Maybe it's just a cold?

[bSTAR_182]

Well if you haven't come across my intro thread, I have an 8 month old kitten, Maria, who has been sneezing for the past few days. There is a fairly light amount of discharge around her eyes and her sneezing got a bit stronger today; before it sounded like little puffs of air but now they are a bit louder with a tiny bit of snot spraying out. It isn't that constant though, but she's sneezing enough for me to tell that it isn't just a simple tickle in her nose and that she isn't feeling 100%. However she still has her appetite and is still playful (at the moment she's running around like a mad woman chasing her new mouse toy- so that's kind of a relief). She might be sleeping a little bit more than she usually does.

That all being said, she has had a history of the upper respiratory infection and I was wondering if this type of cat cold can come back even if she is an indoor cat and not around any other cats?

Another worry of mine is that it could be something more serious like FIP. My last cat passed away about a month before I adopted her. The vets had advised us to wait at least a month and to clean things off as well before getting another cat. My worry is if that was enough time. Has anyone else who lost a cat from FIP, brought another cat into their home after a month's time?

Personal stories are obviously welcome!

[laurief]

I don't have any personal experience with FIP, thank goodness, so I can't answer your questions where that is concerned. I have, however, had a lot of experience with the most common of the URI's, herpesvirus. I have read that more than 95% of all cats are infected with herpes, so it's a good bet that your kitten carries it. Herpes is a viral infection that can attack both the respiratory tract and the eyes. Though herpes is incurable, it lies dormant in most cats most of the time. It can flare up into an active infection when the feline is under stress, immuno-compromised, or comes into contact with another feline with an active herpes infection. Herpes flare-ups are usually more of a nuisance than a serious illness, though occasionally they can make the feline feel pretty sickly for a while.

If Maria is experiencing a herpes flare-up (which is a pretty good bet), it can be helpful to give her L-lysine. L-lysine is an amino acid that inhibits the herpesvirus' ability to replicate, giving the feline's immune system a stronger opportunity to beat it back into remission. You can buy L-lysine anywhere vitamins are sold. I buy it in 500 mg tablets, then crush one and mix it into a canned food meal once daily while the cat is symptomatic. With an 8 mo. old kitten, I'd probably give a little less (when I had two, 6 week old kittens with herpes symptoms, I gave them each 250 mg of L-lysine daily). Even if your kitten doesn't have herpes, it won't hurt to give her L-lysine.

Many vets prescribe antibiotics even when they suspect that the patient has a viral URI like herpes. Of course antibiotics have no action against viruses, but they can help avoid secondary bacterial infections. If a herpes flare-up settles in the eyes, it's not uncommon for a secondary bacterial infection to occur in the eyes, as well. In that case, the vet would prescribe optic antibiotic drops or ointment.

If you continue to be concerned about the possibility of FIP, this is certainly something you should discuss with your vet.

Laurie

[bSTAR_182]

Alright thank's for the information and advice. I'll definitely look into the L-lysine.

[asrowley]

I'd get her checked for Feline Herpes, I'm going in tomorrow with Pinky for a test (though she's finally over her NASTY URI she had. That's another thing to look for is an Upper Respiratory Infection. A lot of shelter cats get it and it's a shame to see your cat suffer. They'll stick her on antibiotics to ward off any infections while her immune system is down.
Pinky was on Clovomax for two weeks.

I'm proud to report though that the sneezing is OVER!

[bSTAR_182]

Well I'm glad, Pinky is doing better! It really does suck when your pet is sick. I seem to of had better luck with stray cats I found and took in from off the streets than I am with the kittens I've adopted out from shelters and kept updated on shots. Ugh.

I took Maria to the vet yesterday and though the vet couldn't tell me what exactly was going on, they gave me the same medication they had before when I first adopted her, Doxycycline. I have to give this to her for 10 days and of course they gave me a syringe that can barely fit into the bottle. Heh place is starting to look like a joke to me.