Cat sneezing a lot or keeps sneezing
Sneezing in cats is most often caused by a viral upper respiratory infection (cat flu), and can also come from dust or smoke, a recent vaccine given as nose drops, or something stuck in the nose. An occasional sneeze in a cat that is eating, playing and breathing normally can usually be watched at home, while sneezing with runny eyes or nose should be checked by a vet. Breathing with the mouth open or with effort, sneezing blood, not eating for a day, marked tiredness, or sneezing and discharge in a kitten needs a vet now.
General health information, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your pet, contact a vet.
How urgent is it?
Go down the list and stop at the first row that matches your pet.
See a vet now
- Breathing with the mouth open, breathing hard or fast while resting (more than about 35 breaths a minute), the belly heaving with each breath, or bluish gums
- Sneezing blood, a nosebleed or blood-tinged discharge from the nose, even if it has stopped
- Has not eaten at all for a day or more, or turns away from food because the nose is blocked or the mouth seems sore
- Very tired, hiding, weak or not drinking, or seems dehydrated
- A kitten with sneezing and runny eyes or nose, especially if it is quiet, eating less or breathing noisily
- Sudden, violent sneezing fits with pawing at the face or nose, as if something is stuck (such as a blade of grass)
See a vet within 24 hours
- Sneezing with runny eyes or nose, red eyes or a fever, even if your cat is still eating and active
- Squinting, keeping an eye shut, a cloudy eye, drooling, or sores in the mouth
- Discharge from only one nostril, thick yellow or green discharge, new snoring or noisy breathing, or a swelling on the nose or face
- Sneezing has gone on for more than a week or keeps coming back, even if your cat seems fine
Watch at home
- Sneezes now and then, or had one short burst of sneezing, with no discharge, and is eating, playing and breathing normally
- Sneezing for a few days after a vaccine given as nose drops, with no other signs
- Short episodes of loud, snorting breaths drawn in through the nose (reverse sneezing) that end within a minute, with your cat normal in between: keep watching, and book a regular appointment if it is the first time or keeps happening
Not sure which row fits?
Describe your pet’s symptoms and get a free urgency check in about a minute.
Check my pet’s symptomsCommon causes
| Cause | What you may notice | Usual urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Cat flu (viral upper respiratory infection) | Sneezing with runny eyes and nose, red eyes, sometimes fever, mouth sores and eating less; more serious in kittens and unvaccinated cats | Within 24 h |
| Dust, smoke, sprays or allergies | Occasional sneezing with little or clear discharge, in a cat that is otherwise well | Watch |
| Vaccine given as nose drops | Mild sneezing for a few days after the vaccination | Watch |
| Flare-up of a virus the cat already carries | Sneezing and runny eyes after stress such as a move, boarding, surgery or a new cat, even in an indoor cat | Within 24 h |
| Long-term nasal inflammation (chronic rhinitis) | Sneezing and nasal discharge that come and go for months, often after a bad bout of cat flu | Within 24 h |
| Infected upper tooth root | Sneezing and nasal discharge caused by a tooth root infection that has spread into the nose | Within 24 h |
| Polyp behind the nose (benign growth) | Noisy breathing, sneezing, nasal discharge, reverse sneezing or trouble swallowing; most often in young cats | Within 24 h |
| Fungal infection of the nose | Nasal discharge that may be bloody, a swelling on the bridge of the nose, sores on the nose that do not heal | Within 24 h |
| Growth in the nose (tumor) | Long-lasting discharge that starts on one side and later both, and may become bloody | Within 24 h |
| Something stuck in the nose | Sudden sneezing, pawing at the face, discharge from one nostril; for example a grass blade or seed head | Now |
| Bleeding problem or rat poison | Nosebleed or sneezing blood, especially if your cat may have had access to rat poison or eaten a rodent that could have been poisoned; bleeding from rat poison can start several days later | Now |
What you can do at home
- Gently wipe discharge from the nose and eyes with a soft cloth or cotton pad dampened with water.
- For a stuffy nose, sit with your cat in a steamy bathroom for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day. Stay with your cat the whole time.
- A blocked nose dulls the sense of smell, so offer soft, strong-smelling food, slightly warmed, to tempt your cat to eat.
- Keep your cat warm, quiet and comfortable, and keep it apart from other cats with its own bowls, litter tray and bedding until a vet has checked it.
- If an indoor cat sneezes now and then with no other signs, cut down on dust, smoke and sprays around it.
