stuffy nosed kitty

Question
How do I help kitty breath with a stuffy nose? I try & keep it clean of the crusty build up, but not sure what the proper way is with the nasal passage.  Do I wipe down, or away from the nostral.  Can I spread the nostral a little to help her breath? Do I put her in a steamy room?  She's also very congested.  Went to the vet but I need every day advice.  Thanks

Answer
As long as she's on an antibiotic, there are some things you can do to help alleviate the stuffiness.  

1.  Yes, steam is great!  Run vaporizers or humidifiers if at all possible.  Take her into the bathroom with you when you shower.

2.  Use some saline nasal drops.  Baby Ayr or Ocean Mist are good (not Afrin or anything medicated).  Tilt her head back and drop two to three drops in one nostril.  She will hate it!  But it works.  After the drops go down, you can let her head up and wipe away any discharge that gets loosened.  Then repeat with the other nostril.

3.  If it gets to the point where she's completely miserable and is mouth-breathing or won't eat, ask the vet about a drop with a steroid.  A lot of vets will put some dexamethasone in an eye drop to be given intra-nasally to shrink swollen nasal passages.  Some may also recommd using a medication like Benadryl, but DO THIS ONLY UNDER THE VET'S DIRECTION.  It's not right for every patient, and not all vets agree that it's appropriate.

I don't think I'd try to spread her nostrils.  That might lead to irritation.  But definitely use a cotton ball moistened with warm water to wipe away crust and mucus.  Wipe away from the nostril.

If she's not on an antibiotic, I'd ask for one.  Even though viral illnesses can't be cured, bacterial infections usually come along with them and make things worse.