Why Does My Cat Sneeze Multiple Times in a Row? (6 causes!)

When your cat sneezes, it can be so adorable. You just want to take out your phone and start recording those small sounds it makes when it does this.

But what happens when your pet sneezes multiple times in a row? Is this a cause for concern?

There are many reasons why your cat could be sneezing multiple times in a row. It could be something as simple as seasonal allergies or having something tickling their nose.

Yet, it can also be a more serious cause that you may need to investigate.

You will find yourself sifting through a lot of information regarding causes, what to do, and more. Here is everything answered that you need to know when your cat is sneezing multiple times in a row.

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Why is my cat sneezing repeatedly? (6 causes)

You will find that your cat sneezing quite a few times in a row isn’t always a cause for concern. Sometimes, dust or seasonal allergies can cause your pet to sneeze a few times.

People and pets can have sneezing fits every once in a while. There are many possible causes for this occurrence to happen.

Most of the time, it is something curable or something you can prevent, but sometimes there are more dire causes for these sneezing fits. Here are some possible causes:

#1: Seasonal Allergies

Just like humans, cats can get seasonal allergies as well. Ragweed, hay, mold, and pollen tend to be the biggest contributors to seasonal allergies.

Storms and high winds can also stir up these. When this happens, you may find your cat sneezing more often than usual.

Contacting your veterinarian can determine what your cat is allergic to. Also, keep in mind whatever is high in abundance in the air that day. You can check with your local weather station to see what it is, which could cause the sneezing fits.

You can also contact your veterinarian and ask them to prescribe allergy medicine. Cats cannot ingest human medication as dogs can, so you will have to get it prescribed by the doctor.

#2: Dust or Particles

Dust or particles in the air can enter your cat’s nose and cause sneezing. When the particles become lodged in the nose, the sneezing fits are meant to dislodge the particles.

Sometimes your cat may inhale something; whether it is catnip or something else, your pet’s body is trying to remove it.

Sneezing is a protection from anything getting in the nose and entering their lungs. 

#3: Irritants like Chemicals

Irritants like chemicals can cause your cat to sneeze. Chemicals are not natural, and when a cat inhales them or gets them in its nose, it may have a sneezing fit.

The sneezing fit may also continue because chemicals are not easy to get rid of without cleansing the skin. Depending on what chemical, you may want to check with your veterinarian.

Ensure all chemicals are put away, so your pet doesn’t get into it. You don’t want your cat’s health to be in danger because of household cleaners.

#4: Respiratory infections

One of the most common infections you will find is a respiratory infection, also known as the cat flu.

The lungs and alveoli become irritated and swollen by the infection and will cause your cat to sneeze. It is a way to disrupt the mucus build-up in their lungs.

The cat flu is not the only type of infection you have to worry about when it comes to your pets. Other conditions like pneumonia can also cause your cat to sneeze multiple times in a row.

You can visit your vet to see whether an infection is at play.

#5: An infection somewhere else in their body

Sometimes your cat may have an infection somewhere else in the body that is not within the lungs that can cause these sneezing fits.

This is because the infections cause inflammation throughout the body. 

#6: Cancer

Cancer attacks the body’s immune system, and when this happens, your cat may be more prone to infections.

These infections can cause inflammation in the lungs, causing your cat to have sneezing fits to get rid of mucus or other particles. If you feel like this is an underlying cause, consult your veterinarian.

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Other symptoms to look out for

Sneezing is normal for any type of pet, but if you notice that your cat is sneezing excessively a few times a day, this could be a warning of something worse.

You will want to look out for other signs and symptoms that warn you that there is more to this sneezing:

• Mucus from the nose
• Squinting eyes
• Drooling
• Bloody nose
• Pink eye
• Fever
• Dehydration
• Difficulty breathing
• Noisy breathing
• Swelling around the nose and mouth
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Fatigue or tiredness

If these symptoms occur simultaneously with your cat’s sneezing, you will need to consult your pet’s veterinarian to ensure everything is right.

Your pet could have something as small as a respiratory infection or something as serious as cancer. If you wonder why your cat is not playful anymore, It is best to figure out which one it is before anything can advance.

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What to do for a sneezing cat?

You can do many things to help your cat from sneezing, but first, you will have to figure out the cause of this observation.

If your cat is sneezing due to a serious illness, consult your veterinarian on the steps you need to take, but less serious reasons will be more manageable.

When your cat has a sneezing fit because of dust or another airborne allergen, you can easily eliminate these products.

The following are some things you can do to help reduce the likelihood of your cat’s sneezing fits:

• Dust your house regularly.
• Keep windows closed.
• Change the types of cleaners.
• Change any scents that could be the cause.
• Use pet-friendly or natural cleaners.
• Sweep regularly.
• Vacuum regularly.
• Wash your cat’s beds once a week at least.
• Have plants in the home that your cat isn’t allergic to.

You will find that keeping your house clean and refraining from using strong scents that can irritate your cat’s nostrils will be helpful.

Having plants in the home has also proven to boost immune systems and enrich the environment. You will also find that all these help you as well.

If your cat suffers from seasonal allergies, you may want to talk to your veterinarian about prescribing allergy medication.

You can use human allergy medicines on dogs, but this is not the case with cats. Their digestive systems will not be able to handle it, so consult with your vet.

Cleaning your home can help against seasonal allergies and ensure that you keep a tight lid on your home. This will reduce symptoms because they aren’t being exposed to the allergen.

If you have some recollection of what specifically is setting off the sneezing fits like mold, hay, or ragweed, you may want to try and get rid of those around your home as much as possible.

With infections and other viruses, you may need to give your cat prescribed medication to recover. The best is to make your cat comfortable and ensure they are hydrated and eating. This will help them with the healing process.

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How long does it take the cat to recover?

Your cat’s recovery is important. You want it to be healthy and run around freely as soon as possible. No one likes to see their pet struggling with a bunch of sneezing fits. It is not fun.

Your cat’s recovery depends on what the cause of the sneezing fits is. If it is allergens and dust, you can see a change almost immediately (once it has been removed from their environment).

If the cause is an infection, you may see changes within a week after taking medication. Sometimes it may take longer if your cat has other preexisting conditions as it needs time to heal.

When the cause is something more serious like cancer, you may not see recovery as soon as you would like.

Each case is different, so the veterinarian may provide ways to reduce the number of sneezing fits. Still, it may not completely go away, especially if the cancer isn’t curable.

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When should you take your cat to a vet?

Sometimes your cat will sneeze multiple times in a row. It may just be a one-time thing if they seem fine and don’t have any other symptoms like drooling, mucus in the eyes, and wheezing.

If you see that your cat has these sneezing fits quite often, you may like to take notice. Any other symptoms you see, along with sneezing, should be recorded.

This combination could be cause for concern as it means there is an underlying cause of these fits.

You will want to contact your veterinarian right away when you see this and schedule an immediate appointment.

Although it may just be a virus or an infection, you don’t want it to go untreated as it could harm your pet.

Contact your veterinarian right away if you have brought home a new kitten and see these signs. It may just be an upper respiratory infection, but it could infect your other cats.

You don’t want to have all your pets infected. Isolate the kitten and get that appointment so it can be taken care of immediately.

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Conclusion

Your cat is important, and although sneezing fits are cute, they can be alarming when it happens often.

If you are ever worried that these are caused by something more dire, always contact your pet’s veterinarian. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your pet.