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Cat sneezing, watery eye, sleeping more: Is it an upper respiratory infection?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 8 months and 11 days old | 9 lbs

My cat has been sneezing & has a watery eye. No discharge. He acts like his normal self, but he sleeps alot more. I was wondering if it could be upper respiratory?? His sister is completely fine so I was curious as to what could be wrong. Please help : (

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 12th, 2018

Hello. I would say you are exactly right, that Simba has an upper respiratory infection, essentially a cold. If he is eating & drinking fairly normally, then you probably do not need to rush him to the vet as colds often just need to run their course. As to why your female seems fine? Well, there is a good possibility she could start sneezing in the next week or so. Again, if the symptoms are mild, you may not need to do anything, but if either kitty quits eating or the ocular nasal discharge becomes thick or green, or you detect any problems breathing, then you will need to have them treated by your veterinarian. If your kitties have not had a full series of kitten vaccinations, which include the most commonly encountered upper respiratory infections a cat can contract, please make sure you complete the series as soon as everyone is feeling better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner
The most common reason that we will see sneezing and watery eyes in young cats is an upper respiratory infection. I am attaching a handout with more information about that below.
https://www.vin.com/apputil/project/defaultadv1.aspx?pId=19239&SAId=1&id=4951489
It is very common that young cats will be exposed to upper respiratory viruses at shelters or breeders. It will likely pass on its own, but if Simba is not eating normally, does not seem to feel well, or develops green or yellow nasal or eye discharge, I would recommend consulting your veterinarian.
Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on May 5th, 2019
It could be allergies, or it could be Tigger has a respiratory infection. I would take him into the vet in the morning. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms, and can treat him. Best of luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Karly Macon, DVM, MS, CVA Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Veterinarian
Published on May 7th, 2017
The most common reason for cats to sneeze is a mild upper respiratory infection like feline Herpes virus. This particular virus is like the human cold sore and llves in the cat its entire life, presenting when the cat is under some kind of stress. Most cats have mild bouts of sneezing and ocular and nasal discharge. Over the counter Lyceine is the only treatment, and you can get this in a flavored form from your vet.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM
Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident
Published on December 14th, 2017
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, this is most likely an upper respiratory infection which are usually easily managed with antibiotics and topical therapy. Otherwise, this may be due to allergies. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My 16-year-old cat is sneezing and breathing loud. Should I see a vet?

Sunshine probably has an upper respiratory infection, or cold. As this is a viral infection It will run its course in a week or so. As long as she's just quiet and resting, eating a drinking some then you do not need to bring her in. If she should stop eating, the eye and nose discharge turns green and she becomes very lethargic then she may have a secondary bacterial infection that would need to be treated by your veterinarian. Sunshine is an older cat so if she's not recovering well then don't wait too long to bring her for an exam. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sunshine.

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Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Simba has a pretty severe upper respiratory infection. He needs antibiotics to help deal with this. I would suggest finding another veterinarian who will treat your kitten properly. I hope Simba is feeling better soon.

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Why is my 7-month-old indoor cat sneezing but has no other symptoms?

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.

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Why are all my cats sneezing with red noses? Is it contagious?

It sounds like they might have a viral upper respiratory infection. Initial symptoms appear 2-17 days after exposure and reach maximum severity about 10 days later. Typically, your cat will have severe bouts of sneezing lasting 1-2 days, followed by conjunctivitis, watery discharge from the eyes and nose, fever, apathy, and loss of appetite. Some cats may have only mild symptoms, while other cats can become quite ill. Most cats with an uncomplicated upper respiratory infection can be treated symptomatically at home. Home care includes keeping your cats warm and comfortable and making sure they are eating and drinking. Offer highly palatable foods with a strong smell, such as fish-flavored canned foods or strained chicken or turkey baby food. Clean secretions from the eyes, nose, and mouth with moist cotton balls as often as needed. Humidify the air with a vaporizer or humidifier. Seek prompt medical attention for any cat that has mucoid or purulent discharge from the eyes or nose as it may have a bacterial infection. Also seek veterinary attention if one of your cats is refusing to eat or drink, is losing weight, has a high fever, seems weak, develops vomiting or diarrhea, or is having trouble breathing.

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My kitten has runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing. What to do until vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to an upper respiratory infection though something else like bilateral corneal ulcers or even dry eye are possible. This is usually treated with antibiotic eye drops and oral antibiotics and cats usually respond well to therapy. I recommend that you have Deimos evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If they agree that based on an examination, that seems to be the issue, they will likely prescribe medications to make him feel better. In the meantime, you may try to decrease his activity and rest him up which may help. Good luck and best wishes!

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Health & Wellness

My cats have cold symptoms: sneezing, eye discharge. Is a vet needed?

Hey there. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear about your predicament with both your kitties. Based on the symptoms, I would agree that this sounds most likely like an upper respiratory condition. However, without a physical examination with a stethoscope I could not confidently say whether or not the lower portions of the respiratory tract are also affected (pneumonia or heart problem). For this reason, a veterinary examination at the very least is my recommendation to try and rule out something more serious. Upper respiratory infections do not typically resolve on their own and tend to get worse slowly. Most of them, particularly those affecting the eyes, are thought to have both viral and bacterial components. The Wapiti Chest formula is an all natural product meant to support existing respiratory health and does not make any claim as to its ability to rid the body of existing infection. This product would be a waste of your money at this time and I would not recommend it. Your kitties most likely need antibiotic / antivirals to combat the infection. Doctor may also recommend medication for the eyes / nostrils depending on the physical exam findings. While I understand the financial constraints, it might be best to deal with things now before they become worse and more expensive to tackle. Hope this makes sense.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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