3 Reasons Why A Cat Keeps Sneezing But Seems Fine

Ohh, that annoying sneezing. We all deal with it sometimes, and we all can’t wait for it to stop! This occurrence is not only human-specific; our felines can also deal with sneezing.

You noticed your cat keeps sneezing, but otherwise, she seems perfectly fine? What could be happening? Is this a health-related issue?

It might be. Cats might sneeze due to several reasons, but they won’t show any other kind of distress or pain.

Let’s look at the most common causes of why your cat would act like this.

1. Allergies

I start to sneeze a lot in the spring session, and this is usually a time when one of my friends asks: It’s the allergy season again, right?

Well, me and the rest of humanity aren’t the only ones struggling with allergies; our kittens might also have an allergic reaction.

So, if your cat otherwise seems to be fine, but she keeps sneezing, she is likely to be allergic to something in her surroundings.

According to Katie Burns, many environmental allergens are found in a typical cat’s owner's home; such as mold, dander, pollen, or cleaning products. 

Cat litter might also contain chemicals or fragrances that can cause your cat to exhibit allergies. 

It might seem to be easy to stop your cat’s constant sneezing by simply removing the allergen from her. 

But, you could have a hard time figuring out what exactly caused an allergic reaction in your kitten. Besides the allergen I mentioned above, felines might also be allergic to flea bites, food ingredients, or cigarette smoke.

So, to alleviate the sneezing caused by an allergic reaction in your cat, you’ll need to consult your vet. He will perform all the necessary tests to determine the allergy trigger, and will advise you on how to treat it in the best way.

2. An Irritant In Their Nose

Your cat might be sneezing, but not showing any other symptoms because something is irritating her nasal passages.

Cats might accidentally inhale a foreign object that can get stuck in their noses, and block their nasal passages. Due to this, felines may have trouble breathing through their nose, so they will keep sneezing in an attempt to remove the object. 

What kind of foreign object could your cat inhale? All kinds of them, such as seeds, small insects, or grass. If she started sneezing frequently all of a sudden, this is the most likely cause.

In most cases, a cat will sneeze the foreign object out on its own. However, if she doesn’t stop sneezing and isn’t able to clean her nose by herself, the vet will need to wash her nose out and expel the object. 

3. Vaccination Side Effects

I’m sure all of you are responsible cat parents aware of the importance of vaccinations for felines. 

Your cat will get her first vaccination shots while she’s still in the cattery. Later on, it’s your responsibility to keep taking her for vaccinations following your vet’s instructions.

According to Ian Tizard [1], core vaccines for felines are directed against feline calicivirus, herpesvirus, and parvovirus, while the vaccine against feline leukemia and rabies are also two important ones.

Most cases will not even feel the effect of vaccinations. However, some might show mild side effects, such as sneezing.

So, if your cat has just got one of the vaccination shots, and started sneezing, but shows no other symptoms, this is likely to be her body’s response to the vaccine treatment.

Sneezing should stop in a few days, and this is nothing to worry about. However, if it doesn’t stop, and if your cat shows any other signs that indicate she's not well, such as a high fever or severe lethargy, you need to call the vet.

See Also: When To Euthanize A Cat With Feline Leukemia?

Can You Stop Your Cat’s Sneezing?

If sneezing in your cat occurs without any other accompanying symptoms, it will most likely stop soon on its own.

Still, there are some steps you can take to make things easier for your kitty.

Be careful with the scents inside your home, such as cleaning products, laundry detergents and candles, since intense fragrances can cause an allergic reaction in cats. The same goes for cigarette smoke!

Furthermore, choose one of the hypoallergenic cat litters. It would also be good to buy an air purifier, that will keep the air inside your home free of impurities, such as dust and odors that might be irritating to your cat’s nasal passages.

In Conclusion

My cat keeps sneezing but seems fine; should I be worried?

In most cases, sneezing isn’t a sign of any serious problems in felines.

If your cat seems fine, she probably is and her sneezing will be just temporary! If this is caused by her inhaling some clean product or as a side effect of a vaccination shot, she is likely to stop sneezing in a day or two.

So, if your kitten doesn’t show any additional symptoms, you have nothing to worry about. Just observe her for a couple of hours and check if she’s acting normally.

You’ll need to call your vet if you notice some other signs of distress in your cat, such as coughing, fever, diarrhea, or lethargy.

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