Syringe Feeding

[Antonio65]

I don't know how you call it in US (I'm Italian, not native English speaker).
It's that thing when you apply a rubber mask on your mouth/nose and a noisy machine nebulizes the content of a vial into your nose. It is used for cold or stuffed noses.
It is of course over the counter (at least it is over here).
The machine is around 30 euro, the saline solution nearly comes for free

I did it to my cat for 5 years every morning. I used to buy special vials with eucalyptus and gingko biloba essences into saline solution.

My cat would allow me to apply the mask directly on her face, but in the majority of cases people would put their cat into the carrier, then put the carrier and the cat into a plastic bag (like the one you use for the waste) with the open side on the front. The mask is tied to the carrier grid, turn the machine on, close the open end of the plastic bag and wait for the fluid to be completely nebulized, usually in 5 minutes.
Don't worry, the cat won't die suffocated in the bag

I have seen right now that there videos on youtube. Type nebulizing a cat

 

[encino34]

found some locally here for $30cad. Ill try it out! Which oil(s) should i get for her?

 

[orange&white]

I'm glad Antonio, that you had good luck with that, but I've read some essential oils are very toxic to cats. I would worry...but pure saline seems like a good idea. Some people just steam up the bathroom with the shower and put the cat in the room...like a steam sauna.

 

[encino34]

Ive been doing the bathroom sauna thing all week and doesn't seem to be helping. I'm going to buy a nebulizer today and see if that helps. I'll use just saline in it.

 

[Antonio65]

Some vets would also advice some meds typically used for human flu and stuffed noses, something that can reduce the mucus in excess (a med with a secretolytic agent), along with a steroid.
I cannot advice you on meds name, though, you might ask your vet.
I used the combination of the two meds in some occasions, with some good results.

For everyday nebulizations, I used this
Apropos Rino Defens 10 Fiale Per Aerosol
but I don't think you will find it outside Italy, it is just to tell you what it was.

However, using 2.0-2.5 ml of saline solution should be fine for a start.

 

[encino34]

I ended up getting a homedics portable humidifier and putting it in her cat pen with a blanket over top for 30 min at a time. I'm using distilled water in it. If this doesnt work i will get the nebulizer. I figured after she is better i could use it on my desk or something.

 

[Antonio65]

Good! Let us know it it works