Most often, cat sneezing is due to substances in the environment that they may be allergic to. Detecting the cause of your pet’s sneezing is recommended, so that you can remove the allergen and get rid of the sneezing and irritation.
Causes of Sneezing Allergies
Sneezing allergies may be caused by a number of factors, including:
- Smoke
- Fly or insect spray
- Strong fragrances
- Moth balls
- Incense
- Household cleaning products
- Fertilizers and pesticides
- Cat litter, as the litter contains fine particles that can irritate the nose of the cat
- Pollen
- Flowers or plants
- Mold
- Dust
- Food smells
Any strong smell can irritate the nose of the cat and cause sneezing. If the sneezing is in excess and the cat displays other symptoms, he is more likely to be allergic.
Symptoms of Allergies
Allergies occur due to a weak immune system that is unable to defend the body from the allergens. The cat’s body will produce a high amount of histamines, which will produce the allergy symptoms.
If your cat is allergic to any of the substances mentioned above, sneezing will be one of the symptoms. If the irritation is severe, there will be other symptoms including watery eyes, runny nose, coughing, rashes and itchiness, and swelling of the face or limbs.
Cat breeds with flat faces will sneeze more often when there are chemicals or other allergens, due to their short nose.
Some cats will only have sneezing allergies during a certain time of the year, which will point to a few possible seasonal allergens, making it easier to detect the exact source.
Treating Sneezing Allergies
Allergies that cause sneezing can be reduced if you remove the allergen completely from the cat’s environment. This means that you will have to identify the culprit substance. Monitor your cat to determine when he's sneezing and what substances are present at that time in his environment. Note that the cat may also sneeze due to pollen, grasses, dust or mold. A vet can determine the source of allergies through skin or blood testing.
If your pet does not display other symptoms other than sneezing, this means that his allergies are light. Light allergies can be treated with antihistamines or a cure of cortisone.
If the cat is allergic to grasses or smoke, and these can't be removed from his environment, allergy shots should be administered to eliminate the sneezing. An allergy shot contains a low amount of the culprit allergen, which will be injected under the cat’s skin. In time, the cat will develop immunity to the substance and he will no longer display allergy symptoms.
Immunity boosters and Omega 3 fatty acids can also help the cat fight the allergies.
Cat sneezing is most often caused by irritation or allergies. However, if your cat is not allergic but still sneezes, you should look for other causes such as respiratory infections, dental problems, tumors or foreign objects stuck in your cat’s throat.