Adventures of Chloe and Oscar: When Cats Sneeze
When humans sneeze, it can mean a few different things. It could be because of dust, allergies, or even point to us being sick. The same is true for cats. Cats can sneeze for a number of reasons and not all of them are bad. However, there are a few things that cat owners need to be on the look-out for.
The first cat I rescued, Oscar, was like any other family pet aside from the fact that he was at one point, feral. He was anti-social at first but slowly adjusted to life with a cat-lover.
Then… I rescued Chloe. It was during the summer at a huge kitten adoption event at my local humane society. Unlike Oscar, Chloe was a kitten and so small. It was kind of love at first sight. It was my first night with her and I started noticing something was terribly wrong.
She was starting to sneeze a lot. Then, the bloody nose happened, which is something I had never experienced with a cat. I was terrified because I didn’t know what was wrong with her and I did not want this small little kitten to die on my watch.
At the vet visit, not even 48 hours after her adoption, I learned that she had a severe upper respiratory infection. This is what prompted the sneezing, the bloody nose, and lack of appetite. Kittens are prone to sickness because their immune systems are still developing and Chloe just happened to develop one. In human terms, she developed a cold, but it progressed to an influenza-like state with a bacterial component.
After a lot of money, love and care, I got Chloe back to feeling better and at a healthy weight. I’ve now had Chloe for almost six years and she spends her days living a very spoiled life. I don’t think I’ve met or had a cat who thinks she’s so fierce but has to sleep in my arms every night. She is very lucky that Oscar tolerates her presence.
There has only been one additional incident with an upper respiratory infection, but it was nothing compared to what she had as a kitten. I was able to quickly identify when she wasn’t feeling well because I knew what signs to look for. Remember, a happy cat is a healthy cat!
The following website is a great resource and it lists the major things you want to look out for: http://www.aspcapro.org/resource/shelter-health-animal-care-disease-management/feline-uri
Don’t forget to check out all of the amazing pets that Texas Humane Heroes has to offer and any of their upcoming events!