Medical disclaimer: This article is educational and based on veterinary guidelines. Respiratory infections in cats can become serious, particularly in kittens, older cats and cats with reduced immunity. Consult your veterinarian if your cat stops eating, has trouble breathing, or if symptoms last longer than a few days.
Your cat sneezes. And again. Her eyes look watery and there is something on her nose. The first thought is usually reassuring: she has a cold, it will pass.
Usually that is true. But what we call a cold in cats is rarely the same thing you get in October. It is almost always cat flu, a viral respiratory infection that spreads through cat populations quickly. Most cats recover from it without trouble. Some do not, and the difference comes down to details you can assess yourself.
First Things First: How Serious Is It?
Before you start looking for causes, look at your cat. Not at the sneezing, but at everything else.
Your cat sneezes but eats, drinks and behaves normally
This is the reassuring scenario. A cat who sneezes, maybe has watery eyes, but still devours her food and settles on your lap, most likely has a mild infection that resolves on its own within seven to ten days. Your role is supportive: keeping her eating and drinking, and making her comfortable.
Your cat is not eating, is lethargic or struggling to breathe
This is the scenario where you call. A cat who stops eating has a problem within twenty-four hours, because cats who go a few days without food risk liver damage. Laboured breathing, open-mouth breathing or rapid shallow breaths are always urgent. The same applies to a cat who withdraws completely and stops responding to anything.
The reason cats who stop eating get into trouble so fast during a cold is simple: they eat by smell. A blocked nose means no smell, and no smell means no appetite. That makes an apparently mild cold more dangerous in cats than it is in us.
Cat Cold or Cat Flu? It Is Usually the Same Thing
In everyday language we say a cat has a cold, or the flu. What the vet writes down is feline upper respiratory tract disease, commonly called cat flu. It is the same condition, and in most cases a virus is behind it.
Two viruses account for the vast majority of cases. Feline herpesvirus mainly affects the eyes and nose: sneezing, watery or crusted eyes, a runny nose. Feline calicivirus more often causes ulcers in the mouth and on the tongue, which makes eating painful. Bacteria such as Chlamydia felis and Bordetella can play a role too, usually as a secondary infection.
One thing worth knowing: your cold is not transmissible to your cat, and her cat flu is not transmissible to you. The viruses that make cats ill are cat-specific. Between cats, however, it is highly contagious, spreading through sneeze droplets, direct contact and shared food bowls.
Cats who have been infected with herpesvirus remain carriers for life. The virus retreats into the nerve cells and can flare up again under stress. That explains why some cats start sneezing around the same time every year without catching anything new. A house move, a new housemate or a stay in a cattery are classic triggers.
Sneezing and Coughing Are Not the Same Thing
This distinction is often missed, and it matters. Sneezing belongs to an upper respiratory infection. Coughing usually does not.
A coughing cat makes a low, persistent sound and often stretches her neck forward with her body close to the ground. It sometimes looks like retching, or like a cat trying to bring up a hairball. That last one is also the most harmless explanation, and if your cat produces hairballs regularly, our article on cat hairballs is the place to read further.
But if no hairball follows and the coughing keeps returning, something else is going on. Asthma is far more common in cats than most people realise and produces exactly this picture: recurring coughing fits, sometimes with wheezing. Lungworm, heart problems and inflammation in the lower airways can also cause coughing.
The rule of thumb is useful: sneezing with a runny nose and watery eyes points to cat flu. Coughing without sneezing points to something in the lower airways and deserves a vet assessment, even if your cat seems cheerful otherwise.
What You Can Do at Home
For mild cat flu there is no medication that removes the virus. Antibiotics only work against secondary bacterial infections and are not prescribed as standard. What your cat needs is support, and you can provide most of it.
Keep her eating
This is the most important job. Warm wet food slightly, to around body temperature, so the smell becomes stronger. Strongly scented food works better than neutral food. Small portions offered more often work better than one large meal. If she keeps refusing, that is a reason to call within a day.
Help clear the nose
Humid air softens the mucous membranes and makes breathing easier. Take your cat into the bathroom for fifteen minutes while you run a hot shower, without getting her wet. A humidifier in the room where she sleeps does the same job, just more slowly.
