My cat keeps sneezing. When should I take him to the vet and cost?

I'm glad to hear that Kiara is still eating and drinking well despite her sneezing. Cats can sneeze from time to time as a normal response to clear irritants out of the nasal passages, just as we do. More persistent sneezing can be caused by upper respiratory infections, allergic causes, or nasal polyps, among others. As long as Kiara continues to eat, drink, and act normally in the absence of any nasal discharge, it is ok to continue monitoring her at home. At 2.5 months old, I imagine that she is still going to her vet frequently for booster vaccines, so it is worth mentioning the sneezing at her next appointment. However, if she develops any nasal discharge or changes in her appetite or energy level, she should go to the vet more urgently. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Cats can commonly be afflicted by upper respiratory viruses that can cause sneezing, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers. These viruses can be latent in a cat's system and then in times of stress or a weakened immune system (like in a kitten) they can cause illness. This is what I suspect is going on with your cat. Oftentimes cats can overcome a viral respiratory infection on their own but sometimes they need antiviral drugs, eye medications, and possibly antibiotics to help them get over the virus. If the illness continues to last more than 3-5 days, of if Mushu stops eating or the sneezing becomes excessive then I would take him back to the vet for a recheck. Most times these cats just need supportive care to get through the illness.

It's likely that he is suffering from an upper respiratory infection, he will need an antibiotic course for that. If money is an issue please contact a cat charity in your area of living, they can help with costs of treatment in many cases. Many vets also have payment plans, and there is also a credit company that will land you money toward vet bills ( https://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/) .

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Bunny. Sounds like she is suffering from a mild upper respiratory infection. Not sure how old she is but both kittens and adult cats suffer from these infections. Kittens get infected from their mothers who start shedding the viruses thus infecting the kittens. Many cats live their whole lives carrying these viruses. They will occasionally develop signs of upper respiratory infections during times of stress at any point in time. We vaccinate for a few of these upper respiratory viruses but we still see many many cases. The vaccines should provide some protection and usually adult cats develop very mild signs. Signs range from sneezing, runny eyes, runny nose, coughing, fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, decreased water intake, etc. Treating these infections can range from very simple to very complex cases that take weeks to months to improve. If signs remain mild, monitoring is sometimes appropriate. If the signs progress to not eating, lethargic, thick discharge from the nose and/or eyes, then you should get her evaluated by your veterinarian. They can gather a history, perform an exam, and advise you on possible diagnostics and treatment. Treatment can involve antibiotics to protect or treat secondary bacterial infections, antiviral medicines, a good deworming program, and vaccination program, eye drops/eye ointments if the eyes are involved, nose drops, a nutritional supplement called L-lysine added to his food may help, and probiotics are all things to try. Sometimes kittens have a nasopharyngeal polyp which can present as chronic upper respiratory disease which doesn't respond well to treatment. This is a polyp in the nasal passageway and back of the throat. These can be found by using sedation/anesthesia and evaluating the back of the throat and thus removed if found. Good luck.

This is likely the start of an upper respiratory infection. These are often due to a virus that is usually self-limiting (will go away on its own - much like a cold with people). These can become worse and complicated with bacterial infections, so if Alexa is having issues with congestion, or starts to develop yellow/green nose or eye discharge, then it will be best to take her to a vet for an accurate diagnosis and treatment. For now, make sure she is comfortable and free of any stressful situations. These infections often happen in times of stress, so if there was a potential new stressor, then try your best to remove it. I hope that helps and Alexa gets better soon.

This is a classic presentation of a cat with an upper respiratory disease. They also tend to avoid eating and drinking, because the congestion in the nose does not allow them to breathe properly. You can help the congestion by giving her a steam bath. There is a link below that has good information about how to do this and other helpful tips for this condition. http://www.wikihow.com/Help-Your-Cat-Breathe-Easier It's best if you can get the kitty to a vet within the next day or two. These infections can become complicated and get much worse without treatment. The vet would be able to evaluate the severity of the infection and prescribe the necessary treatment to make her feel better and keep the infection from getting worse. Veterinary exam fees vary depending on the location, but can be anywhere from $30-$80. The medication commonly used to treat these infections is usually not too expensive and may cost $20 or more. If cost is an issue, then you may consider surrendering her to a local animal shelter/rescue center. They have vets on staff that are used to treating these infections and will ensure she goes to a good home. I hope this helps and the kitty gets better soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jake. He may have an upper respiratory tract infection based on his increased sneezing recently. As long as he is eating, drinking and acting normally, then it should be fine to monitor him for another 24-48 hours. If his symptoms are not resolving or he brings acting ill, then he will need to see his veterinarian. Good luck!