Does a water vapor session in your bathroom while you shower, or under a towel with a bowl of steaming water, really help to relieve the nasal congestion of a cat suffering from a bacterial and viral infection, which has blocked his nose with snot? The theory is to loosen the snot so that it flows out. It is also a technique recommended for people.
Sometimes people add a decongestant to the water to make the process more effective. Dee says “add a dollop of mentholatum to the water”. My vet said don’t add anything to the water but I totally trust Dee because she has years of hands-on experience.
I have two veterinary sources which say steaming is good so I am doing it to try to help relieve the discomfort for my cat who is very ill with suspected herpes virus or calicivirus or some other nasty cat virus combined with a horrible secondary infection. My vet recommends it and so do the books I have.
The downside is that cats don’t like it. People know what is happening. They understand that there will be steam or water vapour in the bathroom but cats don’t. For them it’s strange and unsettling. Also you have to put your cat in a carrier to control him. This downside offsets the potential benefits I feel.
Also a cat will learn to be wary of you if you constantly make him do things which he finds unpleasant because he does not realise it is for his benefit.
I will continue to do it at least once per day as I have to try everything I can to promote a return to health. I am giving him L-lysine when I can.
He stays close. I can supervise. I have just intervened when a stray cat came around. Charlie followed me in and now he has gone out again. He likes it outside and I think it is good for him but I don’t want him to spread disease. It is very complicated. It is warm and sunny here today so great for a cat to sunbath a bit and feel better.
I am terribly stressed. It affects almost everything I do but I can still write articles just about 😉
I think a bit of fresh air therapy will be good for Charlie, a cat used to going out can become worse through depression if he is stuck indoors.
Did the vet say he is infectious?
Possibly if it’s something he has picked up since you moved there, the other neighbourhood cats will have become immune to it.
He doesn’t go far does he, so I wouldn’t worry about it.
Hope he is feeling a bit better today, you must have a black cloud hanging over your head, I know only too well what it’s like. I’d rather be ill myself than one of our cats be ill.
Thanks Susan.
He is going to a good vet and the steaming is recommended by the vet so I feel I should try it.
This should be curable and manageable but I am worried because the antibiotics are not working fast enough or at all (maybe they are the wrong antibiotics and if so I’ll be mad at the vets).
Cal, I have to place him in a carrier in the bathroom while I am showering because otherwise he’ll be jumping around trying to get out and he might hurt himself. I do it for his protection and safety. He is eating cooked chicken and occasionally very high quality cat food; today I am buying some chicken liver as advised by Harvey. His appetite is poor but he is at lest maintaining his weight for the time being. He is outside at the moment. He likes to go outside which is a good sign I think but I am concerned about the other cats in the area.