Sneezing Cat

[hearingmomo]

This is sort of a long story.

Four days ago, I came home from work and my 7 year old cat, Randy, (I've had her all of those seven years) was sneezing and sneezing almost constantly.  She has always had a good appetite, and was still eating good.

The next day, Randy was sneezing less, but still some.  She looked a little disoriented, and didn't like for me to pet her.  I got the impression that she was dizzy and when I touched her it made it worse.  She was kind of hiding out, not wanting to be bothered.  She would sit around, looking so tired but too uncomfortable to sleep.  Though she wouldn't go to her food, she ate well when we brought it to her hiding place.

The third day, she was sneezing some like the day before.  After she ate and drank some in the morning, she seemed less dizzy and disoriented.  She wanted me to give her chin pets, but then as the day wore on she seemed just as dizzy as yesterday.  She slept though, finally, but she slept and slept and slept all day.  Still, she ate good when we brought it too her.  She seemed like her nose was stuffy, kind of hard for her to breathe.

Then on the fourth day she was sneezing rarely.  Her nose seemed stuffy, but she was making whistling, snorting sounds like it maybe was breaking up?  Her breathing seemed difficult, but she was still able to breathe through her nose.  She seemed alert, enjoyed some pets, ate well when we brought it to her, and slept and slept and slept.  In the evening she made one trip down stairs to use the litter box, eat more and drink some, then went back upstairs to sleep.

This is now the fifth day, and she is about the same as yesterday.  She's made a couple quick trips out of bed, she's ate, seems more alert, but her breathing is still difficult and wheezy and stuffy.

I worry that she's not getting better, and I should take her to the vet, but I have another cat with a very bad immune system, so I don't want to risk getting her exposed to something Randy might bring back from the vet.

I did a lot of research online, but when they talk about kitty colds and sneezing cats they talk about a lot of eye goop and runny noses, sometimes even with green and yellow snot.  Randy as no goop out of nose or eyes.  I don't know what is wrong with her!  She is usually such an energetic cat, getting into everything, always running around.  To see her sleep all day and struggle to breathe is awful!

I also wonder if it is best to let her sleep the day away if she wants to, or if I should make her move some.  If people sit too long when sick, they are more likely to get pneumonia.  Is it the same for cats?

Can someone help?!

Thanks!

 

[hearingmomo]

Thanks for replying so quickly, this has really been worrying me!

How do cats catch colds?  Because of my other cat with the bad immune system, we don't let them socialize with other cats.

And, how long does it incubate before they show symptoms?  I'm worried about my other cat catching it now!

Can cats catch colds from people?  I ask, because I am just getting over a cold myself.

 

[stephanietx]

Any change in behavior or eating habits is a red flag that something's not right and a vet check is in order.  She could have an upper respiratory infection or something else.  Get her to the vet ASAP.  In the meantime, be sure she keeps eating and drinking.

 

[catwoman707]

Hi there and welcome!

Since you have had her for her entire life, not sure at how many weeks or months you got her at though, or where from, or whether she had any signs of a cold while she was a kitten.

Is she vaccinated? If not recently, was she as a kitten?

These answers will help determine what/how she might have a cold, if that is what it is.

Also, is your other cat FIV pos?

 

[hearingmomo]

Randy was about three months old when we got her.  Always healthy, but the lady we got her from said she had severe respiratory problems when she was a kitten.  She has always been completely healthy since we've had her though, no trouble.

My other cat's immune system is not because of a sickness, she had too many vaccines when she was too young to get them and it damaged her.  We have special orders from the vet not to give her any more vaccines, because it could make her very very sick.  Randy has not had vaccines since we've had her, because as I said we were afraid to risk exposure from the vet's office for our other cat.  They are indoor cats and do not socialize with other cats, so we thought this would be safe.

However, Randy recently escaped into the yard for perhaps a minute before we caught her.  Didn't wander far from the house, and there was snow on the ground (6 inches), so if there were germs from another cat or some other animal, they would be frozen and not contagious, right?  These escapes happen from time to time, and she's never been sick before.

Randy also likes to play in the sinks and sneak a drink out of our water glasses.  If she got water up her nose, could that cause this?

Thanks for any help!

 

[hearingmomo]

Good Morning!

Randy seems much better today.  She wanted me to hold her for a short time, was purring.  Her breathing seems easier and quiet.  She's still wanting to hide out upstairs, though.  I hope a cold is all it was!

I wonder why my sickly cat didn't catch it?  Glad so far she hasn't!

Thanks for all your help!

