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Kitten has a cold and is congested.

Species: Cat
Breed: alley cat
Age: 3-6 months
the kitten was found in the backyard, cold and all alone. He has what appears to be a cold and both eyes are congested. He sees very good but this condition seems to 'hang on'. Is it possible to put murine in his eyes?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question. Sorry to hear that little Smokey is not well.

It does sound like he has an upper respiratory virus. These are really common in kittens. These viruses can cause runny eyes and a runny nose as well.

The good news is that most of these kittens get over a virus on their own. It can take several weeks and sometimes even 2 months for kittens to get completely better.

Murine is not likely to help very much. If the eyes have mostly a clear discharge then the best thing you can do is to wipe them with a warm cloth as many times a day as necessary. But, if there is a yellow or green discharge from the eyes then they will need to be treated with antibiotic drops. Unfortunately these are prescription products which need to be prescribed by a vet.

It does not hurt to try polysporin or neosporin drops but usually the antibiotic part of this medication is not strong enough to work if there is infection there.

One thing that may help him to fight the virus more quickly is an amino acid supplement called Lysine. Most cats will eat this product quite willingly and it usually helps speed up the recovery from a virus.

Is Smokey eating ok? If his appetite is good then this is a great sign. If he won't eat well then you can try to heat up some canned food. This will increase the odor of the food and make it easier to smell when his nose is stuffed up. But, if he really is not eating well he may need to see the vet for antibiotics.

If he sounds congested it will help to run a hot shower and get the bathroom steamy and then leave him in the bathroom for 10 minutes.

I hope that helps and I hope he is better soon!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.