Cat chronic nasal issue
Hi everyone. Looking for supportive-care advice for my cat while we try to figure out long-term options financially.
My 14 year old male cat has had chronic nasal issues for quite a while now. One nostril is frequently congested with snot/crusting and he often sounds stuffy/snorty when breathing. We have taken him to the vet multiple times for this issue already. He is extremely difficult to transport and handle at the vet (very stressed, aggressive/mean, difficult to medicate, has to be sedated every time), so visits are honestly pretty traumatic for everyone involved.
In the past, they prescribed a 2-week antibiotic course a few different times and it actually did seem to help temporarily, but then the symptoms would eventually come back. At that point they told us the next step would likely be imaging/rhinoscopy, etc., which unfortunately would cost thousands and is not financially feasible for us right now.
They also prescribed steroid nose drops for the congested nostril, but he absolutely hates them and it’s been really difficult to administer consistently because of how reactive he gets.
Tonight he had a nosebleed from the OTHER nostril. It was not a continuous stream of blood or severe bleeding. It looked more pooled around the nostril, then he sneezed a few times and there were some little blood splatters. I think this has happened before because I have noticed little blood splatters on the kitchen tile and even in my bed. I wiped it up and the bleeding stopped pretty quickly on its own. Since then he has been acting completely normal, eating wet food normally (he is VERY food motivated), social, and behaving like himself.
I know nobody online can diagnose him, but I’m wondering:
- Are there supportive-care things that may help chronic congestion/dryness?
- Has anyone had success with humidifiers/steam therapy?
- Any supplements that are actually evidence-based/safe for cats?
- Any advice at all?
I’m not looking for judgment about finances. I care about him a lot and want to keep him comfortable and monitor quality of life as best as possible while we navigate what we can realistically afford. He is my sweet baby, I love him so much and I’d love to help him in any way.