5 Things to Know About Your Cat Sneezing
Cats sneezing can look so cute! Cats often look so bewildered after they have sneezed, as if they didn’t know where that sneeze came from. Cat sneezing is not so mysterious – in fact, cats sneeze for many of the same reasons that humans do.
Why do cats sneeze?
Cats generally sneeze if they have got something ticklish up their nose. We all know the feeling! If your cat is an outside cat, for example, it may inhale small specks of grass or pollen that trigger its sneeze reflex. This is nothing to worry about: it is just your cat’s body clearing that annoying little speck of whatever it is out of their nasal passage. The mucous membranes in cats’ noses are very sensitive to foreign bodies, just like human noses are, and so even a tiny little dust mote can cause your cat to sneeze.
Cats with allergies
There are some times when your cat’s sneezing behavior indicates a problem that requires treatment. One key example is if your cat is sneezing due to an allergy. Cats can develop hayfever just like humans can, and the main symptoms of this ailment include sneezing, running eyes and itching around the eye area. An isolated sneeze or two is not anything to worry about, but if your cat sneezes a lot and their eyes seem red and sore too then it is best to head down for a checkup with your vet. Cat hayfever can be treated with medication so those sneezes should clear up asap!
Cats can also develop other allergies, for instance to certain foods, cleaning products or fabrics. As a general rule, if your cat seems to sneeze a lot, and if they also seem to have irritated eyes or an irritated nasal area, their sneezing may be due to an allergy or to an infection in the nose.
Irritants to watch out for
Even ingesting a small amount of household chemical cleaning products can really irritate the delicate membranes in your cat’s eyes, nose and mouth. So, make sure to keep household cleaners, laundry products and dishwasher tablets well and truly out of their reach!
What to do if your cat’s nose seems irritated.
If your cat has something stuck in their nose, it may be possible to gently remove it with tweezers. However, do not attempt to remove anything that is deeply embedded in a cat’s nose yourself – it is best to ask the vet. You can also rinse your cat’s eyes and nose gently with some clean water on a cotton pad or cotton swap: this is a great way of washing away specks of pollen or other irritants.
Cat sneezing – usually nothing to worry about.
Why do cats sneeze? Usually for the harmless reason that something small has landed in their nose and needs to be expelled! Cat sneezing is usually nothing at all to worry about. However, if your kitty sneezes excessively or if they have a snotty or bloody discharge, then it is best to get them straight down to that veterinary surgery.
Does your cat sneeze?
