Should I bring a sniffling cat home if I have other cats already?

It's highly possible that they're all experiencing a flare-up of feline herpesvirus, which tends to produce mild upper respiratory signs such as sneezing and ocular discharge. Most cats already have the virus in their bodies but don't have symptoms, but living in a stressful environment (shelters) or going through stressful events (having a new cat brought home) can trigger recurrence of the active infection. If it's been a week and a half they likely do need to see the vet, however most of them will improve with supplementation with the amino acid lysine and supportive care.

It sounds like they might have a viral upper respiratory infection. Initial symptoms appear 2-17 days after exposure and reach maximum severity about 10 days later. Typically, your cat will have severe bouts of sneezing lasting 1-2 days, followed by conjunctivitis, watery discharge from the eyes and nose, fever, apathy, and loss of appetite. Some cats may have only mild symptoms, while other cats can become quite ill. Most cats with an uncomplicated upper respiratory infection can be treated symptomatically at home. Home care includes keeping your cats warm and comfortable and making sure they are eating and drinking. Offer highly palatable foods with a strong smell, such as fish-flavored canned foods or strained chicken or turkey baby food. Clean secretions from the eyes, nose, and mouth with moist cotton balls as often as needed. Humidify the air with a vaporizer or humidifier. Seek prompt medical attention for any cat that has mucoid or purulent discharge from the eyes or nose as it may have a bacterial infection. Also seek veterinary attention if one of your cats is refusing to eat or drink, is losing weight, has a high fever, seems weak, develops vomiting or diarrhea, or is having trouble breathing.

Yes, you need to keep your cat separated from the kitten. Parasites, Felv/FIV viruses or the respiratory infection could all spread to the adult cat. Make sure to wash your hands and change any clothes that came in contact with the kitten after you handle him to lessen the chance of contamination. If you cannot locate the owner and the kitten is sick, have it examined by the veterinarian so that it doesn't get worse. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is an undesirable situation to be in when adopting a new kitten. You did the right thing by leaving kitty there becuase upper respiratory infections are highly contagious. However, if your cats are up to date on their FVRCP vaccine, this greatly reduces the chances of them getting ill also. There is a small chance that the virus can survive on fomite objects, but typically it is spread through direct contact or through aerosolized droplets from oral secretions, similar to the flu or common cold. You can change your clothing just to be safe, before coming in contact with your cats and home and just wash your clothing as you normally would, and monitor your cats for any symptoms. However, like I said, there is a low chance of transmission this way. Upper respiratory infections are very common in cats, so once the kitty is free of illness, wait about 10 days before considering adopting him. He also should be up to date on his vaccinations. Once a cat gets infected, they are likely to get re-infected in the future and have upper airway issues as an adult. I hope this helps and best wishes with your prospect kitty. Take care.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Upper respiratory infection in cats is often a chronic disease, it can flare up for example because of stress or concurrent disease process. As long as Scooter is bright, has good appetite and does not have any breathing problems, you should monitor him at home. You should clean the discharge from the nose (and the eyes if necessary) with baby wipes. Offer him warm, tasty food as with runny nose cats can not smell very well. Typically, uncomplicated cat flu symptoms go away after 7-10 days However, if Scooter starts breathing heavily, goes off his food or the discharge from the nose turn green or yellow, you should take him to your local vets for an appointment.

How lovely of you to foster this young cat! It's great that Cleo is up to date on her vaccines, which will help minimize her risk. Given that this new cat is potentially showing signs of herpes, you should isolate her from Cleo while she is symptomatic. Make sure this new cat has her own litter box, food, and water bowls, and be sure to keep them clean. You might try a humidifier in the new cat's room to help her if she has any congestion. Make sure she is as rested as possible, and gently warm really smelly wet food if her appetite goes down. When cats can't smell their food, they won't eat, which is why I recommend gently warming the food. Once her symptoms are clear, it's fine to allow her near Cleo. I hope this helps!

Congrats on the new kitten and being pregnant, but I'm sorry Milo isn't feeling well! Luckily you cannot catch a respiratory infection from cats, so there is no concern for you and your unborn son. Respiratory infections can be common in cats, and are frequently caused by viruses so antibiotics won't help. First, you can try starting them on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If they are congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing them into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. Depending on their symptoms, a vet may be able to prescribe medications to help with them so a vet visit would be a good idea. I hope this helps!