Feline Upper Respiratory Infection

Upper Respiratory Infections (URI), in cats is very common and is easily passed from one cat to the next. This contagious viral or bacterial infection, affects the throat, nose and sinus areas, very much like the common cold does with humans.

URI is an airborne disease and can be transmitted by a few different methods. Direct contact with an infected cat is a main cause, a sneeze from an infected cat can project out to four feet sending the virus through the air, it can even be transmitted on human clothing that has come in contact with an infected cat.

Cats that typically become infected are outside cats, shelter and cattery cats and indoor cats that are able to come in contact with cats from the outdoors. Kittens, older cats and those already infected with another disease, pose the greatest risk of infection due to having a weaker or not fully developed immune system.

Cats tend to show signs of infection after two to five days of being infected and increasing in severity. The infection, like most feline cold, can last up to ten days with or without treatment.

Signs of URI begin with nasal discharge and sneezing. Runny eyes, fever, sniffles, loss of appetite, raspy meow, cough, bloody nose and nasal or oral ulcers typically follow. Discharge from the eyes may seal the eyes shut when it dries, this is the same for nasal discharge, causing difficulty in breathing.

The cause of URI can be from a few different viruses such as Feline Herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), Feline Calicirus (FCV), Mycoplasma spp, Chlamydophila felis and Bordetella bronchiseptics. The majority of upper reparatory infections, 80 to 90 percent, are caused by FHV-1 or FCV.

URI diagnosis is primarily based on a physical exam, behavior and symptoms. Chest X-rays, blood tests or throat and nasal swabs may be helpful.

There are no antibiotics to treat URI, instead the focus is on treating the symptoms. Antibiotics are given to stop secondary infections, nasal drops, eye ointments or oral medications may also be prescribed. When a cat has a fever they may have little interest in food and refuse to eat. When this happens force feeding or a liquid diet may be necessary.

The majority of cats make a full recovery with proper treatment. Cats that have been properly and routinely vaccinated may show mild signs of infection while non vaccinated cats have a greater risk of serious infection. Vaccination is currently the best way to protects your cat from a feline upper respiratory infection.