What kind of nose should a healthy cat have and what do the changes indicate?

It is believed that a healthy cat's nose should normally be wet and cold. However, there are situations when there are no health problems, but the nose is dry. The owner should know in which cases there is no need to worry, and what symptoms are alarming. If there is cause for alarm, the owner needs to show the pet to a veterinarian, who will diagnose and prescribe treatment.

According to veterinarians, if a cat has a pale nose for a long time, this may indicate anemia or dehydration.

What should a normal nose look like?

Wet nose

The cold and wet nose of a cat, like a dog’s, depends on the secretion of secretions from the glands that are located inside the mucous membrane. The cat also often licks the olfactory organ, which is also called the nasal speculum, to maintain moisture. The special structure of the nose and constant humidity make the organ unique, thanks to which the animal captures and recognizes odors. Each lobe looks individual, there are no identical patterns. The norm is a small amount of wet secretion that covers the entire earlobe and nasal tract. The sputum should not be abundant or collect in drops. In addition, a normal nose in a healthy cat has a natural shade - soft pink or the color of the coat. In a kitten, the olfactory organ dries out and moisturizes faster due to the still unformed heat exchange.

Nose temperature

The state of sleep helps to slow down the metabolic processes in the animal, which leads to dryness of the speculum.
The nasal mirror is not only an organ of smell, but also a regulator of the animal’s body temperature, since cats do not have sweat glands, and heat exchange occurs through the nose and paw pads. A cold and wet cat's nose indicates a normal temperature. There are situations when the nose dries out. The causes of the condition are as follows:

• Dream. When a cat sleeps, processes in the body slow down and secretion production decreases. After awakening, the organs begin to work as before and humidity is restored. In cats that have a pink tint, their noses turn white during sleep due to a decrease in blood in the capillaries. After waking up, the organ turns red again. The dark color of the nose in animals with black or gray fur also becomes lighter during sleep in the morning or afternoon. If a pet sleeps with its nose covered with its paws, it heats up from breathing, which is why sometimes a cat's nose is hot and wet.
• Stress. If the pet is nervous, the lobe not only becomes dry, but also turns white. During stressful situations, vasospasm occurs and the blood supply to the nasal mirror is disrupted.
• Outdoor game. When a cat runs and jumps quickly, there is an increased load on the heart, and blood rushes to the face. The moisture dries quickly and pink noses turn red. In dark-nosed pets, the shade of the lobe becomes darker.
• Ambient temperature. If the room is hot, moisture from the surface of the mirror evaporates faster, and the cat often washes it to moisten it.

Is it normal for my cat's nose to change color?

There is no "normal" nose color for cats because each cat can have a different shade of nose. For example, we can find cats with nose colors:

• Pink
• Black
• Chocolate
• Grey
• Spotted

The color of a cat's nose is directly related to the color of their coat. Genetic inheritance from parents or even a mutation causes a cat's nose to take on a certain color. Although a newborn kitten may have a very pink nose that takes on color as they grow, the nose will not change color in the same way as their eyes.

When a cat's nose changes color, it can be a fairly normal reaction. When a cat has a fever or is stressed, their blood vessels become congested, which can change the tone of the cat's nose. However, the actual color will not change.

© shutterstock

If our cat's nose changes color to white, it is most likely a sign of a problem. We will need to look for associated symptoms. For example, they may also suffer from weight loss, baldness, fatigue, lack of appetite, or even have injuries. Nasal pigmentation in a cat may be associated, in particular, with a decrease in the number of red blood cells.

Why the nose has changed: dangerous signs

After receiving a bruise, your pet's olfactory organ may swell.
If a cat’s nose is white or acquires a different color, alarming signs appear, this indicates the following pathological conditions:

• Injury. Occurs in a street cat or a domestic cat visiting the street when a blow to the face occurs. The nose becomes purple or blue due to a hematoma, has greatly increased in size, is swollen, the cat has difficulty breathing, and there is not intense bleeding or crusting. The nose is hot due to bruise. If it turns red, it may be a wound or scratch.
• Fungus. A yellow coating on the nose may indicate candidiasis. Symptoms of the disease also appear on the mucous membranes of the mouth. The affected area smells unpleasant, there is itching, redness and peeling of the skin in the bridge of the nose and other areas. The temperature of the nose may remain within normal limits, and there is no humidity due to damage to the mucous membrane. Often the fungus spreads to the paws, neck or abdomen.
• Ear mite. If the cat is more likely to have otodectosis, discharge from the ears spreads across the face and sticks to the top of the nose. It seems that the cat has a dirty nose. However, when a cat constantly scratches its ears, an unpleasant odor appears, and a brown coating forms near the natural bald spots on the head - this is a reason to start treatment. The nose may be warm due to irritation from an animal that is sick.
• Necrosis. When the nose darkens or turns black, becomes wet, and begins to change shape, this indicates tissue death. Depending on the type of necrosis, the cat's nose is very wet, because it is rotting, or dry, covered with a dense crust.

