My cat has been sneezing for the past week. What can I give him to make him feel better?

Question

He is an outside/inside cat and wouldn't come in during a rain storm last week. He seems to have a cold and I'm sick of him spraying the house with kitty snot every time he sneezes.

I can't afford to bring him to the vet right now, and would like to know what over the counter medicine I can give him. He is a big cat (around 20 lbs).

Answer 1

Never give a cat over-the-counter human medications - you could kill him - especially Tylenol or other products with acetaminophen which is fatally toxic to cats.  He has a respiratory infection and should see a vet and be prescribed antibiotics.  Respiratory infections in cats are much more serious than colds in humans and they need vet care.  They are also highly contagious if you have other cats.

Answer 2

My cat was sneezing and it was an upper respiratory infection that needed antibiotics, and lots of them.  However, he started sneezing again and this time the vet suggested children's benedryl.  That diphen.....something or other that the person above mentioned. For our 14lb cat we give him half of a 25mg tablet twice a day.  You should really get the cat to the vet as soon as you can, though.  If it's an infection it could take longer for the antibiotics to clear up, meaning more money spent on antibiotics then if you take him in now and get it cleared up fast.

And just from my experience, but my cat has never given this infection to my other cat even with the yucky snot everywhere.  And man, that snot can be gross!

Answer 3

Feline herpes is a possibility, look for swelling red eyes, sneezing loss of apatite. Give it l- Lucine also a small dose of vitamin C to boost immune system. It is most likely upper repository infection.

Answer 4

Dunville is right - it sounds like feline herpes virus- its like a cold- he recommended L- lysine which is an over the counter supplement- the usual dose is 250 mg for a cat- it can be purchased in caps - my cats hate the taste- so I put it in little syringe ( the one with no needle) and dilute in 1ml of water and then give it to him through the syringe- you can get the syringe at a pharmacy for cheap and also the L-lysine caps- there is a vet product that is a gel but it requires a prescription-  when you take kitty to vet, he will be given antibiotics to prevent a secondary infection but this does not get rid of the cold symptoms- that is the reason for the supplement

Answer 5

you can give him children's benadryl, make sure the only ingredient is dyphenhydrimine, for a 20# cat i would give him the same as a infant dosage, don't give any other medication,!!!!! they can be toxic, if he sound congested, you may want to put him in a small bathroom or kennel with a vaporizer, dont put Vick's or any of that stuff in it, but you can put eucalyptus oil in the vaporizer, this will help cut the snot and congestion,

oh ya, if you have a kennel or pen you can put him in, put the vaporizer in the kennel with him and cover with a heavy blanket,

Please dont use any other medications, they are not safe, if he is running a fever, you can give him 1/2 of a baby aspirin, no tylenol or advil or motrin or any of that stuff, ASPIRIN only, you can tell he has a fever if his ears and pads of him feet are very very warm, and his belly is hot to the touch, a cats temp should be 101.2 to 102.5, this is normal, anything above that is not good, if you have a digital thermometer, and a bit if KY, you can take him temp has to be in the butt though to get an accurate reading  

Answer 6

He's got an upper respiratory infection( a cold to us). He needs an antibiotic.  There are no otc antibiotics. If you have more than one cat, he can give it to the others as well. Has he had his feline lukemia shot? Call your vet (monday& ask if you can get some amoxicillin for an upper respiratory infection. Otherwise just keep wiping his nose, & I have used a wee bit of vicks to help them breath too.