How Do I Clean a Kitten's Nose?

It might not seem like the most appealing thing to do, but cleaning your kitten's nose is something you need to do in order to keep your kitten comfortable and healthy.

To put it simply, you would follow these steps:

• Make sure the kitten is comfortable.
• Wipe crust and/or mucus away from the outside of the nose with a warm washcloth.
• Put petroleum jelly at the end of the cat's nose.

Read on to see how you can perfect this process.

Make Sure the Kitten is Comfortable

If your cat is squirming all over the place, it is going to be really hard for you to clean the animal's nose.

• The kitten might get hurt if you are struggling with her.
• You might wind up getting scratched.

If you feel that you absolutely cannot do this by yourself, then you need to take your pet to the vet to have a nose cleaning.

Start by softly petting your kitten in your lap. Once the cat is purring, you will know that he or she is content. Try to wrap one of your arms around the cat's front paws. You will be holding the animal snug, but make sure you are not squeezing your kitten. Furthermore, by holding the kitten is this position, you are keeping the legs still.

If you have someone who can hold the kitten while you do the nose cleaning, that is even better.

Clean and Protect the Kitten's Nose

1. Wipe any sort of crust and/or mucus away from the outside of the kitten's nose with a wet, warm washcloth. The washcloth should not be soaking or dripping wet; however, it should be damp enough to wash away any residue.
2. Put a little bit of petroleum jelly on the end of the cat's nose. You are going to want to watch your kitten until this has become entirely absorbed, as you do not want the cat to attempt to eat it. Using the petroleum jelly will help to soothe any dryness that develops from the kitten's cold.

Removing Mucus

Those steps might not seem like a whole lot. However, shoving a cotton swab up the kitten's nose is either not going to work because the nose is too small, or it is going to become dangerous if you are able to even get it up there in the first place.

You need to make the mucus and the crust come out:

• Set up a humidifier in the room where the cat is going to be.
• Turn on the hot shower and put the cat in the bathroom with the steam. Yes, we know, the cat is not going to like that. However, the steam will certainly do the cat good. You do not need to leave the water running while the kitten is in the bathroom. Simply run the water first, let it fill with steam, turn the water off, and then put your cat in there. The humidity and the steam will loosen any particles that are up in the nose.
• Using nose drops or a solution would certainly help too. Still though, you cannot just go and use solutions that are made for humans. Perhaps your vet will suggest one, but you need to consult with him or her first.

Kittens are susceptible to upper respiratory infections which, like a cold, can cause the kitten to have nasal discharge. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian. He or she can also provide you with their preferred way to clean a kitten's nose.