Cat Sneezing and Having Trouble Breathing

by Sarah
(Newport, South Wales, UK)

Reader Question: Simple Cat Cold? Or Something More Serious?

About 2 weeks ago I noticed my cats third eyes were swollen, he was sneezing a lot and was very lethargic, I took him to my local vets they said he had a high temperature, so they gave him an injection to get the temp down and an antibiotics just in case there was any infection present. He seems to have perks up since then but continues to sneeze and when he cleans himself or eat I can hear him breathing through his mouth, I’ve also noticed he sleeps a lot and his third eyes seem to swell up again at night.

I have him booked into my vet again tomorrow but any idea what I should be prepared that they may say?

Sarah

Vet Suggestions Regarding the Likelihood of Cat Cold

Hello Sarah,

I’m glad to hear that you have made a recheck appointment with your veterinarian. A simple bacterial infection should have cleared up by now with the treatment that you describe. I suspect that there is something else going on instead of or in addition to the bacterial infection your veterinarian was treating.

Without performing and exam myself, I can’t say exactly what is going on, but your cat’s symptoms do fit with a couple of the viruses (herpes and calicivirus) that cause upper respiratory infections in cats. Most cats are able to clear the viruses on their own, but they can lead to chronic symptoms in some cases and may require treatment with antiviral medications. There are also some bacteria (e.g., Chlamydophyla, Mycoplasma and Bordetella) that require special types of antibiotics to eradicate.

If your veterinarian feels it’s necessary, he or she can send samples to a laboratory to determine the cause of your cat’s sneezing and eye problems. The results can be very helpful in determining what the best course of treatment is.

Best of luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM