LoveToKnow Cats:AllComments

From LoveToKnow Cats

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Hi TinkerToes,

I'm sorry your cat isn't feeling well. It can be very upsetting when our feline friends are ill and the vet can't find anything wrong. It definitely sounds like something is going on with her. It's possible she may have allergies. They are bad this time of year. You could try keeping her indoors and using an air purifier. Switch her to the highest quality cat food you can afford. You may need to hand feed her canned food until she is willing to eat on her own again. The important thing is to get food and fluids in her for now. Some owners have fed their cats chicken broth or the juice from a can of tuna to help keep the cat from getting dehydrated.

If she isn't better in a day or two and still isn't eating or drinking, you need to get her back to the vet for further treatment.

Please keep us posted on the situation.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

We have a female cat who has been spayed and is approximately 6 years old. For the last 2 1/2 weeks she has been lethargic with decreased appetite and thrist. She was checked out completely by our vet just three days ago...no fever, with all bloodwork negative, so they went ahead and updated her vaccinations despite her symptoms. Yet, she persists to be "out of sorts". What could be going on here; how do we get her to start eating and drinking again?

-- Contributed by: TinkerToes

Hi Stacy,

First of all, completely separate the cats that are not sneezing or showing symptoms. This is just a precaution in case it is cat flu or Feline Leukemia. The only way to be certain is to take the cats in for a blood test. The vet will be able to tell if it is Cat Flu, Leukemia or something else.

Some cats are very prone to upper respiratory infections, but with all of them doing this at once, I'm a little concerned that it is something infectious. I'm afraid there simply isn't any way to tell without those tests, though.

Keep them separated and see what the vet has to say. I hope it's good news!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I have a mother cat, and 3 young adult boy cats of hers (8-9 months of age.. the boys). My room mate has two cats of her own. One is a minimum of 6 years old.. he is a Jap Bunt Tail, and was born tail-less. Her other cat is a siamese mix, about 4 years old. All of the cats (6 total) are happy, and get along fine.. but recently, the eldest cat got out of of the house about a month ago for only maybe a couple of minutes... He is the oldest cat.. the tail-less fellow. Anyway, we caught him, put him back in the house. But a couple of weeks ago, he started sneezing. Sniffing, blowing, and sneezing.... he sat at my feet crying, and acting like he wanted me to do something for him. He has been sleeping, but he also has been eating, and drinking. He seems to be alright. On the other side of that.. one of the young male cats started sneezing as well a couple of days ago. He is now excessively drooling, and he is not able to sleep. He is a long haired male cat, and he looks as if he has halfway fallen into a swimming pool. I am taking this young male to the vet in the morning, as I am fearful of dehydration. I have read about cat flu, cat this, and cat that..... but the two other young males are now sneezing, but not drooling... yet the eldest cat, the tail-less male... he is still sneezing but not drooling. What is going on with my cats? So far, the mother of the three young males seems completely healthy, with no sneezing etc.. The other adult female cat (the siamese mix) seems healthy as well. Is this a male disease?! Only the male cats in my home seem to be affected, and just so you know.. the siamese mix cat.. she also 'mothers' the young males, and licks them, cleaning them. There are two females.. four males, and only the males are showing problems.. something to study or research?! BTW... All of these cats have had vaccinations, and have been 'fixed'. None of them are able to reproduce.. my young male cats are getting more ill by the moment. What in the world is wrong with them???!!!! Vet tomorrow for young Sydney at least.. but what IS this?!

-- Contributed by: Stacy6Cats

hi, my young male cat, Jaffa is now having blood tests after feeding and starved, they are now worried that it may be a problem with his liver which is difficult to diagnose, I have noticed that his symtoms occour after food or water and mainly in the evening. I took him in to see the vet as his breath is now starting to smell and he wont allow his mouth to be looked at, when they opened his mouth one of his larger teeth fell out! could all his syptoms be gum problems? i'm worried that they may think it's worse than it actually is. i think my next step is a second opinion.