Infectious diseases

With developing rhinotracheitis, the fluffy suffers from a runny nose and dried crusts on the mirror.
If your pet sneezes, coughs, hides in a dark place, refuses food and water, and does not play, this means that she is sick. The temperature in cats with infectious diseases rises, the nose becomes dry and hot. When the disease is accompanied by a runny nose, it is damp due to copious mucous discharge, which forms dry crusts and prevents the pet from breathing. The condition requires immediate veterinary attention, since this is how rhinotracheitis or feline herpes manifests itself - a dangerous disease for cats.

How to treat rhinotracheitis in cats?

The treatment regimen depends on the severity of the disease. For mild rhinotracheitis, therapy is not required. It is enough to clean the animal’s nose and eyes from the resulting crusts using a cotton pad previously soaked in saline solution. If the cat’s appetite has worsened, the veterinarian will select a more nutritious and balanced diet. At this stage, it is extremely important to monitor the condition of the animal.

For severe rhinotracheitis, the veterinarian prescribes medications. They are selected individually, depending on the symptoms of the disease and the condition of the animal. The following drugs are usually prescribed:

• Antibiotics . They are recommended by a veterinarian if rhinotracheitis is accompanied by a secondary infectious disease or when concomitant infections occurring simultaneously with it are identified;
• Interferon-based products . For recurrent rhinotracheitis, such drugs are used locally - they need to be instilled several times a day into both eyes and nasal passages to prevent further development of the disease;
• Immunomodulators . They increase the animal’s body’s resistance to various diseases and strengthen cellular immunity. Additionally, immunomodulators produce antibodies against the pathogen;
• Sulfonamide drugs . They are synthetic antimicrobial agents prescribed to prevent the growth of bacteria and chlamydia. Such drugs have chemotherapeutic activity against a number of infections;
• Vitamin and mineral complexes . They are intended to restore the animal’s body and prevent the development of secondary infections. After the examination, the veterinarian will recommend which vitamin and mineral complexes are best for your pet.

In order for your cat to quickly cope with rhinotracheitis, follow all the veterinarian’s recommendations and do not self-medicate - do not risk the health of your beloved pet!

Diagnosis and treatment

If a cat has a white or bluish nose, then there is a suspicion of anemia or cardiac pathology. A red nose may indicate injury. To identify the cause, the veterinarian listens to complaints, conducts an external examination and prescribes diagnostic procedures, depending on the preliminary diagnosis, such as:

• radiography;
• ECG;
• blood chemistry;
• scraping scales from the skin to test for fungus;
• analysis of ear discharge to detect ticks;
• polymerase chain reaction to detect herpes virus.

Cat noses are treated depending on the disease. Rhinotracheitis is incurable, but an acute attack can be treated with antibiotics or antiviral drugs, which are individually prescribed by a veterinarian. For injuries, rhinoplasty is performed or anti-inflammatory drugs are used. Special drops are prescribed against fungus or ear mites. With necrosis, dead particles are eliminated.

Infectious diseases

Cats are susceptible to viral infections:

The human body is immune to these pathogens. Pets become infected through contact with sick individuals or apparently healthy virus carriers, as well as their secretions. People bring infection into the house on shoes, clothes, household items, etc.

Symptoms of viral diseases:

Complicated course of the disease leads to pneumonia, which can cause death. About 20% of people with viral infections may die. At risk: kittens, older animals, as well as individuals infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or leukemia virus (FLV).

The main causes of a runny nose in a cat

Most often, snot in a cat appears due to a viral, bacterial or fungal infection. However, there are other causes of a runny nose:

1. New growths in the nose - benign or malignant.
2. Injury. A runny nose can develop when the upper palate is damaged. This happens when cats fall from a height and hit their face hard.
3. Abscesses of teeth.
4. Entry of a foreign body into the nasal passage.
5. Allergies to chemicals or medications.

Viral infections

Viral agents provoke the rapid appearance of a runny nose. In cats, rhinitis occurs with calicivirus and herpes virus infection. Both diseases affect pets of different ages, but older animals, kittens and individuals with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to them.

Outbreaks of infections occur in autumn and spring. Cats become infected from sick animals or carriers of the virus through direct contact, as well as through aerogenic and nutritional routes.

The manifestations of viral diseases are largely similar:

• With herpes virus infection, runny nose, sneezing and fever are also observed. At the initial stage of the disease, the discharge from the nasal passages is serous, and then green snot appears. A sick cat's nose turns red, the gums and mucous membrane of the larynx swell. When examining the mouth, you can see a white coating on the tongue and the inner surface of the cheeks, as well as ulcers covered with crusts. When palpating the cat's neck, pain and anxiety are detected in the tracheal area.
• With calicivirus, a cat develops a runny nose, sneezing, red eyelids and watery eyes. First, mucus secretes from the nose, and it flows from two nasal passages. Later they become denser and change color to green. Then conjunctivitis develops. The cat's general condition is deteriorating - he loses his appetite, seems lethargic, and drowsy. Body temperature rises to 40.5 degrees. Ulcers appear on the mucous membranes of the mouth and on the nose, and an unpleasant odor is felt from the mouth. In some cases, cats experience diarrhea.

