So, little snot rocket has a cold … is there any OTC kitty med that will make her less unhappy or does she have to ride it out, casting snot with impunity? She goes through a cold about once a year, right about now [pretty much like mrAru gets an annual cold in mid October also]
Same as for humans – if it’s caused by a bacterial infection, anti-biotics like Penicillin, Amoxicillin, etc. will help fight it. But if it’s a viral infection (like most headcolds), no medicine fights it really, though you can treat the symptoms to make her more comfortable. (Does she like chicken noodle soup? My grandmother always claimed that would make you better.)
Sneezing kitty? Youtubez, ftw!
If it’s viral, then get a box of chicken broth, and heat up a few spoonfuls at a time. It’ll help unclog her head and help her to be a little less miserable.
On the other hand, she might very well learn that if she sneezes, she’ll get warm chicken broth. Never underestimate a cat’s ability to learn a new behavior if a favorite food is involved.
Knowing the little snot rocket, we would have the worlds longest kitteh headcold in existence. She loves the chicken broth dregs in my bowl. I have already been giving her broth, but only in the normal manner [licking the soup bowl clean after lunch]
and before I forget, Snot Rocket [well, jezabel actually]
If it’s feline herpesvirus ( a very common source of upper respiratory infections in cats ) some vets will prescribe L-lysine to alleviate symptoms, which is available over the counter. Of course its efficacy appears more anecdotal that firmly proven and if it’s a calcivirus I imagine it won’t do a thing.
Oh-oh. I’ve owned lots of cats, and when they start sneezing, it’s NEVER just a little headcold. An upper respiratory infection is more likely. (But my fat dullard was sneezing a few times a day last month and it stopped without developing into something major, so who knows?)
Something that might help the little fuzzball without making her think that she’s entitled to warm chicken broth whenever she sneezes is making sure that your living area is properly humidified. This will also make the humans feel more comfortable, as well. I have no idea what the weather’s like in eastern Connecticut.
Starting to get cold and yucky … I have a humidifier already, I have sinus problems and it helps me breath through my nose =)
I can definitely say she would probably NOT let me do a kitty neti pot on her, at least not without seriously huge bodily damage to me 
which is a shame, I love my neti pot.
I can’t wait until it drops down to the 40s - I can start heating with my woodstove. I have a great cast iron and enamel humidifier pot for the top that i throw cinnamon sticks, leftover ends of nutmeg, the odd cardomon seed and eucalyptus leaves in that lives on top.
On the plus side, it does seem to be resolving, she didn’t wake me up with a ceremonial launching of snot … and she isn’t making the kitty snarf face =)
One of my mom’s cats was abused by his previous owner, and it’s suspected that his frequently stuffed up nose is due to having had his nose and/or sinus passage bones broken. When he starts to breathe noisily through his nose, he gets stuffed in the bathroom while the shower runs. If you can stand hot showers, it’s probably better that you’re taking one rather than just running the water, but either way stuff a towel under the door to keep the steam in better. He does seem to breathe much better for a while after being steamed.
I always feel bad when I think of cats or dogs getting headaches, I mean they can’t tell anyone. They just have to suck it up and go lie down. Of course with your average cat, that is pretty much the going theme anyway