Keep eyes and nose clean
Dried crusts around the eyes and nose are uncomfortable and block the nose further. Clean them gently a few times a day with something soft and damp. The YMOAs Pet Wipes work well here because they are alcohol-free and fragrance-free. That is exactly what you want for a cat with irritated membranes, since added scents make the irritation worse. Use a separate wipe for each eye so you do not transfer an infection from one to the other.
Provide rest and warmth
A warm, draught-free sleeping spot helps more than you might think. Cats recover by sleeping, and a cat who feels safe sleeps more deeply. If you have multiple cats, separating the sick one temporarily is sensible, both to limit spread and to give her peace.
There is a lot of confusion about supplements. L-lysine was recommended for years for herpesvirus, but recent research shows it has no demonstrable effect. Your money is better spent on good food and a vet visit if one is needed.
Kitten with a Cold: Always More Serious
Different rules apply to kittens. Their immune system is not fully developed, their reserves are small and they dehydrate much faster. What is a week of muddling through for an adult cat can become life-threatening for a kitten within days.
On top of that, cat flu in young kittens can leave permanent damage. Severe eye infections can lead to corneal damage or even loss of an eye. An infection that descends into the lungs causes pneumonia, which is often fatal in kittens.
The rule is simple: a kitten who sneezes and is even slightly lethargic or eating less goes to the vet. Not tomorrow, today. The same applies to older cats and cats with a chronic condition or reduced immunity.
When You Really Need to Call
There are several signals where waiting is no longer an option.
Your cat has eaten nothing for more than twenty-four hours. This tops the list, because it is the most common and most underestimated problem during cat flu.
Laboured breathing, distress or open-mouth breathing. Cats normally breathe quietly through the nose. Anything that deviates from that is urgent.
Blood in the nasal discharge or when sneezing. A single trace of blood can come from irritated membranes, but it should always be assessed. Persistent nosebleeds can indicate a polyp, a fungal infection or, rarely, a tumour.
Ulcers in the mouth or drooling. This often points to calicivirus and makes eating painful, which compounds the appetite problem.
Thick, green or yellow discharge from eyes or nose that does not improve. This usually indicates a secondary bacterial infection that does require antibiotics.
Symptoms that are not clearly improving after ten days, or a cat who improves first and then declines again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take a cat to recover from a cold?
Mild cat flu usually lasts seven to ten days. With a more severe course or a secondary bacterial infection it can take two to three weeks. If nothing has improved after ten days, call your vet.
Is cat flu contagious to humans?
No. The viruses that cause cat flu are cat-specific and do not make people ill. Equally, you cannot pass your own cold on to your cat.
Is it contagious to my other cats?
Yes, highly. It spreads through sneeze droplets, direct contact and shared food and water bowls. Separate the sick cat temporarily, wash your hands in between and use separate bowls.
My cat is vaccinated, so how can she still get cat flu?
The cat flu vaccination does not fully prevent infection, but it does make the course considerably milder. Vaccinated cats get less ill and recover faster. It remains worthwhile, even for indoor cats.
My cat has been sneezing occasionally for months. Is that bad?
Chronic sneezing in an otherwise healthy cat often points to a herpesvirus carrier with periodic flare-ups. It is not dangerous, but have it assessed once, particularly if discharge appears or it happens more often.
Can I give my cat something for the cold?
Never give your cat medication intended for humans. Paracetamol is lethal to cats, even in small amounts. Anything you give should be in consultation with your vet.
A sneezing cat is rarely cause for panic, but it is a moment to look carefully. Is she still eating? Drinking? Responding like she always does? Those three questions tell you more than the sneezing itself. 🐾
References
Licg. (n.d.). Niesziekte bij de kat. Retrieved from https://www.licg.nl/katten/gezondheid-en-verzorging-kat/niesziekte-bij-de-kat/
International Cat Care. (n.d.). Cat flu (feline upper respiratory tract disease). Retrieved from https://icatcare.org/articles/cat-flu
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. (n.d.). Feline upper respiratory infection. Retrieved from https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/upper-respiratory-infection
Bol, S., & Bunnik, E. M. (2015). Lysine supplementation is not effective for the prevention or treatment of feline herpesvirus 1 infection in cats. BMC Veterinary Research, 11, 284. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-015-0594-3