-- Contributed by: nikki

Hi Nikki,

It could be allergies, or possibly some sort of upper respiratory infection or even mild seizures. I would start keeping a log of when these things occur and every detail that you can write down, such as what happened just before or after the attack and any of his physical reactions. Also, don't be afraid to get a second opinion. Every vet has a different specialty area. You may need to find a vet that specializes in cats, for example.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

hi, my cat is 5 months old and has been in and out of the vets for various tests etc. they can't find out whats wrong and it's really getting me down. his symptoms are that he has noisy breathing, excessive saliva, unwilling to play (moody). Sometimes he's ok and then all of a sudden these symtoms will start. When we go to the vets his symptoms stop. could he be allergic to something? if so what like?

-- Contributed by: nikki

Hi Gemma,

He will likely always be susceptible to upper respiratory infections because of his previous exposure. Since your cat is prone, be sure to take him to the vet immediately and get him started on antibiotics and other treatment options. This will help keep the sickness from developing into pneumonia, which can be quite dangerous for your cat.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi, My kitten has had cat flu before when he was about 11 weeks old.. he is about 14 weeks old now and he seems to look like hes catching it again.. is this possible for a kitten to catch cat flu more than once?

-- Contributed by: Gemma

Hi Sharon,

The only way to know for sure if that is what is going on is to have the cat tested. It does sound like symptoms of Cat Flu. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot you can do. It is highly contagious. If there are cats who do not yet have it, I would find them other home where they won't be exposed. There are some treatments that can extend the cat's life, so you may wan to discuss those options with your vet.

Please don't let the cats roam. They can make other cats in the neighborhood ill too. Hope it turns out to be something else.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

My 14 yr. old, male, neutered cat has had sneezing episodes for about 2 yrs. he usually has discharge at those times. his brother & another of my cats just started with the same symptoms. I just researched to find out that this must be "cat flu" & highly contagious. Since I have a total of 9 (plus 2 strays on the porch), I'm worried that all of them will get it. Is there anything I can do short of costing a fortune?

-- Contributed by: Sharon

Hi Toni,

He absolutely should not go outside. He can infect other cats if they get into a dispute, thus spreading the disease even further. You may want to double check with them. Perhaps they either misunderstood what you were asking or read his chart incorrectly.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I am thinking of taking a cat on from Battersea Dogs Home. They have told me the cat is a carrier of feline flu. But they have also said it is fine for him to go outside. This cat I would like is more of an outdoor cat. Is this appropriate for a carrier?

-- Contributed by: Toni

Hi Shauna,

It's possible he has some sort of respiratory or other infection. Cats are very prone to upper respiratory infection and the third eyelid showing has me concerned about that. Also, since he is lethargic, I would go ahead and get him to the vet as soon as possible. Tomorrow is Monday, so if you don't feel he is in any immediate distress, you may just want to call the vet in the morning and save the emergency vet cost. However, if he does seem in severe distress (trouble breathing or disoriented, etc.), I would go ahead and take him right away.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi Shanna,

If she is still not eating, you should really taking her back to the vet. This is not normal and you don't want her condition to worsen. It's possible they may have missed something the first time she was in. It is good that she is drinking water.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

My cat has a loss of appetite, which is extremely rare for him, for going on two days. He has a warm and runny nose. He is lethargic and this morning his third eyelid was showing in the inside corners. He ate a tiny morsel of can food this morning, which he normally doesn't get but loves, but didn't eat all that was put before him. He usually is waking me up to eat, but didn't even move from the bed this morning.

-- Contributed by: Shauna Leigh

Yes she is drinking water. The only way she gets food in her is by me forcing baby food in her mouth. i will try the canned ham iv tried the tuna. Thank you.

-- Contributed by: Shanna

Hi Shanna,

Eight days is quite a while for a cat to go without eating anything. Is she drinking water? You could try whatever her favorite foods are to tempt her. My cats love canned tuna and ham. I wouldn't recommend this as a permanent diet, but if she is ill and that's all she'll keep down, then I'd try it. You may also want to try different flavors of canned food. Again, each cat will like different varieties. Mine like salmon and turkey.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS. MY CAT WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR FOURS DAYS THEY SENT HER HOME FOR ME TO CARE FOR HER BUT SHE HASNT EATEN ON HER OWN FOR 8 DAYS IS THIS NORMAL? I HAVE TRIED DIFFRENT KINDS OF WET FOOD BUT ITS NOT WORKING IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN GIVE HER THAT SHE MIGHT EAT?