What not to do
- Do not give human medicines, cold or allergy remedies, or nose drops unless a vet tells you to.
- If the nose is bleeding, do not push cotton swabs or tissue into the nostrils. Keep your cat calm, hold a cold pack on the bridge of the nose while making sure it can still breathe, and call a vet.
- Do not wait if your cat is breathing with its mouth open or with effort. Breathing problems can get worse quickly and become life-threatening.
- Do not wait for the appetite to come back on its own if your cat has stopped eating. Cats that go without food can become seriously ill, so call a vet.
What to tell the vet
- When the sneezing started, how often it happens, and whether it is getting better or worse
- What comes out: clear, yellow or green discharge or blood, from one nostril or both, and any eye discharge
- Eating, drinking, energy and breathing, and any squinting or drooling
- Vaccinations (including a recent nose-drop vaccine), and recent stress such as a move, boarding, surgery or a new cat
- Possible exposure: other sick cats, time outdoors or in grass, dust, smoke, sprays, rat poison or rodents
Questions owners ask
Why is my cat sneezing so much?
The most common cause of a sudden bout of sneezing is a viral upper respiratory infection, often called cat flu. About 90% of these infections are linked to feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus or both. Other causes include dust, smoke and other irritants, a recent vaccine given as nose drops, something stuck in the nose, an infected tooth root, a polyp behind the nose, or long-term nasal inflammation after an earlier infection. If the sneezing comes with runny eyes or nose, or lasts more than a week, have a vet check your cat.
My indoor cat keeps sneezing but seems fine. Should I worry?
Indoor cats can still sneeze from a virus. About 80% of cats infected with feline herpesvirus carry it for life, and stress such as a move, boarding, surgery or a new cat can bring the signs back. Dust and smoke in the home can also cause sneezing. A sneeze now and then in a cat that eats, plays and breathes normally is usually nothing to worry about. If it goes on for more than a week, keeps coming back or comes with discharge, book a vet visit.
My cat is sneezing with a runny nose and eyes. Is it cat flu?
Sneezing with nose and eye discharge is a typical sign of a viral upper respiratory infection, but other problems can look similar, so a vet should check your cat. In uncomplicated cases the signs usually last 7 to 14 days and can go on for up to 21 days. At home, wipe away discharge, offer warmed, strong-smelling food and keep your cat apart from other cats. Go to a vet now if your cat is a kitten, stops eating, seems very tired or breathes with its mouth open.
Why is my cat sneezing blood?
VCA notes that most sudden nosebleeds in cats are caused by a simple injury to the nose or by an upper respiratory infection. Other causes, such as something stuck in the nose, a fungal infection, a growth in the nose, a bleeding problem or rat poison, can need treatment right away. Because these can’t be told apart at home, take your cat to a vet now, keep it calm and do not push anything into the nostrils.
What is reverse sneezing in cats?
Reverse sneezing is a reflex in which a cat pulls air in sharply through the nose to clear it, often with a snorting or honking sound and a stretched neck. Episodes are short, usually less than a minute, and on their own are usually not an emergency. It can look like choking or a breathing problem, so try to film an episode to show your vet. If it is the first time, happens often, or comes with noisy breathing, sneezing or discharge, see a vet: in young cats, a benign growth behind the nose (nasopharyngeal polyp) can cause these signs. If your cat struggles to breathe between episodes, go now.
Related symptoms
Sources
- Feline Respiratory Disease Complex (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Feline Calicivirus) (Pet Owner Version), Merck Veterinary Manual
- Rhinitis and Sinusitis in Cats (Pet Owner Version), Merck Veterinary Manual
- Rhinitis and Sinusitis in Dogs and Cats (Professional Version), MSD Veterinary Manual
- Respiratory Infections, Cornell Feline Health Center
- Nasopharyngeal Polyps, Cornell Feline Health Center
- Feline Upper Respiratory Infection, VCA Animal Hospitals
- Nosebleeds (Epistaxis) in Cats, VCA Animal Hospitals
- Runny Nose, Coughing, Sneezing, VCA Animal Hospitals Urgent Care
- Cat flu – upper respiratory infection, International Cat Care
- Respiratory distress in cats and dogs, Royal Veterinary College, University of London
- Hepatic Lipidosis: A Serious Problem When Cats Stop Eating, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
- Anticoagulant Rodenticides (Warfarin and Congeners), Merck Veterinary Manual
- Reverse Sneezing in Cats: What Causes It and When To Worry, PetMD (Brittany Kleszynski, DVM)
Last reviewed October 25, 2026