Conference misery::feline_v1

    I would take him to the vet, just to be on 
    the safe side.  I'm glad to hear he's drinking, as dehrdration is
    something to be concerned about with colds.
    
    Lucky you to have an orange puss.  I hope we're going to hear lots
    of Lionel stories.
    
    

    His mucous membranes in his nose may have been dry - his time in
    your home will probably clear up lots of his problems - lots of
    love and good healthy food and his medication.  If his nose 
    bleeds profusely, take him right in.  See how he does for a
    day or so, then maybe Monday if he is still doing it, I"d
    probably call and talk with a vet.
    
    Good luck!

    Thanks for the replies so far.  I'll be glad to get home
    tonight so I can see how he's doing.  If I find a lot of
    blood sprays again, I'm calling the vet.  If it looks like
    just a little bit, then I'll give it a few more days.  
    
    He does get lots of petting and attention, and good food - he
    gets Iams which he really goes for.  I run a humidifier at
    night, which should help him a little bit, though I'm wondering
    if it actually loosens up any blood that may have collected in
    his nose during the day.  Betcha that's what's happening, because
    the blood I saw this morning I hadn't noticed last night.  So,
    he's probably sneezing it early in the morning, before I get up.
    
    Well, after all the trauma he's suffered - being abandoned, sitting
    in a little cage for almost 2 weeks, getting used to a new home/person
    - I hope he gets better really soon.  Have a great weekend, and I'll
    update this next week.
    
    karen

Sneezing can be the body's attempt to reject a foreign object.  In particular,
cats that are allowed outside can inhale a dried fox tail, a common weed.
the weed is designed to enter, but NOT come out.  If not removed by a vet,
it can travel up the sinus and cause real, permanent damage.  While the
vet felt there was reason to treat an infection, if the antibiotics have
not taken effect in a day, I'd be back to the vet and have him check
Lionel over extremely thoroughly - especially if the sneezing has gotten
worse since treatment began.... 

				Good luck to you both....

for clarification:

a fox tail is a burr-like top of the weed that breaks off very easily once
the plant has dried out in the spring.  The burr is designed to grip on
to fur, etc. so the plant can spread seeds.  Because one end of
the burr is a very sharp point, the burr can penetrate skin and that's
when the problem starts.  I had a dog that had a fox tail up her nose and
it was quite a mess by the time I noticed.  My neighbor's cat also had
one up his nose.  The symptoms are EXACTLY as indicated in the base note.

    Funny, I was thinking that something might be stuck up there -
    then I thought of tiny their nostrils are and wondered if something
    really could get up there at all...... I don't know fox tail, sounds
    nasty!  Maybe that's the problem.  I hope not!
    
    E.

    I am with Dian on this one, sounds like a fox tail or some other
    foreign object.  My mom's dog got a foxtail up his nose once, and
    her cat had one work it's way deep into the cat's ear.  They are
    nasty.  
    
    Most upper respiratory disases won't cause bloody noses.  I have
    had some nasty URI's, but never bloody sneezes.  Also, check the
    cat when he sneezes, does he throw his head to one side, or paw
    at his nose, these actions might indicate that something was there.
                               
    Jo

    Bob has been sneezing repeatedly and pawing at his nose vigorously
    since we caught him.  I haven't seen him do it lately but if he
    starts it up again I'll check for something caught in his nose.
    His nose has never bled.
     Nancy

    Hmmmmmmm about something caught in the nose.  The thing is, when I
    first saw Lionel in the shelter, he had a terrible barking cough.
    So I assumed it was respiratory.  He does put his paw up to his nose,
    but it's more like a cleaning action - his paw stays in front of his
    nostrils like he's blowing his nose.  
    
    Well, here's the update.  His sneezing is down to almost nothing.  He 
    sounds a little snuffly some times, but not enough to make him sneeze.
    His breathing is a little heavy when he settles down at night, but only
    for a minute and then it smooths out.  He has been acting like he feels
    100% better.  When he first came home he didn't play and only wanted to
    be held.  Well, now he's wild kitty of New Hampshire and yesterday he
    did a lot of tearing around the apartment making primitive cave kitty
    noises.  He doesn't appear to pant at all after these antics, so I'm
    assuming he has full use of his lungs.  
    
    Thanks for all the advice.  I'll watch him, but it appears that he is
    improving all around at a steady rate, so I'm not worried about him
    now.  I think if he had somthing stuck up in his nostril, he'd be
    worrying at it and rubbing the bridge of his nose.   He doesn't do 
    any frantic motions like that.  So, again thanks.
    
    Karen

    Karen, if your house is dry, try running a vaporizer in the room
    Lionel is in most frequently.  I do that for Kirby when he has a
    bout with the sneezies and it helps to clear his nostrils.  I have
    noticed that ever since we installed a humidifier into our heating
    system (forced hot air by gas), his "URIs" have lessened and the
    sneezing is down to minimum, if nothing at all.
    
    I used to (and still sometimes do) worry about every sneeze and
    snuffle but my rule of thumb now is as long as the cat continues
    to eat, drink and play I leave well enough alone.  The first sign
    of lethargy/abnormal behavior sends us off to the vet or on a round
    of antibiotics.
    
    Glad to hear Lionel is feeling better!
    
    
    --Roberta
    
    
    

    I run a sonic humidifier at night in the bedroom.  In the morning
    Lionel has taken to humidifying himself by stepping into my
    shower as soon as I'm done with it.  He doesn't mind getting
    wet feet and a wet bottom from sitting in there.  He's really
    funny.  I don't feel comfortable about leaving the humidifier
    running for nine hours or so while I'm gone, but the apartment isn't
    extremely dry, especially since I keep the heat at 60.  
    
    karen

    Lionel is almost completely sneeze-free now.  In fact, yesterday all
    I heard from him was a snuffle or two.  So he still has a slight
    congestion in the nose.  He has never pawed at his nose, so I
    think it is very safe to assume there is no foreign object in there.
    
    Just a question on the breathing.  He does short purrs, little short
    breaths.  The only other time I notice his breath seems short is if
    I disturb him in bed at night (like when I'm trying to shove him
    over a little), and then he sort of pants for a few seconds.  When
    he plays hard (and very rough lately) his breathing seem normal, 
    though.  I think I can safely assume he doesn't have a problem with
    fluid-filled lungs, but wanted to see if any one else's cats breathe
    short at times.  
    
    Thanks again for all the input.
    
    Karen
    
    

Karen,

if your vet has checked the heart and lungs, and finds nothing wrong, you
have nothing to worry about.  If a cat has congestion, and is sleeping,
he may be suffering from a little apnea (suppression of normal breathing
pattern)....it could be something to ask your vet about if it has not
been previously checked.

				D

    D, Lionel got a complete checkup and the vet used a stethoscope.  All 
    he said was that Lionel had a virus and he prescribed Amoxacillin to
    prevent secondary infection.  I gave him his last one yesterday
    (yay!!).
    
    karen