There are quite a few different things that can make your cat sneeze and not all of them are harmless.
Your cat will sneeze if there is a foreign object in its nose or if it has an infection, a dental disease, or an allergy. At night, the kitty might choose to explore some shelves with chemicals; a heater that you turn on at nighttime might also be to blame.
Why Does My Cat Sneeze So Much at Night?
If your cat is not sneezing during the day but starts suffering from this symptom at night, then you would have to check what the kitty does when you go to sleep.
Perhaps, the little guy likes to explore the house, when there is no one around. In such a case, the cat might come across some chemical irritants that make it sneeze.
If you tend to turn the air conditioner (heater) or humidifier only at night, then the device might be to blame.
Some other reasons for sneezing include:
- A simple tickle
- Dust and other airborne particles
- A foreign object in the nose (like grass or hair)
- A respiratory infection
- A dental disease
- Inflammation of the nasal cavity or sinuses
- An allergy
- An intranasal vaccine
Read: How Badly Do Cats Shed?
Why Is My Cat Sneezing Several Times in a Row?
In case your kitty lets off a series of sneezes only once, then you have nothing to worry about. However, if the cat tends to do that on a regular basis, there might be a problem.
- Inflammation can make the pet sneeze several times in a row. This condition, in its turn, can be caused by a bacterial infection or an allergy.
- There is a foreign material stuck in the kitty’s nasal cavity. If the cat can’t dislodge the particle that it has inhaled, then it’ll continue to sneeze.
Cat Sneezing a Lot in a Row with Snot
Your little friend might be suffering from a feline upper respiratory tract infection. The symptoms of this condition are sneezing, watery eyes, thick discharge from the eyes, and goopy, green, or even blood-tinged snot.
When Should I Worry About My Cat Sneezing?
If the sneezing becomes more persistent and if the kitty starts experiencing other symptoms (like excessive nasal discharge, trouble breathing, runny eyes, fatigue, and so on), then you should immediately take the little guy to the vet.
Read: Why Is My Cat’s Hair Falling Out in Clumps?
How Much Sneezing Is Too Much for a Cat?
Just like in the case with humans, there is nothing to worry about, if your cat occasionally sneezes.
But if that does happen a few times per day for several days in a row, then you would have to find the root cause of the problem.
Should I Take My Cat to the Vet for Sneezing?
You should take your pet to the vet when sneezing is accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms:
- Nasal discharge (bloodied or yellowish-green discharge is especially dangerous)
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Runny eyes
- Pawing at the face
- Labored breathing or breathing through the mouth
Read: Why Is My Cat Throwing Up but Acting Normal?
Why Is My Indoor Cat Sneezing?
If you have an indoor cat, it should be a bit easier for you to figure out what’s making the kitty sneeze.
Pay attention to when exactly this sneezing occurs. If it happens when you’re cleaning the house or changing the litter box, then it looks like one of these things is an irritant.
In case your pet starts sneezing only at night, make sure that the little guy is not showing interest in any shelves with chemicals while you’re fast asleep. If you tend to turn the humidifier or the air con/heater on only at night, then that might be the issue.
Can Dry Air Cause Cats to Sneeze?
Dry air can cause any creature that has a nose and a throat to cough and sneeze more often. Dry mucous membranes and airways are more prone to irritation, and irritation, in its turn, leads to sneezing.
Read: Why Does My Cat Chew on Everything?
Chronic Rhinitis in Cats
Feline rhinitis is a relatively common complication of cat flu. If there is permanent damage to the nasal passageways, then the kitty can develop chronic rhinitis.
The causes of this condition in cats include:
- A viral infection
- Bacterial infections
- Some fungal infections
- Polyps (growths inside the nasal passages)
- Allergies
- Dental diseases
- Foreign bodies
- The type of cancer that causes abnormal tissue growth in the nasal passages
Sneezing is one of the most common symptoms of feline rhinitis.
Bronchial Asthma in Cats
Just like humans, cats can suffer from bronchial asthma which causes different structural and chemical changes in the kitty’s respiratory system.
The airways, for example, can become extremely narrow which results in excessive airway mucus and respiratory distress.
Unfortunately, at the moment, it is practically impossible to diagnose feline bronchial asthma. However, some of the most common signs of the condition include coughing, wheezing, and expiratory dyspnea.
Read: Can Savannah Cats Be Walked?
Is Sneezing a Symptom of Covid in Cats?
Pets can get ill from the virus that causes COVID-19. Do bear in mind though that the risk of animals spreading coronavirus to people is extremely low.
A kitty with COVID might exhibit the following symptoms:
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Eye and nose discharge
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
Do Cats Sneeze Because of Allergies?
Cats can be allergic to a wide range of different things, starting from pollen and ending with other animals.
In the majority of cases, if the kitty comes in contact with the allergen, it will sneeze.
How Did My Indoor Cat Get a Cold?
A kitty can get exposed to a virus, even if it always stays inside.
Feline herpesvirus, for example, can be dormant for the largest part of the cat’s life. But stress or other events that can suppress the kitty’s immune system may make the virus become active.
Can Cats Get Over Upper Respiratory Infections on Their Own?
Most upper respiratory infections in kitties will end up resolving themselves (though your cat might require a little TLC).
Fact: sneezing is usually the symptom that lingers the longest.
With that being said, some infections would require treatment and medication. In the most severe cases, you might even have to hospitalize the little guy.
What Can I Give My Cat for Sneezing?
There are a few things that you can do to help your precious pet.
You can ask your vet about using a saline spray. If the sneezing is caused by a bacterial infection, then you would have to treat the kitty with antibiotics.
Can I Give My Cat Benadryl for Sneezing?
Benadryl is relatively safe for cats. It’s an antihistamine that can help your cat cope with the symptoms of an allergy.
How Do You Clear a Cat’s Sinuses?
Before proceeding with the procedure, make sure that your kitty is as comfortable as possible.
How Can I Get Rid of Cat Allergies Naturally?
If your cat is suffering from allergies, then you can try:
- Giving pine bark orally as a supplement
- Adding a tiny amount of apple cider vinegar into the kitty’s food
- Adding a small spoonful of coconut oil to each feeding
Can Cat Sneezing Infect Humans?
The viruses that give the cats coughs and colds and make them sneeze are different from the ones that cause such illnesses in humans. So, sneezing can’t really spread from your cat to you.