Sniffles
Oct 28, 2025
What to do when your cat has a cold? Not much, actually, except keep an eye on them and make sure it doesn't get worse.
Why are we even having this conversation?
Ry wanted to go outside via the front door, which the cats only do when we're home (and because they have proven they'll stick around.) Ry is relentless. He spins around by the door and meows at the top of his voice. He will do this non-stop until he gets his way.
I let him out (I'll confess it), just to shut him up. It was late in the day. The sun hadn't gone down yet, but it was thinking about it. Once the sun hits the horizon, it gets pretty chilly here on the Farm.
Hours later, when we let the dogs out for their before-bed pee, there was Ry, in the dark and chill, waiting to come in. I had completely forgotten about him! He hadn't appeared when the dogs went out earlier. He was probably hiding under the juniper bush out front, his favorite place.
Good thing the dogs go out for that final pee, or he would have been out all night.
A couple of days later, he was sneezing and his right eye was watery. Bummer! Moderate guilt on my part ensued.
Did that stop Ry from wanting to go out? Of course not. "Meow! Achoo! Achoo! Let me out! Achoo!" Did Mommee or Daddee let him out? Nope. We told him he could go out on the catio/deck. The rest of the cats were required to stay on the indoor side of the front door, too. The weather has been warm during the day, so in the sun the catio/deck is a particularly nice place to hang out. Nobody was overly adamant about going out front. They took staying in with good grace. Except Ry.
Ry was really feeling poorly, as he is not that tolerant of Jackson's attentions.
Ry put on a sad face and went to sneeze and lick the snot off his nose in one of the dog beds. Jackson joined him. This went on for several days. He slept a LOT. And then he'd ask to go out again. Relentless.
Mommee and Daddee held firm.
Like humans, a kitty cold runs its course. Ry's pretty much done with sneezing, and his eye has cleared up. He's still asking to go out, but not as spinningly as before. I thought being forgotten and left outside was going to change his attitude about front door adventures. I was mistaken.
It's gotten colder, so no cats are going outside at this point. I barely want to go out. So we'll all cuddle on the couch and watch the snow fly. This is one of the best things about late fall/winter. A warm cat, a cozy couch, and a good book. What's not to love about that?
Lavish your animal friend with L-O-V-E!
Want to know how to lavish your animal friend with L-O-V-E, and make your relationship with them sparkly?
Get our free booklet, Lavish them with L-O-V-E, which will help your pets and you speak the same language. Follow the steps, and your pet will be bouncing around with joy as the sparkle comes to life.
(AND you’ll receive my sparkly weekly blog posts right in your mailbox!)
Your email is safe from ninjas and dog catchers - we never share our list!
