Adopted new 8 week old kitty with a crazy sneeze- PLEASE HELP

Hi!  My son and I adopted the most precious little long haired gray kitty.  She actually picked us.  The humane society we picked her from..well let's just say it wasn't the best experience.  We had originally picked another kitty but the foster mom pretty much kidnapped her.  They brought others for us to potentially adopt, but Chloe picked us.

That being said, since we got her she has had this crazy sneeze.  It reminds me of my seasonal allergies, usually it comes in fits of 4 or more sneezes at once.  She also at times breathes heavy, I can somewhat hear congestion in her chest.  Her appetite is fine though, she eats like crazy.  She has not been going in her liter box either, so I am wondering if it could be the liter?  I have the clay kind with crystals that neurtralize odors and such.  Any advice would be great.  I called the shelter I adopted her from and left a message today, although I don't really have much confidence in them at this point.  I don't feel that after the large adoption fee I had to pay I should now have to incur a vet bill as well!  I am a single mom in school full time and where I could bring her to the vet if necessary, I would like to handle it at home if at all possible.

We live in Connecticut, where the weather has still be quite cold.  She is an indoors cat, but I didn't know if that information would be helpful.

Thank you!!

Oh if that is Chloe in your avatar picture she is gorgeous

The sneezing sounds like she as cat flu - this is not the same sort of thing as human flu.
Cat flu is a highly contagious disease between cats. Can be deadly to young kittens, it's caused by the herpes virus.

Here's a link on cat flu

http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-flu.htm

Also it a good idea when getting a new kitten or cat to always take them for a check up at your own vet. Just to make sure they are in good health, also to start vaccinations if heathy enough and talk about a date for spaying/neutering.

Owning pets is expensive unfortunately and I would highly recommend pet insurance if money is tight being a full time student at the moment - you need to think what would happen if the kitten had an accident like a broken leg. This can cost $1000's to put right depending on the type of break.

It sounds like she has not been litter trained properly. I would highly recommend buying some litter attract and sprinkling that on top of her litter to encourage her to go in there to potty. Also make sure the litter tray is very low sided so she can actually get in it.

First of all you should always do a vet visit for a well kitten visit right after adoption and will need to go for her shots soon anyway.  She will not be done at 8 weeks with her vaccines and she will need a rabies shot as well in about a month. The rabies is required by law in Connecticut. As part of the well kitten visit a vet should be able to advise you on the sneezing.

In all honesty, I do not mean to sound harsh,  if you cannot afford a vet visit, even for a basic check up, you can't afford a cat.  You are going to need to get her vaccinated as explained above and a well-kitten visit is also necessary at this time.  After that you are going to need to take her yearly for checkups.  This is assuming she never gets sick otherwise.  Cats are a big financial responsibility. If you are not prepared for that responsibility, it is probably better to let someone else adopt her.

That all said, how long has it been since she used the litterbox? Has she used it at all? Do you have her in one room? Would you know if she was going elsewhere? Do you know what litter the shelter used?

Regarding the sneeze itself, it may just be a standard URI.  Many shelter cats get/have these and they are not usually serious.  However, due to her age,  I strongly do recommend consulting a vet.  It is a good sign that she is eating a lot though.  Is she playful?

Just a foot note...I never said I could not afford a vet visit, I just was inquiring if there were home remedies or if it was normal, etc.  I have owned cats my entire adult life so I know owning a pet is an expense.  This is my first kitten and thank you, I wasn't aware that I should automatically make her a vet visit.  I was told by the shelter I adopted her from that my adoption fee that I paid included her shots, and for her to get spade, and that her first visit back with them is in July for the shots.

My old job offered pet insurance, but since I am not longer employed there, is anyone aware of private companies that offer it?  Any recomendations?

Thank you!

There is a great website that reviews pet insurance, but none cover pre-existing conditions and all require at least a 14 day waiting period.

www.petinsurancereview.com

Congratulations on your new kitty!  Sorry you had a bad experience with the shelter, but still happy that you adopted and brought this little one into your home.

As mentioned previously, it's a good idea to schedule a vet visit for her within 2 weeks of bringing her home just to get her established with your vet, get a good check over, and to address any issues you might be having.  Also, as mentioned, she can continue her shots and you can schedule her spay surgery.  (I'm surprised she wasn't spayed before they let her come home, actually.)

It's very, very, very common for kitties to get a kitty cold about 7-10 days after coming home from the shelter.  It's mainly due to the stress of the new environment.  New smells, new sounds, new people, new routine, new everything and that really stresses out a cat because cats are creatures of habit and routine.  It could be the sneezing is the onset of a cold, or it could be seasonal allergies if your weather is changing. It could be the litter is irritating her nose.  It could also be related to a dry home.  If you've got a vaporizer, run it near where she spends most of her time and see fi that helps.  When you take her to the vet for her visit, be sure to mention the sneezing to your vet.

As for the litter box problems, check with the shelter and find out what kind of litter they were using and get some of that if possible.  Also, get some Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter and add to whatever litter you end up with.  That should draw her to the box.  Be sure you have at least 2 boxes for her, if she's your only kitty.  If you have other cats, then be sure you have 1 box/cat plus one extra. 

Hope this helps and keep us posted on how she's doing.