-- Contributed by: SHANNA

Hi Shanna,

It can take a cat weeks to heal up from a bad respiratory infection (or even longer), but she should begin to have relief in a few days.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I WANT TO KNOW HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR MY CAT TO START TO FEEL AND SCT BETTER AFTER SHE HAS STARTED TAKEN THE MEDS FROM THE VET FOR THE CAT FLU? I AM REALLY WORRIED, I HAD HER IN THE VET TODAY AND I JUST WISH I COULD SNAP MY FINGERS AND MAKE HER BETTER. DOES ANYONE HAVE THE ANSWER?

-- Contributed by: SHANNA

Hi Serena,

A vet will have to run a test to determine if the cat has the flu, but do keep her/him isolated from any other pets until you are able to get the new kitten tested. Things such as distemper can be highly contagious to other pets and stay in your home up to a year.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi Amy,

It sounds like she has an infection going on, but hard to say whether it is cat flu or something else. I would figure out a way to take her to the vet. Call some of the animal shelters in your area and see if they offer any type of emergency funds or know of a clinic that works on a sliding scale for those who are having money problems.

I hope she gets better soon.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi there,

We have found an abandoned kitten and it has no voice, runny eyes and a hairball like cough. Could this be the flu? I am keeping it warm, hydrataed and it is all skins and bones. Can anyone help?

-- Contributed by: Serena Sligo

Haii

My cat Honey looks like she has cat flu. She has the discharge from her nose, mouth and she looks like she is on speed because her eyes are wide open and glassy plus watery. We don't have the money to take her to the vet.

What should we do?

Thanks Amy

-- Contributed by: Amy

Hi Laurie,

Not that I know of. In fact, you need to be very careful about giving cats over the counter medications as many things are highly toxic to cats. There is no cure for the Cat Flu, but the vet will be able to determine if the cat should be on antibiotics or other medications. You will also want to quarantine the cat from any other cats in your household as this is a highly contagious disease.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

is there anything over the counter or herbel to give a cat for the cat flu

-- Contributed by: laurie

Hi Russell,

I understand your frustration. We have an ill golden retriever that we keep taking to the vet. Each time it is well over $100 to take her and she is still not feeling well.

My first question would be how long she has been on the meds. They may not have yet had time to do their work and clear up her infection.

What types of tests did the veterinarian run? Did he/she check for cat flu?

Some cats do have allergies and Persians can be prone to breathing problems because of their flattened faces. If it sounds like she might be prone to this, you may want to consider finding her another home or investing in some pet health care, which will help cover some of the expenses just like insurance for humans.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi Silverstream,

While it might not be cat flu, it does sound like it is possible that Jade and Thorn have the same problem/disease. I would definitely take them both to the vet, as what they have may be contagious to the kittens that are not sick. Please let us know if everything is okay.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi, we took in a Persian cat that no one wanted. We thought she was fine until we took her to the vet and got all sorts of medication for her. Everything was okay but she keeps getting discharge from her nose & eyes, repeated sneezing, sometimes vomiting straight after dinner; other than that, she eats and drinks well and seems a happy cat, but we can't afford to keep taking her to the vet for the same thing constantly.

-- Contributed by: russell

I have two sick kittens, Jade and Thorn. Mucus is coming from Jade's mouth and she is losing weight, while Thorn has blood coming from her nose. I do not believe it is the flu, because we have three other cats and they are not sick.

-- Contributed by: Silverstream07

Hi JMartin,

It sounds as though this is a pretty serious, possibly life threatening situation. When a cat is sneezing blood and cannot move, she needs veterinary help ASAP. I understand your dilemma. We don't have an emergency vet in our town, either, as we are very rural. However, there should be one somewhere in your state. I would pull out the yellow pages and start making phone calls. Also, you may want to call your local vet. Even if they are not in the office, they may have the telephone number of a vet to be used in emergencies.

