Sneezing, lethargy, runny nose, watery eyes, and a reduced appetite all point to one thing: common cold.
All of us have had it at one point or another. There are no two ways about it – colds are agonizingly uncomfortable.
They strip the life and joy out of you and turn you into a sick, stressed, and tired individual.
The good thing is that you can take comfort in chicken soup, a warm blanket, or a flu medication from the pharmacy.
Your cat, on the other hand, doesn’t know how to deal with the symptoms of a cold.
She will rely on you to take care of her and relieve her symptoms. If the poor thing is feeling stuffy, she is bound to feel anxious, irritated, and downright stressed.
What can you do to help the kitty clean her nasal passages? Here are a few home remedies for you.
1. Clean The Nose With A Damp Cloth
First things first, you want to try and remove as much mucus from your kitty’s nose as possible.
A cat with a blocked nose will have a buildup of gunk and may have a hard time clearing it off her system.
The simplest thing to do is to wipe the nose with a clean cloth. However, if the mucus is dried up, use a damp cloth or a damp cotton ball dipped in warm water.
The moisture will soften the snot thereby easing its removal.
2. Humidifier
Humidity plays a key role in nasal blockages more than we ever care.
Low humidity (which is the case during winter) makes the air dry and cold, both of which aren’t great for sinus and nasal health in general.
That’s why many people suffer from cracked lips and unsightly skin when winter rolls around.
For a cat with a blocked nose, high humidity is crucial in clearing her passages.
When the air your cat breathes is too dry, her sinuses and mucus won’t drain properly.
Adding humidity to the room can promote a better flow of things.
Humidifiers ease nasal congestion as agreed by health experts by making the air humid thus cleaning the air going through it.
Grab a humidifier and place it in your cat’s room or near her carrier for a few hours a day until the cat is feeling better.
3. Steam Treatment
According to PetMD, you can also nebulize a cat with a blocked nose by using steam.
The added humidity offered has been known to relieve nasal blockages. It does that by thinning out the mucus so it can easily drain from the pet’s nose.
The best way to do this is to hop in the shower with your fur baby. First, go in and run the hot shower for a few minutes.
You can take the shower yourself or just let it run for a while. Give it around 15 minutes then bring in the cat to sort of ‘breath’ in the steam emanating from the room.
Another option is to place a bowl of boiling water next to the cat’s carrier.
Let the cat take in the steam for a few minutes then hope the mucus will loosen and flow down through the nose.
Repeat the process a few times until symptoms have cleared.
4. Lavender Oil For Fast Healing
Studies on the effectiveness of lavender oil for treating colds have revealed that it does have antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties.
To foster fast healing from a cold, you can sneak in a few drops of lavender oil in a humidifier or a bowl of water to be used for steaming.
Lavender is safe for cats as long as they don’t ingest the oil. Keep the window open in case the pet is overwhelmed by the essential oil and needs some fresh air.
Also, run this idea by the vet to know the right dosage for your sick cat.
5. Hydration
Keeping your cat hydrated is also a key to ensuring that her nasal passages don’t dry out.
Hydration especially keeps your cat’s mucus membranes moist so they can easily catch viruses before they make their way further into their bodies. This is the feline’s first line of defense.
Secondly, moisture helps mucus to circulate freely. It can also break any gunk that won’t leave the passages.
Cats, even in their healthy state, are not the best when it comes to drinking water.
When they are sick, things become even more challenging. However, you can try a few tips including the following:
- Place water bowls in many locations around the house
- Test out different bowls
- Try using a water fountain if you can
- Flavor the water
- Add some water to the kitty’s food
- Utilize wet food instead of dry food
Learn More Here: How to Hydrate A Cat That Won’t Drink Water
6. Petroleum Jelly To Ease Discomfort
This tip doesn’t necessarily cure nasal congestion in cats but it does offer comfort from an irritated nose.
According to PetMD, petroleum jelly seals water into the skin thus creating a moist place for fast healing.
In case a cat has a wound or intensely irritated skin, the jelly can ease the discomfort and the pain. It may also lower the chances of infection for any open wound.
7. Create A Stress-Free Space
A blocked nose is guaranteed to make your cat anxious, intolerable, and stressed.
Without enough rest and extra TLC, the kitty’s symptoms will stay on longer.
You can help things by giving the cat a warm and comfortable place to rest her head.
Make her room as inviting as possible. Add a few extra blankets in her favorite hangout spots.
Let her have access to a scratching post or any of her favorite toys, keep her room quiet, offer frequent meals, and make sure the litter is spotless at all times.
Parting Thoughts
Treating a cat with a blocked nose is not an easy undertaking.
It demands a lot of patience, wisdom, and persistence from your side.
Luckily, there are several things to do to take care of the problem.
Before you know it, the cold would have cleared and the pet will be back to her old self again.
Related Post: Do Cat Colds Go Away On Their Own?
Hi! I am Eleanor Price. I started this website after my cat, Louie, almost died from a case of botulism (a type of food poisoning often caused by bacteria that grow on food items). Turned out that my cat’s diet was the problem. I have made it my duty to provide the best information and recommendations about everything cat lovers need to know about their felines’ health and wellbeing. My goal is to find the most informative content on anything feline-related and share it with fellow hardworking kitty lovers.