12 week old kitten coughing?

We just adopted a kitten from a local shelter. the day after we brought him home, he started sneezing, not often but occasionally, so we didn't think anything of it. 4 days later, he will gag and retch, sneezes a lot more, and a new thing popped up yesterday... he snorts a lot and it sounds like a lot of mucous trapped in there. he still eats well and plays regularly.

i'm posting here because we can't afford the vet until payday next week and i want to know if there's anything i can do to alleviate some of his misery, such as some kind of decongestant or something. i hate seeing him so miserable.

also, does anyone know what this could be?

thanks

Yes, this would be an upper respiratory infection. (URI)

Likely contracted at the shelter since it was just brewing when you adopted him.

I would immediately contact them and say that he came this way and ask if they will supply clavamox for him.

If not then it will have to wait until you are able to get him seen by a vet.

Meanwhile be sure he is eating and drinking plenty, when they have a clogged nose it can cause them to stop eating because he can't smell his food.

Water intake is critical, as always of course but kittens dehydrate very fast, and that is asking for much bigger issue then simply the URI itself.

You can run the shower with hot water and steam up the bathroom, leaving him in there for 10-15 minutes.

This temporarily will help his congested nose and throat.

If he stops eating well you will want to offer him smellier food, chicken baby food warmed up and diluted a bit with water to help ensure water intake stays good.