sick cat... I think?

Question
My cat is about 5.5 months old.  Ever since I got her she has sneezed.  When she was about 3 months old she got a respiratory infection and had lots of discharge from her eyes.  The vet gave her antibiotics and that stopped.  The sneezing, however, has not.  Lately, she seems a bit less active than usual (though it may just be her growing out of the kitten stage) and her eyes seem a little funny, like the third eyelid shows more than it should (and I've heard that's a sign that an animal is sick?)  She's still eating and drinking.  Today she kept using both paws to try to "wipe off" the sides of her mouth... I'm not really sure if she's sick, she just seems a little off.  I need to take her in to get her spayed.  Does it sound like she has something?  And is it safe to spay her right now if she is?

Answer
Flor,

Have you looked inside your kitty's mouth? That can sometimes be a sign of a foreign body. If you sew it could even be a needle and thread as cats love to play with that sort of thing and they don't spit things out easily. In any case if you find anything in her mouth or under her tongue do not touch it, leave it for the vets to take care of. Make sure that she gets to the vet fairly promptly because her third eyelid showing is a sign that she isn't feeling top notch....The quieter than usual kitty is not the norm for most kittens that age. Your kitty needs a vet as soon as you can get her there, it is urgent that she is checked for a foreign body among other things. A foreign body is a medical emergency and could kill her if you wait around trying to decide what to do. A responsible vet will not spay your kitten until he/she is sure that kitty is healthy enough to undergo surgery, after all a spay is a major surgery. I hope that this information helps. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me again.