 

[catwoman707]

 
Randy was about three months old when we got her.  Always healthy, but the lady we got her from said she had severe respiratory problems when she was a kitten.  She has always been completely healthy since we've had her though, no trouble.

My other cat's immune system is not because of a sickness, she had too many vaccines when she was too young to get them and it damaged her.  We have special orders from the vet not to give her any more vaccines, because it could make her very very sick.  Randy has not had vaccines since we've had her, because as I said we were afraid to risk exposure from the vet's office for our other cat.  They are indoor cats and do not socialize with other cats, so we thought this would be safe.

However, Randy recently escaped into the yard for perhaps a minute before we caught her.  Didn't wander far from the house, and there was snow on the ground (6 inches), so if there were germs from another cat or some other animal, they would be frozen and not contagious, right?  These escapes happen from time to time, and she's never been sick before.

Randy also likes to play in the sinks and sneak a drink out of our water glasses.  If she got water up her nose, could that cause this?

Thanks for any help!

From what I've read from you, she very likely had the uri as a kitten rhinotracheitis, (nicknamed herpevirus, no relation except to it's ability to reoccur at any point in her life) 

Any reoccurence is triggered by stress of some sort, many cats who had this as a kitten may never show signs again, or like yours, on a very rare occasion.

Your compromised cat would likely not get the virus as it is in her system being stored. While her system may be compromised from overvaccinating, she likely is protected from this virus though too.

Although experts have finally got some much needed guideline changes for the AAFP's recommendations, rather than annually, they now state no more than every 3 years, this is still not enough.

UC Davis experts stated at a recent symposium I attended, that once a kitten has had the series of 3 vaccines during kittenhood, then again a vaccine at 1 year, they are protected for LIFE.

I see somewhere in the future they will be able to convince AAFP this is factual, but until then............

I think her occasional escapes are harmless as long as no other cats are in the yard where she escapes to. Grass can harbor many things and be long living, but I think you are fine there.

Have you ever considered putting a cat proof fence top along your existing fence so they can enjoy the great outdoors yet have no worries about them getting beyond this, or any roamers getting in to your yard?

I have this, and see how much they are missing if indoors only. Watching birds and bugs, basking in the sunshine, is natural and instinctual for cats.

Just a thought.

Glad she is doing better today! It should pass without med help just fine.

Cats don't catch colds from cold, they can only get the virus from being within 4 feet of another sick cat from sneezing, or going in to an area where a sick cat was and contaminated it within 2 weeks or so. Otherwise the virus dies outside of the host.

Cats won't catch a human's cold.

 

[hearingmomo]

Thanks, catwoman707!  That does make the most sense.  I do remember the vet saying what she had as a kitten was a rhino something, but didn't remember exactly what it was called.  I wish he had said something about flare ups, so I would have known to expect it.

I've thought about a cat proof fence, but worried that the compromised cat could catch something from bird droppings and squirrels.

 

[js124]

My cat was sneezing up a storm then I realized she must of been allergic to a bath bomb. I vacuumed heavily where it was and it stopped. I also got her lil noses saline drops and gave her some drops and it helped with the breathing and stuffiness. Are you using any new beauty products or cleaners?

 

[js124]

It was a Christmas present so it got on the rug after being opened..Kinda sounded weird hy I had bath bombs just laying around

 

[catwoman707]

 
Thanks, catwoman707!  That does make the most sense.  I do remember the vet saying what she had as a kitten was a rhino something, but didn't remember exactly what it was called.  I wish he had said something about flare ups, so I would have known to expect it.

I've thought about a cat proof fence, but worried that the compromised cat could catch something from bird droppings and squirrels.

Unless they were actually playing with the squirrels, there's no worries there, and bird droppings? Birds and cats don't swap viruses, so no worries there either.

Might think on it, especially since your one girl is an escapee, cats do have that longing for the outdoors. They would SO love it.

How's the sneezing?

 

[hearingmomo]

Randy's sneezing today is almost completely gone!  She's been out and around, back to her normal gigantic appetite.  Purring, wanting hugs, riding on my shoulder like she likes to do, so her dizziness seems gone, too.  Other than being a little tired and skinny, she seems almost back to her old self! 

Randy has always had allergy problems, and being the explorer that she is, she often gets into dust that causes a sneezing spell, but this was way beyond that.  I've recently changed to a milder cleaner than what I was using.  I'm allergic to perfume, so there's none of that.

Thanks for all your help, everyone!

 

[catwoman707]

GREAT update! So glad to hear