Warning: Undefined variable $href_target in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/phpGiggle/phpgiggle-config.inc.php on line 44
Cat upper respiratory tract infection contagious? | Ask A Vet
 

 


Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

URTI in cats.

Species: Cat
Breed: Moggie
Age: 1-2 years
Hi

I have got 2 cats, Xena 1,6 years and Nemo, a kitten 12 weeks. When the Nemo came to us he was healthy apart from a few fleas that we treated easily and occasionally diarrhoea that improved quickly.

Both cats have both been using the same 2 litter trays (which have been cleaned every day) although i have tried getting them to use their own. They have their own feeding bowls but been licking each others bowl after meal time. Especially Xena has been interested in whatever he is been given and eaten. After having Nemo for about 2 weeks and the day after he received his first shot Xena fell ill. She was either hiding or slowly tip toeing around and it seemed like she tried vomiting although nothing but a strange noise came out. I took her to the vet and got a whole load of medications, metacam,noroclav and kitty stim, to cure her cat cold.

My questions:

1) How do cats catch a cold? Xena is an outdoor cat and runs in and out as she pleases. She always gets her yearly boosters at the vet and is flea and worm treated regularly. I suppose they can get it from other cats saliva and fleas as they can not be vaccinated against colds etc...?!

2) Is it possible that she would have caught it from the new kitten (Xena has never really been ill before this cold...She is normally very healthy and I feed both cats "natural" food, Almo Nature). Nemo has not become ill as yet -fingers crossed.

3) Xena was given a syringe at the vet but I have forgotten what it was all I know is that she has perked up remarkably and is eating and is her "normal" self bare the lost "meows". Have you got any idea what the shot was? I was also given "kitty Stim" but I never gave it to her as she was eating and drinking (and weeing but no poo so far) fine. Shall I give this to her despite the fact that she eats and drinks now.

4) I was advised to separate the cats which I have done since I came back from the vet, but its hard work as they both want to play with each other and Xena is keen on going outside (catflap is locked though). For how long do I need to keep them separate?
I don't know if Xena got the cold of Nemo seeing she has been licking his food bowl and they have been using the same 2 litter trays (was hard to keep him from using hers) but I thought Nemo would have gotten ill by now as they have only been separated since I got back from the vet.


Thank you ever so much


Warning: Undefined variable $related_questions in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Warning: Undefined variable $related_articles in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry to hear that your cat is having health problems!

Respiratory tract infections or "colds" in cats are relatively common. They are spread from cat to cat via the air so it is usually impossible to tell exactly where they got it. It certainly is possible that Nemo was harboring an infection but fought it off, yet passed it on to Xena. It is actually quite common to have an adult cat come down with an upper respiratory tract infection after a new kitten is introduced into the house.

The regular cat vaccines that we give (PRC, or FVRCP) are actually against upper respiratory viruses like this one. However, no vaccine is 100%. It may be that if he wasn't vaccinated he would have been much sicker.

It's hard to say what the syringe was at the vet's office - possibly some steroid to help with inflammation?

Kitty Stim is a probiotic supplement. It never hurts to give it, but if he is doing well there's really no point in giving it now.

As far as separating the cats goes, it is usually best to do this until all of the symptoms are gone. However, realistically, the virus is spread easily through the air and air circulates freely throughout the house so I don't usually get too strict on keeping cats separate.

Most cats get over an upper respiratory tract infection relatively easily. Sometimes we give antibiotics if there is a green discharge from the nose or eyes. I will often also prescribe a supplement called Lysine and give it to all of the cats in the house when there is an upper respiratory tract infection. Lysine has been shown to greatly reduce the reproduction of virus in a cat's body.

I hope everything goes ok!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---



Warning: Undefined variable $displayed in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/answer_np.php on line 253
Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

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.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Arthritis in elbow. My 10 year old German Shepherd mix has been limping on her front leg. It has... (19354 views)

Puppy has runny nose. Heavy clear drool vomited once this morning Oct 29th 2010 7am. Very wet nose no loss... (14644 views)

Pregnant 10 month old dog. my mini doberman is 10 months and shes pregnant can she die? and how many dogs can... (17222 views)

Why did my dog die? Hi, My dog died recently. She was 11 yr.s 9 mo.s old, about 55-60 lbs.,... (169725 views)

Gunk in cat's eyes. hi my cat has had her vaccination today but now noticed there gunk coming out of her... (10087 views)

Limping, stiff chihuahua. Hey my chiuahua dog hasn't been himself lately. He walks really stiff and can not... (16746 views)

Puppy not eating. why isn't my minature pincher puppy not eatting? i tried to feed him myself but he... (12207 views)

Hair loss and black skin. my 15 yr old pomeranian is losing hair in the middle of her back. it just now... (12998 views)

Possible silent heat. She went into heat last year in August for the first time. She has not gone into... (15735 views)

Excessive drooling Recently my cat, who is a little more than 15 years old, has stared excessively... (8898 views)

See all questions...

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.