Bacterial and fungal infections

A runny nose can be caused not only by viral agents, but also by a bacterial or fungal infection. Prolonged snot in cats is caused by pathogenic bacteria - chlamydia, bordetella and mycoplasma. These microorganisms usually complicate the course of diseases caused by viral infections.

Sometimes the cause of a runny nose in cats is mycosis. A striking example of this is cryptococcus fungi, which affect the respiratory system, skin, eyes, and sometimes the brain. Infection occurs aerogenously - through inhalation of microorganisms.

Carriers of fungal infections are poultry, which excrete pathogens in their droppings. When a pet sniffs the ground, fungal spores enter the respiratory tract. Domestic cats can also get cryptococcosis if the owner brings the infection from the street on his shoes.

If this disease occurs in the nasal form, then it all starts with a runny nose. A little later, the pet sneezes, snorts, breathes heavily and coughs. Sometimes cryptococcosis is accompanied by damage to the eyes, and purulent exudate is released from them. If the cat is not treated, there is a risk of infection of the lining of the brain.

Aspergillosis is another disease whose symptom is a runny nose. Its causative agents are fungi of the genus Aspergillus. Infection occurs when a cat inhales spores of pathogens that are in the environment. Individuals with reduced immunity are most susceptible to this disease - those who have recently suffered viral infections or taken antibiotics.

• With sinonasal aspergillosis, serous or mucopurulent discharge can flow from one side or from both. In rare cases, in addition to a runny nose and sneezing, the animal may experience nosebleeds. A sick cat's breathing is difficult. Sometimes soft tissue protrudes from the nostrils and granulomas form.
• Sino-orbital aspergillosis is more severe - the fungus can affect the bones of the eye sockets. In this case, the sick cat develops unilateral exophthalmos, third eyelid prolapse or keratitis. In some animals, the central nervous system is affected, as evidenced by the appearance of neurological symptoms.

Neoplasms

Another cause of a runny nose is benign and malignant tumors in the nose.

Polyps

Nasopharyngeal polyps are common in cats and are one of the causes of nasopharyngeal diseases. They are formed due to a long-term inflammatory process, which can be caused by an infectious disease or allergy. Polyps grow gradually.

The severity of symptoms depends on the size of the tumor:

• the cat snores in her sleep;
• nasal breathing is difficult;
• the sense of smell partially or completely disappears;
• purulent snot flows;
• sometimes there is bleeding from the nasal passages;
• the cat sneezes often.

Attention! A runny nose, which is caused by the presence of a polyp, often has serious consequences. Due to the lack of smell, a sick cat loses its appetite and eats very little. This leads to exhaustion.

Malignant neoplasms

Common in cats:

• adenocarcinoma,
• lymphomas,
• sarcomas.

With cancer, a runny nose is of a different nature. Discharge appears on one or both sides. The snot is initially mucous, and later becomes purulent mixed with blood. Many cats experience swelling on their faces and their sinuses become deformed.

It is not possible to treat a runny nose caused by a malignant tumor at home. In this case, surgery and chemotherapy help.

Injuries and foreign bodies

Chronic runny nose occurs in a cat with a cleft palate. This pathology is the result of a strong blow due to a fall from a height. In this case, mucous or purulent exudate with food particles is released from both nostrils.

A runny nose in a cat also appears when the mucous membrane and soft tissues of the nasal passages are injured by a foreign body. The presence of a foreign object in the nasopharynx can be suspected if the cat is coughing, gagging, and the nostril feels hard and slightly swollen.

If the foreign body is not removed, clear discharge soon appears, then it changes color to greenish. Sometimes they contain blood. A runny nose is accompanied by sneezing, and breathing becomes difficult.

Other reasons

Less commonly, runny noses in cats occur due to allergies. The nasal mucosa becomes irritated when exposed to allergens - tobacco smoke, dust, pollen or chemicals. The cat often rubs its nose with its paw, sneezes and coughs. Partial or complete loss of smell is possible. With allergic rhinitis in cats, the discharge is clear and runny.

In kittens, a runny nose may be associated with an abnormality in the structure of the palate and nasal cavity. A striking example is the so-called cleft palate. This is a congenital pathology in which there is a hole between the palatine bones.

If such a defect is present, the kitten cannot normally suck mother's milk, since it enters the nasal cavity when swallowed.

Diseases of the teeth and gums can lead to a runny nose in a cat. When the root is inflamed, purulent snot usually flows from one side. In this case, swelling and redness are detected on the cat’s upper jaw.