What are the symptoms of feline rhinitis?

Feline rhinitis mainly manifests as nasal congestion, runny nose, frequent sneezing, increased eye secretions, and may even present with purulent or bloody nasal fluid. This needs to be distinguished from respiratory infections, feline infectious rhinotracheitis, and feline corona virus, so it is recommended to take the cat to a pet hospital for infectious disease examination and blood examination, and then treat accordingly based on the examination results. If it is just simple rhinitis, anti-inflammatory and anti-infective treatment usually yields good results.

Feline rhinitis is a very common respiratory disease, and usually presents with numerous symptoms, mainly divided into acute and chronic forms, with certain differences in symptomatology.

Chronic rhinitis

If the cat has chronic rhinitis, the disease progression is slow, with a persistent runny nose that may be more or less depending on the day, mainly containing purulent mucus. If the inflammation involves the sinuses, it can affect the internal tissue structure of the nose, causing bloody mucus in the nose and a foul smell.

Note: Chronic rhinitis can easily lead to suffocation in cats or complications such as brain diseases, so it is necessary to pay high attention to it.

Acute rhinitis

If the cat has acute rhinitis, the condition will gradually worsen. At first, the mucous membrane in the cat's nose becomes congested and swollen, accompanied by frequent sneezing, shaking the head, or scratching the nose with its paws. The nasal mucus initially flows clear, later becoming mucous or serous, and forming crusts around the nose after drying.

As the condition worsens, it affects the cat's breathing, causing difficulty in breathing and a stuffy nose. Some cats also show mandibular lymph node swelling, conjunctivitis, and respiratory inflammation.

Note: If you suspect your cat has rhinitis, it is recommended to take the cat to a pet hospital for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. Otherwise, when the feline nasal inflammation progresses to the respiratory tract, symptoms such as rapid breathing, open mouth breathing, and even life-threatening conditions may occur.