Cat Sneezing

[Fran76]

Hello everybody, I’m new to posting to this page but I’ve loved this site for awhile now.

Long story short, my neutered male cat “BK“ he’s probably four or five years old now, in the past he has received proper vaccinations, in September of this year my house caught on fire.

Unfortunately in all of the commotion he got out of the house. He was missing over two months !

This past Monday night we went to the house around 9:30 PM and we found him. We were so happy. We got him home, brought him into the bathroom, there is an abscess on his upper arm/shoulder this size of a plum.

It was really really big. We were so scared for him. We cleaned it and put hydrogen peroxide on it. I even put a dry warm compress, he starts licking it and it burst. We got all of the fluid out , cleaned it out really well, etc.

In the middle of the night I am in bed and something wakes me up. The cat is sleeping on my chest and let’s lose the biggest grossest sneeze in my face, mouth, eyes, etc.


* Right before the house caught on fire we set up an appointment for him because he had started sneezing and we noticed that there was blood turning his sneezes pinkish.*


The appointment was for exactly 2 days after the house fire and at this point he was already missing.


Long story short I’m kind of freaking out a little bit.

I’m wondering if there is anything I will catch from him sneezing in my face like that?

He is eating and drinking like a champ, has resumed his normal routine of looking out the window, walking around, sleeping, eating drinking, repeat.

Besides this sneezing and being a little underweight you would never know that he was missing for two months .


Do you guys think I should go get and Rabies shot? or go on some type of preventative antibiotics? Both?

I live on the East Coast of the United States. I know sometimes geography can play a role in certain illnesses or what have you .

His abscess is healing beautiful, no signs of infection, he’s getting updated vaccines at the vet this coming weekend.

I had a series of rabies shots over 10 years ago. I know they don’t last forever.


But him sneezing in my face like that is what freaks me out..

If you were in my position would you request the vaccine and even antibiotics as a preventative measure or would you watch the cat carefully for 10 days and if you see any weird stuff then go for it?

Thank You

 

[Kflowers]

First congratulations on surviving the fire and finding your boy. You must have been going out of your mind. I expect you're still feeling some of the effects.

Over the years vets have assured me that if you avoid ticks, there isn't anything you can catch from cats. They can catch colds from you. I don't know why it doesn't go both ways.

I didn't even think of rabies. It's rather rare in cats, others will come with the stats on that. Did he ever get vaccinated for rabies? The annual requirement for the shot is based on law, not science. What does your vet say?

Are you planning on taking him to his vet for a check up now that he's back in your house?

 

[daftcat75]

I would take him into the vet and find out what that sneeze is about before giving antibiotics or vaccinations. Neither should be given casually. Antibiotics especially shouldn't be used unless there is a bacterial infection. If the sneeze is caused by a virus, the antibiotics won't work and they'll just encourage the development of resistant strains. You want antibiotics to work when you need them by not overusing them when you don't.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Sorry to hear about the fire - but glad you are all OK - and thrilled that you found your cat!!

It is pretty unlikely that you would catch anything from your cat sneezing on you. And, more than likely not rabies! I believe it is most commonly transmitted through blood contact, as in a scratch or bite. From what I know, it is very, very rarely ever passed through saliva/mucous, and when that has occurs, the animal usually has already started demonstrating signs of rabies. And, if you have had BK back with you for 10 days - that is the typical incubation time for signs of rabies to begin to show.

Glad to hear that you are getting BK into the vet for a check up. The pinkish discharge from sneezing, if that is still occurring, could mean a sinus infection, or a host of other things. Once you have him checked out, you can ask the vet if there any implications to you from the sneeze, but I highly doubt it.