose-drop vaccination. Cats who go to a guest house may have a higher stress level which may make them more susceptible to sneezing disease. Contribute to keeping sneezing infection as small as possible by having your cat vaccinated on time .

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