My cat is sneezing, walking in circles, and seems uncoordinated. What's wrong?

Question

My cat seems to have a cold because she sneezes and the mucus kind of blocks her nostrils, we removed the part covering her nostrils, but she still seems a bit weird. She still kinda breathes a bit weird like the mucus is dried up inside her nose too and when she walks it looks like she's a bit uncoordinated. She walks in circles and can barely walk far going straight. I also noticed that when she lays down her or stops she doesn't use one of her paws like she used to and it will be a bit bent.

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

Poor kitty! From your description, it does sound like she may have a respiratory infection, but it's concerning to me that she walks in circles and can't walk straight for long. This can be a sign of vestibular disease, and it can be caused by an ear infection, ear polyps, infection of the brain, or toxicity among other causes. Due to this, I feel it's best that your kitty sees the vet right away to diagnose what is causing these neurological symptoms so she can be treated. While there, the vet can diagnose if she does have a respiratory infection, and prescribe medications for her. There are a few things that you can do at home that will work in conjunction with medications from the vet for a respiratory infection. First, you can try starting her on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections.

My cat is sneezing, walking in circles, and seems uncoordinated. What's wrong?

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