Like us, cats sneeze, but not all are the same, nor do they have the same origin, so it is important to know how to differentiate them and to warn us, in the event of something abnormal or out of the ordinary.
Let’s see why a cat sneezes and its possible causes, as well as the precautions we can take
Why do cats sneeze?
The Common Sneeze
When there are annoying remains of some substance, in your nose, they cause internal irritation that reflexively produces sneezing in order to cause a rapid exit of air to clean the ducts. So far everything is normal, we sneeze for the same reason and it is good, there is nothing wrong in it, it also has a funny point, when we see this everyday fact of humans, in our little dogs. Are you agree?
When a cat sneezes from viral causes
If a cat is not well, surely, in addition to sneezing, the first thing you will notice is that it has secretions from its eyes and nose.
It will surely be more depressed and will eat less frequently and in smaller quantities, also motivated because it will lose the ability to smell food.
These symptoms could warn you that something is wrong and may be a reason to go to your vet.
What could be due in this case? If there is an upper respiratory infection, it may be due to calicivirus and feline herpes.
Its transmission from cat to cat occurs by contact when grooming each other, by sharing the same food and water, or also by being exposed to mucus between them.
Persian cats, for example, have a higher incidence of feline herpes, because they have flatter features and a greater propensity to tear.
The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is also a cause of sneezing in cats.
It most frequently affects cats that live outdoors and its main route of infection is due to bites, mainly due to territorial fights.
Also highlighting other diseases, no less important such as feline infectious peritonitis and feline leukemia and diseases of bacterial origin , also has the effect of sneezing in cats.
Saying at this point that a viral infection can aggravate the effects if the latter come into play.
In this case of sneezing, we recommend that you consult with your veterinarian, since the speed in detecting something more serious and the initiation of a treatment are very important.
Sneezing from cats due to allergies.
Although it may seem that not, cats are also sensitive to seasonal changes and certain allergens that may be present, for example in their diet.
These can cause habitual sneezing in certain circumstances, accompanied by mucus, vomiting or other alterations.
Also certain plastics with which many products are made, may contain substances to which a percentage of cats can develop allergies.
In these cases there are especially hypoallergenic products (ceramic or stainless steel) that replace plastic and largely avoid these allergies.
What if it is none of the above?
There are other less common causes that can also make cats stupid.
A dental infection, any small substance that gets stuck in your nose, even tumors in the upper respiratory tract.
In all cases, the important thing is that you observe your cat, if those sneezes are repetitive and not occasional. Whether or not they are accompanied by a series of signs, such as changing their mood, their eating habits or their behaviour, mucus. If so, it is best that you consult with your veterinarian, because in all cases, the best remedy is an early detection of any type of pathology.
