My new shelter kitten is sneezing and lethargic. Is it food allergy?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mickey. Cats can develop allergies that result in respiratory symptoms. However, with his history of coming from a shelter, it is more likely that he has an upper respiratory tract infection. If his symptoms persist, he will need to see a veterinarian as he may require a medication. In the meantime, encourage him to eat and drink. I hope this information helps and congratulations on your new cat!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would actually be more concerned about an upper respiratory infection. This is common in young cats and in most cases it responds to antibiotics. I recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment. They would be able to check for this and start therapy accordingly. Good luck and have a good night!

Sneezing is common in cats and can be a sign of mild allergies. I wouldn't be too terribly concerned, unless you start seeing nasal discharge, decreased appetite, or wheezing. Let it run its course and if things don't improve or seem to worsen after about 3-4 days, then you should get Dale seen by your vet for some allergy medication and other treatments (i.e. antibiotics) if needed. Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Take care.

It may be a sign of sickness such as respiratory infection since he is sneezing. This is common in kittens especially from a shelter. However if there is no congestion or runny eyes I would monitor for further changes before getting worried. Since he is eating well, he may just be a calm cat or just getting used to his new home and may be a little scared still. Often times they become more active and have more personality after being adjusted.

Yes, URI's (upper respiratory infections) are very common in kittens and cats that have been living in shelters. They typically are caused by viruses and most of them resolve without treatment, but they turn into bacterial infections that make the cat feel pretty awful, and need antibiotics. I would recommend calling the shelter from which you adopted the kitten and see if maybe he was treated for a URI while he was there. If so, perhaps it's resolving normally. If not, he may just now be showing the signs and he may need to be checked out (by the shelter or a private vet) before things get worse.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It would be best to get her used to a feeding schedule as that way she will consistently eat at the same time every time. While you can give milk, it is not necessary if she is on a good diet. The sneezing may be due to an allergy to something in the environment or an upper respiratory infection so if this continues, it would be best to have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Otherwise, she may be fine. Best of luck!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. The symptoms you are describing could indicate that Carl has an upper respiratory tract infection. This could be due to a viral or bacterial infection. I would suggest having Carl examined by a veterinarian sooner rather than later so that the infection does not become more severe. Catching the infection early will typically result in a faster recovery in my experience. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. You can always request a consultation with me if needed. Please remember to rate this post as helpful or not. Thank you!