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New cat sneezing, watery eyes, vomiting after spay and move?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 8 years and 3 months old | 7 lbs

I believe my new cat may be sick. She was spayed recently and relocated to me. I've had her for a week. She has watery eyes and has been sneezing a lot. She also threw up last night. Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your help!

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1 Answer

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Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on October 11th, 2020

I'm sorry to hear that Mazy isn't feeling well! With her sneezing and watery eyes, it's most likely that Mazy is experiencing an upper respiratory infection (URI). These infections are most commonly caused by herpesvirus or calicivirus, and these viruses tend to shed and cause problems during times of stress, such as surgery and/or moving to a new home. (Don't worry - these viruses are not contagious to people!) While the viruses just need time to run their course, some cats can develop secondary bacterial infections as well. It would be best to take her to the vet for an exam. Did you change her food when you brought her home last week? Sudden diet changes can cause some stomach upset for many animals, which can lead to some vomiting. Other causes of vomiting can include parasites, gastroenteritis from eating something unusual, pancreatitis, among many other issues. You can try to offer her a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken for a few days before gradually mixing in her regular food over another 5-7 days. Also be sure to mention this issue to her vet when she gets checked out for the upper respiratory issues. I hope that she feels better soon!

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