8 Reasons Why Your Cat May Sneeze

Cats are adorable when they sneeze. That short moment after they do it, when they’re left surprised and still coming to terms with this strange thing that has happened to them, is hilarious. While sneezing is extremely common in people, cats don’t sneeze very often, which makes it that much cuter when it does. But why do cats sneeze? Should you be worried when it happens? Here are the most common reasons for cats sneezing and what to do about it.

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The Usual Suspects

Cats don’t sneeze very often; when they do, it usually happens once or twice, after which it stops. However, sometimes, they sneeze once every hour or so, and the sneezing is accompanied by nasal discharge. Here are the common reasons why cats sneeze:

• A speck of dust or a small particle-like pepper or cinnamon
• A strong smell / Airborne chemicals – such as the aldehydes in oranges
• A foreign object in their nose – such as a piece of lint, a hair, or the tip of a blade of grass

These make the cat sneeze once or twice. The sneezing stops as soon as these stimuli are eliminated.

• Upper respiratory infections
• Inflammations of the nasal cavity and sinuses
• Allergies
• Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis
• Inflammations or Infection of a tooth with sinus implication

These make the cat sneeze in repeated episodes. The sneezing is typically associated with other symptoms as well.

Identify Patterns

If the cat only sneezes every once in a while, then you have nothing to be worried about. But look out for patterns if the sneezing comes up often enough to notice. Here are some examples of typical patterns involving cat sneezing:

The Cat Sneezes After You Clean the House.

If you notice that your cat sneezes every time you clean the house, then you should look into the products that you use, especially for cleaning the floors and areas that the cat comes in contact with, but also into how well you rinse after you use them. For example, using more products to clean your floors might be tempting because the house smells better afterward.

But overusing cleaning products can be dangerous for the cat. Sneezing can be valuable because it might alert you to the issue. The pungent smell makes the cat sneeze, and you will know the problem. 

When it washes after walking on the freshly-cleaned floor, the cat ingests the chemicals, so make sure you clean the cat’s paws as soon as you notice this sneezing pattern. Make sure to use the indicated amount of product and to rinse thoroughly to keep your house safe for both you and your cat.

The Cat Sneezes After It Goes to the Litter Box

Sometimes, stirring up the litter might make the cat sneeze. But if this happens often, then you should look into the matter. First, clean the litter box regularly and rinse it thoroughly.

Make sure you clean the cat’s litter every single day. Cat urine has a powerful smell and gets stronger the more you leave it in the litter box. Also, your cat’s sneezing might indicate that you need to clean its litter box more often.

The Cat Sneezes When It Sits on Your Clean Linens or Clothes

Air fresheners can be toxic for cats, and they are very dangerous for them. So if you notice them sneezing, stop using that type of air freshener altogether because it has some airborne particles that are harmful to your cat. 

There are plenty of cat-friendly alternatives to traditional air fresheners that you can consider to keep your cat safe.

The Cat Sneezes When It Sits on Your Clean Linens or Clothes

Cats love to sit on their owners’ clothes and linens. Of course, clean clothes are a special treat, but if you notice that your cat often sneezes after relaxing on your clothes, you should look into the detergent and fabric softener you use. 

If you use many of these for your laundry, then they might be toxic for your cat. Your cat might also be sensitive to the type of detergent you use.

Upper Respiratory Infections

This is a common issue for cats; you must be ready to spot it from the very beginning because you will need to take the cat to the vet. Here are the symptoms you should look out for:

• repeated sneezing
• nasal discharge – usually milky white, light yellow, or light green
• fever – infections are associated with fever
• lethargy
• lack of appetite

The cat is not active because of the fever and does not sleep for long. You will hear it sneezing, and you will see the nasal discharge. The edges of the cat’s nose may become inflamed due to repeated sneezing and the effects of nasal discharge. The cat may not have an appetite or want to drink water.

If you notice this, you must get the cat to the vet because it needs antibiotics and fluid therapy. Upper respiratory infections have a bacterial cause and must be treated with antibiotics. These will help bring the fever down, and the fluid therapy will correct the dehydration that is usually secondary to these infections. Aside from the antibiotics, the doctor might recommend nose and/or eye drops.

If your cat is suffering from an upper respiratory infection, then make sure you clean its nose regularly using moist cotton. It would help if you also encouraged it to eat by offering it the food it likes the most and to drink water. Change its drinking water as soon as possible. A cat water fountain could come in handy because the water remains fresh.

Inflammation of the Nasal Cavity And/or Sinuses

The inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose is called rhinitis, and the inflammation of the lining of the sinuses is called sinusitis. These two types of inflammation can occur separately, but they can also occur together, in which case the condition is called rhinosinusitis.

The causes leading to rhinosinusitis can be bacterial, fungal, or viral. The symptoms are similar to those of upper respiratory infections, but since rhinosinusitis is a deeper inflammation that goes all the way up to the sinuses, there are some variations.

