Cats are funny creatures that provide hours of entertainment and companionship for their owners. Cats, just like dogs, have their own sets of problems. One of the most common problems they have is developing upper respiratory infections. The cause of these infections is usually an underlying herpes or calici virus that the cat develops as a kitten. The virus can stay in the cat's body its whole life without necessarily causing any clinical signs (latent/dormant virus) and then one day something (like a stressful situation) can bring out the clinical signs. Clinical signs of upper respiratory infections include runny eyes, sneezing, and congestion. Most congested cats are not going to want to eat because they can't smell their food. If a cat doesn't eat for multiple days, this can lead to other problems including what's called a fatty liver. Sometimes cats can clear this infection on their own, but most of the time they need to see a veterinarian. Oral or injectable anitibiotics can be used along with an eye ointment to help clear up this infection. These upper respiratory infections are contagious to other cats, causing lots of problems for owners in a multi-cat household. Cats do get vaccinated to help prevent against these agents that cause upper respiratory infections. This unfortunately doesn't mean they will never develop an upper respiratory infection, but hopefully will be able to get well faster. Vaccinations will be a topic for another day (what they are and what they are for).
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| Kitten with runny eyes and nasal discharge caused by an upper respiratory infection |
Being the owner of a multiple cat household, I can say I have had this issue quite often through the years. Kittens are hit the hardest, but adult cats can and do develop this also. By following the advice in the above article, you can avoid more serious problems with your cat. Luckily, annual vaccines and veterinarian care when they get sick, have kept my cats relatively healthy and happy.
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