URTI in cats.

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