Hello!

I have a Bengal that I recently purcharchased in March - her name is Bentley :) She was born in October 2017 so she is about 6 months old.

Since we brought her into our home, she has been sneezing constantly! We were redoing our bathroom at the time so we though possibly it was from the drywall dust. Since we have finished, and her sneezing still remains we brought her to the vet. They really had nothing to say... just that she probably has a sinus infection. They gave us some medicine (pasty brown gel consistency) that we put into her food for two weeks. Her nose seemed to clear up (was crusty I had to clean it with Q-Tips every morning) but she is still sneezing! And leaving snot all over my house

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had any issues with their Bengal's sneezing? Is this normal? What should I do?

Help!

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The little monsters 3

This is not normal. Cat's nose is supposed to be slightly wet to the touch. Reminds me of one of my Bengals who always had dry crusty nose when young and would sneeze occasionally. As advised by the Vet, says its nothing serious and that I had to clean his nose every few days using saline solution. It took several months for his nose to be back to normal.

It could be an inherent trait for some Bengal bloodlines. Patience is needed and hopefully he'll recover soon.

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https://www.instagram.com/xanderbengal/

Cats do get colds and upper respiratory infections. But constant sneezing is not normal. I've never been in favor of a vet giving medication for an issue that may not be there. I know cats cannot talk to us, but a URI is usually easy to diagnose and treat. I adopted a cat back in 1986 that developed an upper respiratory infection right after we got her home. Pills and nose drops are fun -- but she was fine after the round of medication. If the medication for the supposed "sinus" problem is not curing the sneezing, then it is something else. Yes, drywall dust can cause this issue -- and know that just because the work is finished does not mean the dust has gone away. Small particles may still be hovering around. And also know that a cat's sense of smell is 14 times stronger than ours -- thus the particles may be particularly sensitive to a cat.

That being said -- I hope you explained everything to your vet. Medications for cats work quickly, so since this is continuing, you back to the vet for more testing (or try a new vet). How would YOU like to be sneezing constantly. It gets old after a while -- and it's probably not something your cat enjoys doing. And if something like a URI goes untreated, there could be additional issues that come up.

Here is some info I found online. This information may help in your vet determining what might be causing the sneezing::

Causes of Sneezing

If your cat is sneezing a lot, your veterinarian may initially suspect a cause based on a review of your cat’s symptoms. One of the main causes of sneezing is infection. In some cases, the vet may take a swab from the mouth, throat, eyes, or nose and send it to a lab to confirm an infection. Inhaled irritants or allergens are other common causes of sneezing in cats.

Viral, bacterial, or fungal infections. If you’ve got a sneezing cat, chances are good the cat has an upper respiratory infection. Similar to colds in humans, these infections are more common in young cats, especially in those coming from animal shelters. Many of these infections can be prevented with early and complete vaccinations.

Viral infections that most commonly cause sneezing in cats are:

Feline herpes virus. Cats catch herpes from exposure to other cats who are infected. Stress can cause a flare-up as well as transmission to other cats. Treatment is aimed at controlling the symptoms. Feline herpes virus is NOT contagious to humans.

Feline calicivirus. This virus is highly contagious between cats. Mouth ulcers are the most common problem, but it can affect the respiratory tract and even cause pneumonia.

These infections may make your cat more likely to develop other respiratory problems that can exacerbate sneezing. For example, a cat with herpes may also develop a secondary bacterial infection. These are often treatable with antibiotics.

A wide range of other infections may also lead to sneezing. They include:

Feline infectious peritonitis, which may cause no symptoms, mild symptoms, or more severe symptoms over time
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), which develops slowly, but severely impacts a cat’s immune system, leaving the cat vulnerable to other infections

Feline leukemia, a serious and often fatal infection
Chlamydia, which often produces an eye infection (conjunctivitis)
Bordetella
Mycoplasma
Inhaled irritants or allergens. If your cat only sneezes once in a while, something may simply be irritating the nasal passages. Look for patterns in your cat’s sneezing. Does it occur after you’ve lit the candles at the dinner table? After your cat leaves the litter box? After you’ve cleaned the house?

These are all examples of potential irritants or allergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) in cats:

Cigarette smoke
Perfume
Pest sprays
Cat litter, especially types that create dust
Cleaning agents
Candles
Dust
Pollen
Mold

In cats, allergies are a less common cause of sneezing than in humans. If sneezing is related to allergies, sometimes itchy skin is also present.

Other potential causes of sneezing. A variety of other factors may contribute to sneezing in cats. For example, it’s common for cats to experience sneezing within four to seven days of receiving an intranasal vaccine. This sneezing lasts for no more than several days. Cats may also sneeze to try to dislodge a blockage in their nasal passages. An infection or inflammation of a tooth root may cause drainage into the sinuses and may also cause sneezing. In very rare cases, sneezing in cats can be a sign of cancer.

Sneezing and Other Symptoms

Symptoms that may accompany sneezing in cats may be the result of a wide range of infections and other problems. These symptoms may include:

Eye discharge, swelling, or ulcers
Excessive nasal discharge, sometimes yellow or green in color (sometimes a sign of a bacterial infection)
Fatigue or depression
Fever
Drooling
Decreased appetite or weight loss
Enlarged lymph nodes
Wheezing or coughing
Poor coat condition
Trouble breathing
Diarrhea

When to See the Vet

If your cat sneezes only once in a while, has no other symptoms, or has only mild symptoms, you may want to simply monitor him or her for a few days. Keep your cat indoors and watch for changes. But be sure to call the vet if your cat sneezes continuously or often, sneezes blood, or has other signs such as those listed above. They may be signs of an illness or condition that needs veterinary care.

Treatment depends on the cause of the sneezing. In mild cases, the vet may suggest taking steps to simply help your cat be more comfortable -- like using a humidifier. In other cases, antibiotics, nasal decongestants, steroids, or fluids may be needed. Rarely, cats that don’t respond to medical therapy may require surgery.

Wow thanks for the information Sherry! It would be very helpful as I'm not fond of doing research.

Thanks for the informative reply sherry! It helps a lot. God bless!