If your cat is sneezing and has runny eyes, she may have a respiratory virus such as feline viral rhinotracheitis or feline calicivirus.
Signs of viral respiratory disease include a watery or puslike discharge from the eyes and nose, lots of sneezing, and ulcers in her mouth or on her nose. Respiratory viruses can develop into pneumonia or a secondary bacterial infection, so it’s important to take your cat to the veterinarian as soon as you notice signs.
These types of viruses are highly contagious, so if you have multiple cats, isolate the sick one so she doesn’t spread the disease.
There’s more in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.
