My cats have colds but are eating. Should I worry or disinfect?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on your description and the pictures, I suspect that he has an upper respiratory infection. Many times upper respiratory infections can be contributed to the herpes virus in cats. I would recommend taking Catty in to be seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. An antibiotic will likely be prescribed / administered to help with any secondary bacterial infections. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction and that Catty feels better soon. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It sounds like your cats may have a respiratory infection. Most of them will clear up on their own, but if your cats begin to not want to eat/drink and become very uncomfortable, it may be time to have them assessed by your veterinarian. Antibiotics will sometimes help but these clinical signs are often caused by viruses. Your cats may also have allergies as it is the change of seasons. An air purifier may help if that is the case.

The desire for running water is normal in cats and you can even purchase recirculating water fountains for cats. As for the cold like symptoms (sneezing, runny nose / eyes) many cats can get herpes virus that can flare up and cause these symptoms. I would ask your vet if you can pick up a Lysine supplement for cats to start Zinnie on as this will lessen the flare ups. One product we use here for this is Duralactin with Lysine. You may be able to find this online. If the symptoms are worsening, I would get her in to see your vet sooner rather than later as some infections need antibiotic therapy. Hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions / concerns you may have.

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.

Sneezing is a very vague sign in the sense it only means there is irritation to the nasal passages. So you are completely right in not jumping to the conclusion of an infection. It is more likely due to an irritant such as dust or pollen, or even cold air annoying the sensitive tissue. Do keep an eye as it could be the start of a touch of cat flu, but these things tend to be viral anyway.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If these kittens are exhibiting signs of a respiratory infection, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine them so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. They may need a short course of an oral antibiotic. The sooner they are seen and treated the better as infections can become quite severe in a short period of time in young animals. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I am sorry to hear that Hera is not feeling well. Hopefully she can fight this infection and make a speedy recovery! I would recommend using a Lysine supplement for Hera. You can find Lysine for cats online or at a local pet store. One product we use at our clinic is called Duralactin with Lysine paste. I use this in conjunction with an antibiotic but if you are unable to get her to a vet, then starting Lysine is better than nothing. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.