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My new cat is sneezing, now my other cats are too. Should I see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed

Hi, We bought our cat Cleo home from the RSPCA 2 weeks ago. At that time she was checked by the vet and cleared for any signs of Cat Flu, but she was sneezing from the day we got her. Within about 4 days of bringing her home our other two cats also started to sneeze. They all sneeze about every 2 mins. All 3 have no other symptoms.. Eating normally, no discharge from eyes or nose, still active. However as it has now been about a week and a half and no improvement. Is a trip to the VET needed?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Christie Long, DVM

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on April 24th, 2017

It's highly possible that they're all experiencing a flare-up of feline herpesvirus, which tends to produce mild upper respiratory signs such as sneezing and ocular discharge. Most cats already have the virus in their bodies but don't have symptoms, but living in a stressful environment (shelters) or going through stressful events (having a new cat brought home) can trigger recurrence of the active infection. If it's been a week and a half they likely do need to see the vet, however most of them will improve with supplementation with the amino acid lysine and supportive care.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 25th, 2018

    Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Many times, cats can develop a viral upper respiratory infection due to feline herpes. These symptoms will typically resolve on their own but may take days to weeks depending on the case. I would recommend using Lysine supplementation, which can be found online in the form of lysine capsules for cats or Duralactin with Lysine. The lysine in the supplements will help lessen the duration of the viral infection if this is due to a virus. If the sneezing persists or worsens and you are starting to see green eye / nasal discharge I would recommend having Dexter seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

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    Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 2nd, 2019

    Given the fact that all 3 cats are now sneezing, it seems likely that Toby brought an upper respiratory infection home with him to share with his new friends. It is important to remember that vaccines do not prevent all viral or bacterial infections. (Think about the common cold in people!) While most upper respiratory infections in cats are viral, secondary bacterial infections can occur, which tend to cause yellow or green ocular or nasal discharge. Any cat that has yellow or green discharge should be taken to the vet for an exam, as they likely require a course of antibiotics. However, if the discharge is clear or non-existent, you can continue to monitor them at home for a few more days, provided that they are eating, drinking and acting normally. Regardless of discharge, if the sneezing continues for another week, they should all be examined by a vet. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

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