The cat is a born hunter who uses his keen sense of smell and his great flexibility to hunt his prey. The smell is one of the most important senses for this animal, not only for hunting, however, there are situations that can negatively affect this sense and the associated anatomical structures, such as the nose and face. A cat with a swollen nose is not a normal situation, so it is necessary to go to the veterinary clinic to find the cause of this symptom and treat it as soon as possible. In this article, we explain why your cat has a swollen nose and what to do in each case.
Reason of bump on cat’s nose
In general, in addition to a swollen nose, the cat may also have other symptoms that can help us better identify the cause, such as:
- Facial deformation (the cat with swollen face).
- Nasal or ocular secretions.
- Tearing.
- Conjunctivitis.
- Nasal congestion.
- Cough.
- Respiratory sounds.
- Loss of appetite.
- Fever.
- Apathy.
Depending on the symptoms associated with the puffy-nosed cat, we can diagnose the cause and determine the best treatment. Keep reading: Do ants sleep
Cat with a nose swollen by foreign bodies
The intrusion of foreign bodies into the nasal passage is usually the most common cause that explains why a cat has a swollen nose. Cats love to explore and smell anything new, however, sometimes this curiosity can cause them to bite or inhale a strange body that then gets stuck. These foreign bodies can be seeds, plant thorns, dust, or small objects.
In general, a harmless foreign body causes the cat to have a swollen nose and sneeze with discharge as a way to try to get rid of it. So, examine the upper airways and look for some kind of foreign body.
Cat with a nose inflamed by bites
Cats with access to the outdoors without any control are more prone to bites from different insects or parasites. However, this does not mean that home cats or that if they go out on the street with surveillance they cannot suffer this situation. In either case, a wasp, bee, scorpion, mosquito, beetle, or spider sting on the cat’s nose will automatically trigger an inflammatory reaction.
On the other hand, parasites such as ticks and fleas can also sting the nose, although it is less likely because they tend to prefer other areas of the body. In these cases, in addition to observing the remarkable swelling of the cat’s nose, we will see that it scratches with intensity.
Likewise, contact with certain toxic plants for cats can also cause almost immediate inflammation in these animals, accompanied by redness, sneezing and itching, among other symptoms.
Cat with a swollen nose from allergies
Inflammation is one of the main allergic reactions that the body triggers when in contact with the allergen. For this reason, this is one of the main causes of inflammation of the cat’s nose and face. Depending on the type of allergy, the inflammation will spread to one area or another. For example, if it is a case of food allergy, it is common to see that the cat has both a red and swollen nose and mouth.
In all cats allergy to cats, it is normal to observe symptoms such as the following:
- Local erythema (redness).
- Local swelling / inflammation.
- Itching (itching).
- Local temperature rise.
- Sneezing
On the other hand, it is possible that the animal has been exposed to a very large amount of allergen and, therefore, has suffered an anaphylactic reaction, which is nothing other than a severe and rapidly evolving systemic allergic reaction. This reaction includes symptoms like:
- Swelling of the lips, tongue, face, neck and even the whole body, depending on the time of exposure and the number of toxins.
- Difficulty to swallow.
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath).
- Sickness.
- Vomiting.
- Abdominal pain.
- Fever.
- Death (if not treated in time).
This is a veterinary emergency, so if you notice any of these symptoms, you should take your animal to the clinic as soon as possible.
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