Cats seek relief from most of the same cold symptoms as we do, including watery eyes, a runny nose, fever, sneezing, loss of appetite, and a feeling of lethargy. Cat colds typically last from one to four weeks depending on how quickly they’re diagnosed and treated.
Sneezing and sniffles are signs that your cat has a cold, but you may be wondering how it happened in the first place. And, more importantly, how you can avoid it in the future. Just like colds in humans, cat colds are contagious.
This means that outdoor cats are more likely to find themselves with the cold virus than indoor cats because they are more likely to interact with other cats.
A cat “cold” is actually an upper respiratory infection. These infections are usually caused by a virus called Feline Herpes Virus or Feline Calicivirus. It can make your cat feel lethargic and lose her appetite.
The proper vaccines can help prevent cat colds, but even indoor cats can get them since the virus is spread through the air. This illness affects the lining of a cat’s nose, pharynx, sinuses, and throat, as well as the membranes of a cat’s eyes.
When your cat is sneezing a lot and suffering from a runny nose, you can’t give her a spoonful of cold medicine and send her to bed as you’d do for a human. No matter how uncomfortable your cat gets, you should never give her over-the-counter medicines meant for people.
So, what is the best way to help your cat during illness? Well, you can always rely on several effective home remedies for cat cold. These remedies can help your cat get rid of the cold and bring her back to its best. What follows is a list of home remedies for cat cold you can try at home!
Beneficial Home Remedies for Cat Cold
Your pet will need your help and care to feel better. However, you need not worry because treating a cat with a cold is easier than you think. All you have to do is try these below-mentioned home remedies for cat cold, and your kitty will be back to its best.
Give your Cat Some Grooming
When you get a cat, know this one fact that this creature hates being groomed! However, if your cat has a cold, then you will need to groom it. Cats with colds will need your help to clean hard-to-reach areas. Using a clean, warm, damp washcloth to clean their nasal passages and eyes is one of the best home remedies for cat colds.
With a damp washcloth, give a massage to your kitty’s face and clean out its mouth and nose. An infant’s bulb syringe is another option you can try to clear mucus out of your cat’s nasal area. However, make sure that you don’t force it on your cat; if your cat is uncomfortable, do it gently.
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Clear the Nasal Passage
When your cat is sick, you may notice discharge around its eyes, nose, and ears. Additionally, a cat smells its food before eating it. So, if its nasal is blocked due to the cold, she will not eat because she can’t smell her food.
Take a wet cotton ball with warm water and delicately wipe away any nasal discharge you see. Avoid using a paper towel or dry cloth because it can irritate the sensitive tissues in and around a cat’s nose.
Repeat this process whenever it is needed throughout the day. If you don’t clear the nasal passage of your cat, the discharge can accumulate and become very crusty and harder to remove.
You can also add some mineral oil or petroleum jelly to your kitty’s nose to prevent the discomfort caused by frequent wiping and discharge. Make sure that you discard used tissues or cotton, and wash the cloth frequently to prevent the spread of infection.
Do this one of the best home remedies for cat cold while murmuring soothing words to your cat. Cats respond to the tone in your voice, and your soothing voice may help keep them calm while you do this unpleasant chore. Also, make sure you use warm water rather than extremely hot or cold as this can shock your cat’s system.
Give Vitamins
Using vitamins as home remedies for cat cold is still unclear, but the results have improved the cat’s health. Once a cat contracts the herpes virus, it will stay put in her system. In this situation, you can use lysine, an essential amino acid that will help your cat store proteins in her system, to help hinder the replication of the virus.
A dosage of 500 mg given a few times per day is perfect for your furry friend. You can also use Vitamin C to treat cats with colds.
However, avoid using apple cider vinegar as veterinarians do not recommend it treating cats with colds.
Before giving your cat vitamin supplements, talk to your vet and see if your cat has a urinary oxalate stone formation (crystals) history. If your cat has a history of crystals, then Vitamin C may not be suitable.
Keep Your Home Humid
Try putting a cat in a bathtub, and you will know that it is more difficult than handling a toddler! They are not known for being aquatic creatures, but giving them a nice hot and steamy bath can help open their nasal airways.
