Chronic "snotty nose" in flat faced cat

Need advice/ideas here, never dealt with a flat faced breed of cat before, for lack of a better way to put it.

Sophie is my 8 y/o purebred Himalayan foster cat. When I picked her up from her owners (people I know), she was blowing snot bubbles. I took her to the vet right away, & she was put on Orbax. That was over 3 weeks ago....she's been on meds since then. She is becoming miserable being medicated, so I'm picking up a different antibiotic injection to try.

I talked to her former owner, apparently she's had snot coming out her nose her entire life....they just didn't feel the need to tell me this as they thought it was nothing. The vet they took her to several years ago said she would always be like that, it's a "flat faced cat thing" (their words).

She hasn't had too direct contact w/ my cats - she met Lola inadvertently once. Otherwise she has had contact through a screen door w/ two of my cats, neither of which have developed what she has.

Any ideas? Is is possible she will always/chronically have a snotty nose? She acts fine, playful, friendly, eats well, etc.

Hey there!

I have an extreme flat faced Himmy and almost every one of them have eye leakage issues - I'm wondering if yours has the eye leakage that might be leaking into her teeny-tiny nostrils?

This is one of those things that you have to clean every day, sometimes many times a day with a little warm (squeezed) gauze; from corner eye (gently) and down, turn gauze over and gently rub over nose. If rest of eye is irritated, warm, damp gently squeezed gauze held to the lower and then the upper lids (not against eyeball), then gently rub (very gently) to get any goop (I call it "goobification") out. Sometimes I use Sterile Eye Irrigation Solution. If infection occurs, go to your vet. Infection will show by red or red/swollen eyelids.

One VERY important thing with Himalayans and/or Persians is that they need DAILY grooming with a Greyhound-type comb (very wide-toothed comb) as they have triple fur which if left ungroomed for even a day or two can matt. If left undone for a week, the matts can actually stick to their skin where you would have to take the Himmy or Persian (or other very long-hair with matting hair) into the vet so they can carefully shave it off. If it got to that point where it is stuck to the skin, the Vet would need to do it because Persians/Himmy's and the like have paper-like skin that is so thin that one little tiny, eeny-weenie cut could cause serious bleeding.

Soooo, I'd just highly recommend immediately, if you haven't already, getting a steel, wide-toothed comb and spending whatever time you need to ... very gently... groom your flat-faced-triple-furr'd foster every single day, including under the arms (gently-gently). You probably already have this information, but just in case not, it's crucial.

The nose thing, I'm guessing, is coming from eye leakage which is perfectly normal in flat faced and extreme flat faced.

A gentle wipe will do the trick (possibly many times throughout the day). It is normal for the flat faces of America and surrounding galaxies.

Warmly,

Julie O'
p.s. I am not a vet. I do take care of 6 special needs cats and am red cross certified in dog and cat first aid. I use many medicines on some of my "lifer" special needs guys and gals. I would think a dose or two of "Clavamox" would do the trick. I'd ask your vet about that if the current antibiotic does not work. Clavamox works well for so many things.

Originally Posted by white cat lover

Need advice/ideas here, never dealt with a flat faced breed of cat before, for lack of a better way to put it.

Sophie is my 8 y/o purebred Himalayan foster cat. When I picked her up from her owners (people I know), she was blowing snot bubbles. I took her to the vet right away, & she was put on Orbax. That was over 3 weeks ago....she's been on meds since then. She is becoming miserable being medicated, so I'm picking up a different antibiotic injection to try.

I talked to her former owner, apparently she's had snot coming out her nose her entire life....they just didn't feel the need to tell me this as they thought it was nothing.

The vet they took her to several years ago said she would always be like that, it's a "flat faced cat thing" (their words).

She hasn't had too direct contact w/ my cats - she met Lola inadvertently once. Otherwise she has had contact through a screen door w/ two of my cats, neither of which have developed what she has.

Any ideas? Is is possible she will always/chronically have a snotty nose? She acts fine, playful, friendly, eats well, etc.

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Hi Nat, I don't have a flat face kitty - your best bet is probably PM'ng Sam... She is on Lysine though, right? I didn't catch it from your post... Have you tried steam therapy, or anything of sorts?
Maybe saline drops (pure saline solution though)?
I recently gave up all meds for Bugsy for his diarrhea, and under his vet's supervision I went all natural - herbs and such... He is finally coming around... when all antibiotics wouldn't do it... Just a few thoughts
Maybe Sam has some ideas- he has tons of experience

http://photobucket.com/myimages/flat face/


This is pretty flat-faced, so you truly can trust me. I do know what I'm talking about and have had plenty of experience.

