Dr. Dan Christian specializes in small animal medicine, with special interests in behavior and nutrition. He has been instrumental in establishing animal behavior residencies for veterinarians at leading veterinary schools and developing innovative programs with veterinary organizations in the United States. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, and the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association. During his professional career, Dr. Christian earned the American Association of Feline Practitioners Award. He has also appeared as a guest on television and radio pet health programs nationwide, and to has authored numerous articles for pet health magazines.

Q: I have a 12-year-old male cat who has been sneezing about every 10 minutes. This has been going on for about a week. He is an indoor-outdoor cat. This has happened before, a year ago, and finally went away on its own. The air inside our house is very dry, since we use a wood heater in the winter. Could that be the cause?

A: It is not uncommon for a cat to be sneezy from time to time. There can be several causes, including the one you mentioned: dry air with gas heating. If the mucous lining in the nasal area is interrupted, as happens with dry air, this can cause irritation and result in sneezing. Allergies may also be the cause. Allergic sneezing tends to be seasonal; whether the cat is allergic to molds, pollens, or other allergens will dictate the sneezy season. Finally, there could be an upper respiratory infection causing the problem. This situation may often result in a lack of appetite, where the other causes may not. For all of the possible causes, your safest bet is to have your veterinarian take a look and determine the cause. If infection is present, you don't want to put that off until things get worse.