Eko is sick….how would an indoor, vaccinated cat get a kitty cold?

Tagged: cold, kitty cold, sneezing, snuffles, vibra vet paste

This topic has 13 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 1 month ago by scottyd.

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16 March, 2012 at 11:51 pm #50543

ecbrown
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I took him to the vet today, I thought I was just being extra cautious, but it turns out he had a fever (more than what the vet thought would be stress related from a vet visit.) He’s been letting out one big hack at a time (not like a rhythmic hairball cough), gagging, and has sneezed some. He had this happen last year around this time and I’ve suspected he has allergies (his eyes are also sensitive.) So, I was surprised when there was a fever. (He has been eating and playing okay.)

The vet seemed puzzled (as he is indoor, vaccinated, and passed the fiv/leukemia test) and gave us antibiotics and gave him a steroid/vitamin shot. If I can’t get the pill into him tomorrow AM I need to take him in by noon to get a long lasting antibiotic shot. We bought pill pockets and are hoping for the best.

Interestingly, Leo had sneezing fits for a few days about a week ago but no other symptoms. Would it be unusual for indoor, fully vaccinated kitties to get kitty colds? I’d think it was just something in the air if it weren’t for Eko’s fever.

16 March, 2012 at 11:58 pm #723946

Skyron
Participant

No, its not unusual. Kitty colds are caused by a herpes virus, and its commonly found everywhere where cats are. So anywhere you went that had kitties, even kitties you didnt know about, would have the virus. And its a super resistant bug – stays active in the environment for up to 7 weeks. It does have an incubation period of about 2 weeks, so maybe you could narrow it down to where/what you were doing around then?

When we adopted Skyron, from a shelter, she was stunningly beautiful, and healthy, up to date on her shots. All our kitties are confined to our property, and were all up to date on their shots as well, and they all caught a super strain of snuffles from sky. All 7 of them were in icu for 3 weeks . . . It just happens I guess.

17 March, 2012 at 12:08 am #723947

ecbrown
Participant

Hmmm…Leo’s last vet check up was about 3 weeks before his sneezing fits. Maybe he picked up something at the vet’s and passed it onto Eko? I visited with a cat at the shelter 3 days before Eko got sick, but I washed hands well and changed clothes when I got home. Of course, we are in and out of PetSmart all the time and there are cats there.

Do cats recover on their own sometimes? Leo never saw the vet with his sneezes but he seems okay now.

17 March, 2012 at 12:11 am #723948

linda
Participant

this is interesting, I didn’t know either. fortunately none of ours have ever had this. did the vet say if you should watch the others?

17 March, 2012 at 12:16 am #723949

ecbrown
Participant

Linda, she gave me a tube of lysene (I think that is what it is called), a supplement to boost everyone’s immune system. She said to use it for all 3.

17 March, 2012 at 12:16 am #723950

JerseyJoan
Moderator

I didn’t know that either Sky. I had Leela to the vet twice last fall, about 6 weeks apart for sneezing and watery eyes. I will have to check my records to see if I had one of them there before that.

Hope the antibiotics help Eko and he feels better soon. I went for the long term shot for Leela. Took 2 rounds, but she’s been fine since November.

{{{Eko}}} Feel better soon, buddy!

17 March, 2012 at 12:23 am #723951

ecbrown
Participant

By the way, I appreciate having all of you sympathetic and knowledgeable TDK folks to share with and get advice from. 🙂

17 March, 2012 at 12:24 am #723952

Skyron
Participant

it depends on the individual kittie’s immune system. I have heard, and experienced for myself, the siamese cats are particularly prone to snuffles. i dont know why though.Shakespeare is a meezer cross, and he has never shaken off the virus – he still sneezes every day, despite our best efforts – its been 3 years since the snuffles began.

17 March, 2012 at 12:27 am #723953

Skyron
Participant

Cross-contamination was our biggest issue – as soon as someone got better, someone else got it all over again. Only thing that really helped (aside from all the meds, and the icu stays) was disinfecting everything the kitties came into contact with – like food dishes, and litter boxes. I went through a lot of bleach, but eventually we got on top of it.

I would say, go for the long acting shot. If you need to go back after a second shot, ask the vet for vibra vet paste. Its the nuclear bomb version of antibiotics – will most definitely kick the bug’s butt.

17 March, 2012 at 2:09 am #723954

ladysky61
Participant

Also, he could’ve been affected as a kitten. Once it gets in their system it never fully goes away and at times of stress the herpes can flare up again.

17 March, 2012 at 2:14 am #723955

GD
Participant

Yep, that happens with both Milo and Glen from time to time.

Hope Eko feels better soon.

17 March, 2012 at 2:09 pm #723956

ecbrown
Participant

Eko loved his antibiotic in the pill pocket this morning. (The vet seemed to want to try pills before the long lasting shot….not sure why.)

I was so glad he loved it that it didn’t even register that I gave it to him after he had jumped up onto the stove. So, I gave my cat a treat for jumping onto the stove. Then Emily hopped onto the stove to see if she would be rewarded too. Not my best cat parenting moment…LOL.

17 March, 2012 at 2:54 pm #723957

GD
Participant

Hehehehe, smart Emily!

Glad Eko took his pill without trouble.

17 March, 2012 at 10:03 pm #723958

scottyd
Participant

Im sorry to hear that the little guy is ill , i truly hope he gets better . I think the vet wanted to use pills is because antibiotics work best when there is a relativeley even amount of them in the body.
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