Cats can be fastidious, so you need to make sure that your pet doesn’t stress out when you try various home remedies for cat cold. However, if you can get your cat to hang out in a steamy bathroom with you, it will be a fun session for her and help you get rid of the jammed mucus present in her nose.
Additionally, you can also have your kitty sit adjacent to a humidifier. Give her 30 minutes sessions throughout the day for two or three days. This will help your cat relieve congestion, just like in newborn babies.
You can also order a cat-heated bed or heating pad as kitties love to cuddle up against warm surfaces. These beds and pads can be very effective home remedies for cat cold and soothe her when she’s under the weather.
However, make sure that you use it with care and caution. If you want a risk-free remedy, then you can avoid using heating pads and wrap your cat with a few blankets. You can also put gloves filled with warm water around her to keep your cat warm.
Increasing humidity will help with your cat’s breathing while they are suffering from cold. Frequent wheezing or whistling sounds are symptoms of cat cold. So, take your cat into a hot shower or use other ways to humidify the temperature in your home.
Introduce Probiotics
Same as humans, cats will also need an immune system boost while dealing with a cold. A cat’s gut covers a large portion of a cat’s immune system. Probiotics like Fortiflora or Proviable after a meal can boost the immune system and fight the cold.
Another benefit of using probiotics as home remedies for cat cold is that cats just love their taste. That can eventually lead to revoked appetite and encourage them to eat.
In order to use probiotics, follow the instructions given on the label. It is not possible to overdose on probiotics, but you need not use more than the labeled dose unless instructed by your veterinarian.
Encourage Your Cat to Eat
When your cat is little under the weather, its nasal passage will be congested. Hence, she will lose her sense of smell. This can lead to a loss of appetite. Some cats will not just eat even after cleaning their nasal passages and eyes.
To encourage them to eat, you can offer them warmed wet cat food or pureed baby food meat. A small amount of tuna, sardines, or tuna juice can help entice them to eat. When your kitty is not well, offer them small meals thrice a day to encourage them to eat.
Eating is essential as it will provide your kitten with the nutrients they need to stay strong during an illness. You can also offer her microwaved food as warming it in a microwave will create a more pungent smell and may entice your cat to eat.
Also You can also give your cat a treat and provide her with something special, something tasty that she may be more likely to eat. You can add some water to the food to make it easier for the cat to eat.
Sardines are the perfect option because they possess an extra-strong smell, and cats love to eat them! Vanilla ice cream is another food loved and adored by cats. It will soothe the temperature and mollify a sore throat.
Let the Fluid Flow Free
Provide plenty of water to your cat while she is battling a cold. You need to make sure that your cat receives an unlimited supply of fresh, clean water at all times. During sickness, hydration will be a must for your kitten. Keep an eye on the water bowl and refill and /or clean as whenever needed.
You can also add water to canned food as it can help keep your cat hydrated if your cat has sunken eyes, “tacky” gums, and diminished skin elasticity.
There is another method to monitor a cat’s hydration level. Pinch the neck at the spot where a mother cat would pick up her kitten and hold it up for five seconds. Now, if your car is hydrated then, that skin would snap back to its original position within a second.
The dehydration level is directly proportional to the time taken by the skin to return to its original position. Each extra second will show the percentage of dehydration your cat has. If the dehydration levels are above 5 percent, then you will need to visit the vet.
You can also check your cat’s gums to know your kitten’s hydration level. If they are soft pink in color, wet, and slippery, your cat is hydrated. If they are red or pale, feel gaudy or gluey on your finger, then you will need to hydrate your cat.
These methods can prove to be beneficial home remedies for cat cold and help you decide your cat’s hydration level.
Also Read: Home Remedies For Cat UTI – Symptoms, Causes, And Natural Remedies
Final Words
Cold can spread from one cat to another. So, the best way to combat and prevent the cold from reaching your cat is to minimize their contact with outside animals. Try these home remedies for cat cold to get your furry friend relief from cold.
