My cat has white eye discharge and is sneezing. Is it serious?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Cats that sneeze and have runny eyes of and on chronically typically will have Herpes Virus. This is like when people have a cold-sore, and when they get stressed it 'flares' up. A flare-up in a cat with herpes virus is sneezing, discharge from the nose, and some red eyes. As long as they are still eating, drinking and acting normally then you can't really do anything as it is viral vs. bacterial. Sometimes these flare-ups can lead to a secondary bacterial infection. If you are seeing green/yellow discharge (the image you have posted looks suspicious but it is hard tot ell the exact colour from the picture) or if Hunter is not eating/drinking, then sometimes antibiotics or an anti-inflammatory are required. If it is worse in the summer it could also be allergies that are causing the sneezing and discharge, in which case as long as he is eating and playing, there isn't any need for intervention. Best of luck with Hunter.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sneezing in cats may be due to an upper respiratory infection (URI), rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal passages), a foreign body stuck in the nostril(s), or even something like a tumor or mass in the nasal cavity. Common URI's in cats include herpesvirus and calicivirus, which are often treated supportively with either anti-viral medications and/or antibiotics in case a secondary bacterial infection is present. Sometimes, steroids such as prednisolone are recommended when cats are sneezing to see if they can help reduce inflammation in the nasal passages. Iggie may benefit from steam therapy, which is as simple as keeping him in the bathroom with the door closed when you shower, to allow the steamy air to help moisten his nasal passages. If he continues to sneeze for more than a day or so, I recommend having him seen by your veterinarian, who can perform an exam and treat accordingly. If you can, try to get a video of his sneezing episodes to show your veterinarian when you go. I hope this is helpful - best of luck with Iggie!

If she is young or is undergoing a lot of stress (moving, new animal or person in the house, change of schedule) the most likely cause is a viral upper respiratory infection. Many cats will get by with the following support - lysine supplement- try Vetoquinol Viralys (L-Lysine) Oral Gel for Cats - treat all cats as directed on the bottle until all cats are well - try wet food or soaking kibbles and then very slightly warming the food. Cats are very smell-driven and warm wet food is smellier and more likely to be eaten by a stuffy nosed cat. - recommend a probiotic such as purina Fortiflora for every cat in the home. Odd as it sounds, we’ve found that probiotics actually speed recovery from URI’s - if any cat is squinting an eye or thick eye discharge, refuses to eat, or becomes lethargic, it’s time to see your vet. These are signs of eye ulcers and/or secondary bacterial infection. These cats will need eye ointments or systemic antibiotics. Occasionally, nebulizations or more aggressive treatment is needed. If Mama is lethargic, has decreased appetite, or the nasal discharge is thick, yellow/green, or bloody, or she is breathing with her mouth open, she needs to see the vet as these could be something more serious such as fungal infection, cancer, or secondary infection. Best of luck to you and Mama.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear that your cats are having issues with sneezing. Sneezing in cats can have a variety of causes, such as allergies or an underlying upper respiratory infection. As Annie is having nasal discharge now with her sneezing, I would recommend she be evaluated by her regular veterinarian, as she may have an infection or some other underlying condition that would need to be treated in order to resolve it. Good luck!

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!

Sneezing and eye discharge make me suspicious of a viral infection, especially feline herpes virus. Herpes virus can cause a myriad of eye problems including ulcers, conjunctivitis, and keratitis. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by a veterinarian soon as you don’t want the problem to get worse. In the meantime I would use a warm water compress on the eye several times a day for 5 minutes at a time. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Sneezing and eye tearing in cats is often the result of a viral upper respiratory infection. Symptoms may include sneezing, eye or nasal discharge, nasal congestion, eye squinting, lethargy, and inappetence. Common causative agents include herpesvirus and calicivirus. The fact that he is eating and drinking normally is a good sign. However, because he is an older kitty, it will definitely require close monitoring to ensure his signs are not worsening. An exam with your veterinarian is recommended to make sure that his vital signs are normal, including a normal temperature. If he'll let you check his temperature at home, you can. I suggest lubricating a thermometer and checking his temperature rectally. Normal temperatures for can range between 100.5 to 102.5. If his temperature is 103 or higher you should consider bringing him in to your vet. Additionally, if you see yellow/green discharge from the eyes or nose, increased frequency of sneezing, lethargy, loss of appetite, or open-mouth breathing I suggest bringing him to your vet right away. Viral infections, just like in people, can weaken the immune system allowing bacterial infections to occur, which requires veterinary prescribed antibiotics. If there are any other cats in the house, I recommend temporarily isolating them from your sneezy cat until his signs resolve. Minimizing environmental stress is also recommended for his recovery. If you have any other concerns or are interested in additional information I'm happy to follow-up with an online consultation.