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

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 8 months and 10 days old | 6 lbs

~8 month old kitten has developed a slightly runny nose, watery eyes and started sneezing yesterday. His discharge is very clear and watery and he does not sound congested. He still has his appetite and is drinking water. What should we do to help him with these symptoms until we’re able to take him to our vet?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

Published on February 11th, 2018

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!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Amber Da Silva, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on August 6th, 2017
I'm so sorry about Toby's eye. It would be helpful to see a picture of the eye if you could post it on the forum. If there is blood in the eye, this sounds very serious and should see a veterinarian. Eye wounds are very prone to infection, especially from a fight with another cat. They can also worsen very quickly and even lead to blindness. Unfortunately, there isn't anything over the counter that can treat an injury like this. I would encourage you to place a cone so he can't scratch or rub at his eye and keep the area surrounding the eye as clean as possible.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Tomasz Wnuk
Veterinarian
Published on May 2nd, 2020
Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I suspect that your kitten has bacterial infection of the eyes. She most likely will need a course of antibiotics from your local vets to get better, but as they are closed now, you need to keep cleaning the sticky discharge with warm, boiled water and cotton buds. Using eye soothing eye drops should be helpful too. The grey membrane is possibly a protruding third eye lid - common finding in cats with eye infections. As soon as your vets are open, please take Mozza to be checked over and to start antibiotics treatment.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on May 14th, 2017
It's definitely not normal but it is a common condition in young cats, it's an eye infection that needs to be treated with antibiotic eye ointment (teramycin). this infection often involve an upper respiratory infection as well which needs to be treated with oral antibiotics. i strongly recommend that you take him to the vet ASAP, without treatment it's very likely that he will end up blind.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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