Country vets will sometimes open in an emergency too, so don't hesitate to call around. I once had a dog that was very ill and a country vet came in on a Sunday and helped me out. He wasn't even our regular vet, although we then started taking all our pets to him. He was wonderful.

I'm sorry that your cat is ill. I truly hope that she gets better soon, but you need to get help as quickly as possible.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi! My boyfriend and I adopted a cat from the SPCA about 2 1/2 months ago. After her first few weeks of being with us she got incredibly sick. She was larthargic, she started using the restroom in the house, she had a runny nose, her eyes were glazed over all the time, she was incredibly unsteady on her which is really unusual for cats and she she would sit at the water bowl for atleast 5 minutes. She ended up getting better and really started warmming up to us. But about two days ago she started to get sick again with the same symptoms only worse. Looking at het today her nose is swollen and seems like she can hardly breath. She was sneezing alot yesterday and when she did she was sneezing out blood. I have no recourse at the moment since it is now the weekend and there is no emergency vet in my area. I'm not sure what this could be and what I can do to make her feel atleast a little bit better. I've been keeping her warm and making sure that she eats. Today I found her sleeping in the litter box. She can barely move and her tail is limp. I don't know what to do at this point.

-- Contributed by: JMartin

Hi Edayu,

I'm sorry to hear that your cat is feeling so poorly. It is vital that he eat and drink. Cats bodies are different from ours and a cat cannot go as long without eating. I would call your vet immediately and let him or her know that you cannot get the cat to eat or drink. The vet may have to give the cat some fluids intravenously.

Outside of that, give your cat a warm, comfortable place to sleep and show him love and affection. There isn't much else you can do at this point, but give the antibiotics a chance to work and see if he gets better. Please check back and let us know.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi there! My cat has been suffering from the flu for the past two weeks. The vet has given substantial antibiotics on a daily basis. I have isolated him in a room and wish more tips on how I can treat him at home to make him much comfortable. Such as cleanliness and making him eat and drink. He refuses to do any of the above. I am worried as he has yet to recover from the flu

-- Contributed by: Edayu Seliza

Hi, Jackie. The vet should be able to do a test to see if it is actually cat flu or not. Do you know if he or she did that test? He/She would have taken a culture of the inside of the kitten's mouth. If you aren't sure, I would phone the office and find out. Without the test, he/she is making an educated guess but it may or may not be correct.

Also, have your other cats been vaccinated for this virus? It is probably best to try to find the new cats a home where there are not other pets, if they are likely carriers. There is no cure for cat flu, so it's best to not expose your cats to infected cats as the virus is spread very easily between felines.

You cannot catch cat flu from the kittens, so tell your dad not to worry. There are just a few illnesses that can be passed between feline and human, such as rabies and cat scratch fever. You can read more about those in the article Humans and Cats Sharing Diseases.

~~Lori

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi there!

I have 3 rescued kittens with me. The vet says they are approx. 2 1/2 months old and he has diagnosed them with cat flu. They have crusty, swollen eyes and potbellies, and soft stool. They sleep a lot and eat when they want to. Sometimes they're up and playing with each other. They are also rather chatty. But they do not appear to have mouth and tongue ulcers and runny noses as described in the article above. Could it be something else?

My mom has fallen in love with the white, blue-eyed female of the litter and we plan to keep her. The boy and the other girl we plan to surrender to SPCA or put up for adoption. I would like to ask if our decision is advisable as the article above states that most cat flu sufferers eventually become carriers of the disease. Is it safe to keep her? We already have 2 older cats which are vaccinated yearly as well as 2 dachshunds.

The male kitty has been booked by a colleague of my father's. The man has several cats at home as well. The vet has instructed us to separate the kittens from the rest of our pets for now. My dad would like to know if its OK for them to recuperate in my adjacent bathroom (dry) because he's worried I may be seriously ill from close contact with the kittens.

Please advise. Thank you.

-- Contributed by: Jackie
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