Ask West Ridge- Sneezing Cat

Q: My cat has been a 'hard-sneezer' for years (we always just assumed that it was allergies). Over the past year it seems that he now coughs a little, wheezes, and has respiratory distress in general. I don't know what to do for him. ... Do you have any suggestions?

A: There are several things that could be causing your cat’s symptoms. Your cat could have, among other things; feline asthma, heart disease, or an infection such as pneumonia. As these issues can be serious, we recommend your cat see a veterinarian.

Due to the differing possible causes we can't recommend any treatments without running any tests. To start toward a diagnosis, we ask that you bring your cat in for an examination, chest x-ray/s and a nasal swab cytology. There may be additional tests to run, depending on what is found by the doctor. Medications may also be prescribed.

Dr. Jim Ebner
Dr. Natalie Durbin