Feel free to ask any questions you like.

I can't get any lysine in her - it was one of the first things I tried. She doesn't touch wet food anymore & won't eat her dry if I put it on it.

As for the nasal discharge, it's basically green snot - which leads me to worry more than if it was just clear nasal discharge.

I've got a wider tooth comb like described & she gets combed often. When I got her she was very matted so I've been keeping on top of it to prevent it from happening again!

Great job with the comb!! You go!!!! :-D

The L-Lysine is going to help if your cat has eye infections mostly.

What you need is more of an antibiotic for the nasal discharge. Again, I would check with your Vet to see if either Clavamox, Azythromicin or Zythromax would work (or if he has any other ideas). I believe the Clavamox would be best for an upper respitory, but I'm no doc. If he does prescribe it, I'm guessing he'll have you give it 2x/day, morning and night for the whole bottle.

You can get the box without your Vet reconstituting it (dry) and you can do this when you get home, or having him doing it. Clavamox needs to be kept in the fridge once it's been mixed with water. I use spring water. (This is if your vet recommends Clavamox, by the way). It's also what I've used for most upper respitory issues with my cats (except Squint who has had to go with the more powerful stuff because of her immune system from the upper eyelied agenesis surgery - she was on all of the above and more at first.

Again, the L-Lysine is best used for feline herpes. If your Himmy is leaking from the eyes and it's clear, and he's a flat-face as you said; that truly is normal for flat faced Himmy's. You can always throw it in there as it's good for the immune system, but won't help with a snotty nose. (Using an oral syringe and about 2mg of L-Lysine gel, gently work into side of teeth/mouth and point towards throat; once mouth open give half as a squirt, let swallow, then do other half. They usually like the taste. You can even put it to their nose first and will willingly take it.

I have spent a few years now with my Himmy and he's been to the Vet enough that I know how to care for him and signs of things that need or do not need certain types of medicines.

Yeahhhh, green snotties, I'd get the proper antibiotic from the vet for sure.
I'm guessing Clavamox, but again, I'm no Vet.

Hope the snotties go away very soon!!

Warmly,

Julie O'

Originally Posted by white cat lover

I can't get any lysine in her - it was one of the first things I tried. She doesn't touch wet food anymore & won't eat her dry if I put it on it.

As for the nasal discharge, it's basically green snot - which leads me to worry more than if it was just clear nasal discharge.

I've got a wider tooth comb like described & she gets combed often. When I got her she was very matted so I've been keeping on top of it to prevent it from happening again!

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I volunteered for 6 years w/ the local shelter so I'm familiar in the same sense as you are with a lot of "ailments".

Medicating her twice a day isn't an option - once a day was hard enough. She was becoming depressed, withdrawn, & anti-social. She even went so far as to try to bite someone else when they tried to pet her. She gets an antibiotic injection to try tomorrow, hopefully that will work for her. If nothing else it gives her a break from daily medication.

What?! Where do you live?

I'm on permanent s.s. disability; I can come help! I wish you were close by so I could come help with 1st or second shift, whichever would make it easier for you!
I'm not afraid of being bit (unless they haven't been vaccinated - been there)

I hope to know how the antibiotic injection works tomorrow! (I mean - that it works!! :-D

Warmly,

Julie O'

Originally Posted by white cat lover

I volunteered for 6 years w/ the local shelter so I'm familiar in the same sense as you are with a lot of "ailments".

Medicating her twice a day isn't an option - once a day was hard enough. She was becoming depressed, withdrawn, & anti-social. She even went so far as to try to bite someone else when they tried to pet her.

She gets an antibiotic injection to try tomorrow, hopefully that will work for her. If nothing else it gives her a break from daily medication.

Click to expand...

She had her antibiotic injection on the 11th. For about 24 hours she was clear of congestion/snot coming out her nose. My joy was short-lived, as she's back to having a snotty nose. We're still going to follow it up w/ another one in 10 days, see if that kicks it. If not....no clue where to go from here.

It's hard to adopt out a cat who is constantly blowing snot out her nose!