• The nasal discharge ranges from clear in mild cases to light yellow or green in more severe cases or even bloody.
• Difficulty breathing – the cat breathes through the mouth as its nose is clogged up with secretions.
• Discharge from the eyes – in rhinosinusitis, eye discharge also appears because the inflammation is deep
• Pawing at the face -the cat is bothered by the inability to breathe correctly and cleans itself continuously
• Reverse sneezing – as the cat attempts to clear its nose and breathe, it will inhale rapidly and intensely 
• Lack of appetite
• Lack of energy
• Fever may or may not be present -depending on the cause

If you notice these symptoms in your cat, you must take it to the vet. The first step is identifying the cause of rhinitis, sinusitis, or rhinosinusitis, which dictates the correct treatment. If the cause is bacterial, then the treatment will be antibiotics. If the cause is fungal, then the cat will need antifungal medicine. If the cause is viral, the cat will need stimulants for its immune system and antibiotics to prevent complications.

Fluid therapy is essential in treating rhinosinusitis because the cat often becomes dehydrated. Since it doesn’t have an appetite, it also needs its nutrients administered intravenously to fight the disease. Additionally, you should give the cat its favorite food or even try out special wet food for convalescent cats, which is packed with the nutrients it needs and is extra flavorful to make it appealing to the cats.

Allergies

Sneezing is not a typical symptom of allergies in cats, as it is in humans. For cats, dermatological symptoms are far more common than sneezing. In some cases, the dermatological symptoms are also accompanied by sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, and wheezing.

You must take the cat to a vet if you notice these symptoms. The doctor will then have to identify the allergen causing these symptoms, which could be lengthy, so be patient. Food allergies are the first ones that have to be excluded. After that, the doctor will prescribe a hypoallergenic diet.

If the symptoms subside, the allergen is a type of food that must be identified by individually introducing each type of food (chicken, fish, beef, etc.). If the symptoms come back after introducing a specific type of food, the allergen will have to be excluded from the cat’s diet entirely.

However, food allergies are not the only cause. For example, if the symptoms only come up in spring or a particular season, the cause might be pollen or something that only occurs seasonally.

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR)

This is a herpesvirus infection that typically occurs in unvaccinated cats of all ages. Kittens are particularly susceptible to it and sometimes get it before they are old enough to be vaccinated if exposed to the virus. The feline herpes virus infection is also passed from the mother to the kittens. The regular yearly vaccine protects cats against FVR, so ensure you don’t miss it to keep your cat safe.

The symptoms of FVR include:

• sneezing
• nasal discharge – clear to milky white or light yellow
• conjunctivitis – the inflammation of the tissue lining the eyelids and surrounding the eyes
• eye discharge – also ranges from clear to milky white or light yellow
• keratitis – the inflammation of the cornea, which could cause corneal ulcers and further complications
• fever
• lack of energy
• loss of appetite

The treatment for FVR requires immunostimulants, as well as antibiotics, which are administered for the prevention of further complications. Since the body is greatly affected by fighting off the viral infection, it is very susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, such as digestive tract infections. The doctor will decide if this is necessary according to the cat’s specific symptoms. Additionally, the cat needs eye drops and fluid therapy to fight dehydration and anemia. The cat’s nose and eyes must be cleaned several times a day. This is a crucial part of the treatment.

FVR is treatable in most cases, but timing is critical. If the cat receives treatment as soon as it starts showing symptoms, it has a high chance of being cured completely. However, if the disease progresses before the cat gets treatment, it might be left with long-term complications.

Some cats that have contracted FVR never fully recover and develop chronic upper respiratory tract inflammation. Other severe complications of FVR concern the cat’s eyes. Some cats may lose sight in one or both eyes if the keratitis is not treated.

Tooth Infections with Sinus Implications

Tooth infections in cats can be challenging to spot because cats often don’t allow their owners to check their teeth or the inside of their mouths. If your cat is particularly bothered by this, look at its teeth and gums every once in a while and check for tooth infections.

This dental disease can go unnoticed and progress to the point where the sinuses are also involved. If the infection gets to the cat’s sinuses, sneezing will become a symptom. Here are some of the others:

• The cat refuses to eat because the tooth is painful.
• Fever
• The inflammation of the gum can progress to the point where it covers the entire half of the cat’s face, where the infected tooth is located.
• Difficulty breathing – the cat will breathe through its mouth
• Wheezing, coughing
• The cat keeps its mouth open – often because it is too painful to close it all the way.

If your cat suffers from these symptoms, it must go to the vet immediately because it needs urgent care. The doctor will administer antibiotics to fight the infection. This is the first step of the treatment. The tooth must be assessed and treated once the infection is treated.

Fluid therapy is crucial because the cat often cannot eat or drink water because of the painful tooth. Therefore, it will need moist food which does not require chewing – such as pates until the tooth is treated and the pain subsides. Pain management is also essential, as tooth infections are excruciating.

As you can see, there are plenty of causes for cats sneezing. Isolated episodes of sneezing are nothing to worry about, but if you notice a pattern behind the sneezing, then you should find out more about the cause. If the sneezing is associated with other symptoms, you should consider taking your cat to the vet because it might need medical attention.

Does your cat sneeze often? Have you noticed any patterns around sneezing? Tell us all about them in the comments section below.