Puma sneezes too much

[wayne0214]

My newly adopted Puma, the Russian blue, sneezes continually. But when I turn on the heat for the house, or when she lays in the light of my infra-red foot warmer lamp, the sneezing stops. also, when she lays on the bed with the electric blanket on, her incessangt sneezing stops. Also that her breathing passages are stopped up, just like fawn's gets at times. The vet told the shelter keeper to give her clavamox (?), which I have done since bringing her home. But it didn't seem to do much good. I am beginning to wonder if whatever she has is a temporary ailment, the same as Fawn sometimes contracts. What should be done with her as she does not act sick, no fever, and eats OK. Any ideas?

..........wayne

[emily_the_spoiled]

Good morning Wayne,

I am not sure how long you have been giving Puma the antibiotics, but they will take at lest 48-72 hours before you can really notice them working. The other thing you might want to try is to humidfy the air. Does she come into the bathroom when you shower and have you noticed if this helps? You can put on a regular room humidifer or even a vaporizer. The humidifers on the furnance might not be enough to help her.

Good luck and I hope she feels better soon

[jenluckenbach]

cats from shelters often have an upper respiratory infection. (mine did). The medicine is for that....but, if I understand it correctly, it does not cure the cold, it helps prevent further (worse) conditions from forming. You know, while their defences are low, they could get an different kind of infection. I would say she needs to let it run its course (just like you and I can't CURE a cold). But most importantly, make sure she does not get worse. [in other words, keep and eye on her]

[krazyaboutkatz]

Wayne, I'm sorry to hear that Puma's having sneezing problems and a stuffy nose. I went through this same thing with Pepper not very long ago. He had a bacterial infection in his nose and had to be on antibiotics which then made him sick. I sure hope that the medicine that you're giving her will help her little nose and make her feel better. All fingers and paws are crossed for a speedy recovery. Good luck. Please keep us posted.

[wayne0214]

Emily, No, i do not have a humidifier, although I can purchse a used one fairly cheap. I do keep a hygrometer in the house and it reads about 40% humidity. This, according to the face, is a normal mixture of water vapor and air. What do you think, should I get a humidifier?

Jen, thanks for the reply about shelter cats commonly having URI,,and to let it run its course. I was unaware of this!

........wayne

[emily_the_spoiled]

Hi Wayne,

If the antibiotics are helping you might want to hold off on buying a humidifer. If you want to add additional humidity to the air just place a large pot of water to boil on the stove. This will at least put some additional moisture in the air in the kitchen.

I hope that Puma feels better soon...

[wayne0214]

Puma's sneezing bouts are becoming less and less. Yesterday, I noticed that much of it has stopped, and this morning I havn't heard her seenze at all. So, perhaps the amoxicillin is working. Thanks all for your interest and concern.

............wayne

[Cataholic]

I hope this continues Wayne! A humidifier is a good idea. I think I will invest in one this winter...

[NoahsMommy]

Hope Puma is getting better.

[wayne0214]

Puma is like Amy, in that she won't eat with the others, even though she is hungry. Yesterday I gave her a can of tuna banquet cat food. She nearly ate the whole can! It looks as though I'll have to feed each one of them separately. Last night I heard no sneezing from Puma, and her breathing passages are beginning to clear up.

When it comes to humidifying the house, all I have to do is turn on the shower with hot water for a few minutes, and then open door to the bathroom, and the steam dissipates throughout the occupied house. It really works OK, which can be verified by the hygrometers.

I can't get over how affectionate Puma is. Whenever I sit next to her on the couch, watching TV, she always comes over and gives me kitty kisses and head bumpies and then curls up next to me and sleeps.

..........wayne

[Cataholic]

Originally posted by wayne0214

When it comes to humidifying the house, all I have to do is turn on the shower with hot water for a few minutes, and then open door to the bathroom, and the steam dissipates throughout the occupied house. It really works OK, which can be verified by the hygrometers.
=
..........wayne

Oh, well, as long as the HYGROMETERS can verify it....

Uh, hello, Mr. Wayne the Brain, what does this mean? Remember, lawyers DO NOT take any science or math courses...he he he...I want my hygrometer to verify it, too....

[jenluckenbach]

DUH !!!!!!
even if you didn't know what a hygrometer is, you should now. If it is telling you that the shower raised the humidity, that is all you should need to know.....sheeeeeesh

[wayne0214]

cataholic, a hygrometer is nothing more than a device that measures the amount of water vapor in the air. Granted, most folks do not know what they are called, but "hygrometer" is the correct name. If you watch the weather channel, which I watch almost every day because of the "storm belt" that I live in, whenever they show relative humidity in % of temperature, this is always measured with an outside hygrometer. BTW, it is always called "relative humidity" because the warmer the air is, the more water vapor it can hold.

..........wayne

[Cataholic]

Wayne,
Thank you for SO NICELY EXPLAINING what the hygrometer is...too bad other meanies (Jen) aren't sooo nice to me....good thing she lives way up there in snowville, or 'else'...

[Russian Blue]

I live in snowville, I'll take care of her!



Here's a pic of my hygrometer, in case you've never seen one. It shows the temperature and relative humidity. It also can record the highest and lowest temperature and humidity level for a specific period of time.






And here's a pic of Nakita attacking the hygrometer. Bad Nakita! She can't leave anything alone!