My cat is sneezing. Is permethrin or diatomaceous earth harmful?

If your cats are showing signs of poisoning, this is a medical emergency and they need veterinary treatment now. There is nothing you can do at home for them, as cats are very sensitive to flea treatments and any time they show signs of poisoning, veterinary treatment should be sought right away. Please take them into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm not terribly worried about the effects of the Vicks. However, I imagine the smell would be overwhelming for a creature with a much more powerful nose than we have. That being said, watch Minkay closely and if you see vomiting, diarrhea, heavy breathing, coughing, etc. please see you vet. Side note, Vicks probably will not work for sneezing and if Minkay is sneezing that badly, he needs to see a vet for testing if needed and/or for medication that will be more effective. Best of luck to you and Minkay!

As long as he is still eating and able to sleep comfortably then i would not be overly concerned. Bathing his nose with saline and cotton wool can help free any mucus and make breathing a little easier. If symptoms worsen or he starts breathing with his mouth open I would seek an emergency appointment

Allergens or irritants in the air that are inhaled perhaps during grooming (such as hair, grooming products, sprays, etc that become aerosolized can potentially cause sneezing for a day or so. If the sneezing is not accompanied by any other symptoms such as lethargy, decrease appetite, nasal discharge, vomiting, coughing, etc. then it may be due to the grooming and not too much to worry about.

Coughing and sneezing are not typically side effects of methimazole (which is the thyroid medication I would assume Harley is taking). Sneezing can be a sign of an upper respiratory infection or other nasal disease, and if there is a lot of discharge from the nose that runs down the throat it could cause a cough. A cough can also be a sign of asthma or other lung disease. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian for an exam and potentially chest x-rays. If your vet is suspicious that Harley may have a bacterial upper respiratory infection antibiotics might be prescribed.

Hi there! You are absolutely right, stress could be a reason for the sneezing and diarrhea. For example, the feline herpes virus manifests as an URI and is exacerbated by stress, it should also be noted that it is quite contagious among cats. Hopefully, the foster cat was UTD on vaccines; however, there is not vaccination for herpes (which usually manifests as eye and nasal discharge, etc). It is also possible that there is just something in the environment that is irritating, particularly if you have used new airfreshner, litter, etc. Having Dahlia (lovely name) examined by her veterinarian is best, but since she seems to be doing fine otherwise I think it is fair to continue montioring her for a couple more days. If her symptoms gets worse or new symptoms are noticed she should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. I would also keep her separated from other cats for now. Hope this helps and that Dahlia feels better soon!

Yes, permethrine is toxic to cats, and even small amounts can cause severe and fatal poisoning. Do not put this on Rowena or anywhere near her. If she has fleas, I would get a flea treatment from your vet to treat them. Remember you will have to disinfect the environment at well. Wash her bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. I hope this helps!