Calling all cat experts...some advice please...

[Blue-bear]

Apologies i know this isnt horsy but i thought i might get a better response from here.
Now the problem lies with my littlest cat. Hes approx 18months and was meant to be the yard cat but has wangled his little feet firmly through the front door

Anyway hes not well, hes sneezing alot, got watery eyes and hasnt moved, no joke i went out last night at 8pm and didnt get back till gone 10 this morning and hes still in the same spot on the sofa.

He's normally such a tough cookie so its odd for him to be like this. He did eat his tea last night but he doesnt want to know today.

So my questions are - Any ideas...could he just have got a bot of a cold as he is out quite alot? And also if there is anything fluid or food wise that i can try and tempt him with?

Thanks in advance

 

[MrsMozart]

Vet.

Hope he's better soon.

 

[mattilda]

For me I would take him to the vets. Could be an infection of some description. Once they stop eating I strat to worry.

 

[Blue-bear]

Hmmm this is what im thinking too.....

 

[mahorse]

Sounds like he's picked up a bug to me.... I would be taking him to the vets in the am if it was mine... if this is totally out of character for him then something is wrong...
I take it he's up to date on all his vacc's?
My little cat wasn't herself and started huddling in a quiet spot, turned out she had quite a high temp and she had to have anti biotic injections and then a course of tablets as the inj didn't do the job....
Good luck with him.....

 

[HollyB66]

Found this on the 'net'

http://www.petplace.com/cats/does-your-cat-have-the-sniffles/page1.aspx

but would go to the vet for a proper diagnosis.

Hope she get better soon

 

[Annie&Amy]

You need to get him to vet tomorrow, it sounds like he has cat flu. Is he vaccinated?? In the meantime you can gently bathe his eyes and nose with some cool
boiled water ( use separate pieces of cotton wool for each eye and then another piece for nose ), also you can warm his feed up to encourage him to eat as cats are motivated to eat through smell - assuming you feed him wet food. You can also tempt him with tuna (in spring water NOT brine) or pilchards in tomato sauce.

As I say take him to vets tomorrow cause he needs to be checked and prob put on antibiotics and eye ointment. If it is cat flu and your other cats arn't vaccinated they could also catch it so may be best to isolate him and give him his own feed bowls, litter tray etc and change your clothes and wash hands after handling him.

Another trick we use at work (I'm a vet nurse) is to put vicks vapour rub on some cotton wool
in a dish and add water to cover then microwave for 30 secs to a minute, helps their breathing.

Hope this helps and he's soon recovered xxx

 

[jackiesansom]

Hi there,

Do you know this cats vaccination history?

If the cat was ferral before you owned it then its likely to have not been when it was younger. Kittens need to be vaccinated from 9 weeks of age and then again at 12 to boost from their mothers natural immunity.
If not then it is likely that your cat contracted the flu virus as a kitten and this makes them very seceptable to picking up the virus again when they are older and they become 'chronic snufflers' (i.e often displaying flu like sypmtoms throughout their life). This will happen even if you have vaccinated your cat since owning it.

Flu cannot be curred in cats as it is a virus there it needs to be treated symptomatically.
Take to Vets ASAP so that they can examine your cat as it will cost less in the long run treat if caught early and your cat will have a better chance of recovering.
They will also rule out any other underlying possible causes such as FeLV/FIV.

Hope this helps? x

 

[Blue-bear]

Thanks guys, was all the kind of things i was thinking, just wanted a little reassurance.
Just phoned and spoken to the vets, they aren't overly concerned its an emergency thing so want to see him tomorrow.

poor little bugger, i hate it when there poorly

 

[Annie&Amy]

He'll be fine to go tomorrow, just keep him in the warm. Is he vaccinated? Xx

 

[pistolpete]

Olbas oil on a towel helps if they are blocked up too. Keep him warm and try to keep him eating. If cats don't eat they can get really poorly, unlike dogs which can go days safely.

 

[Murphy88]

It sounds like cat flu caused by herpes virus. Once infected a cat never gets rid of herpes virus - it goes latent, but the cat will 'shed' when it gets stressed or ill, and will start showing signs of cat flu again - so it may well be that the cat was infected as a kitten and something has caused a flare up now. You are doing the right thing taking it to the vet tomorrow, as if left untreated then herpes virus can damage the nasal bones so the cat ends up permanently 'snuffling'.

In the meantime, as others have said just keep him warm and try to encourage eating - if you have any fish/chicken then try that as it might be more appetising.

 

[Achinghips]

I'm an experienced pedigree cat breeder of 20 years.
This sounds like an emergency issue. I'd get him to the vet now this instant. Without water, and with a dehydrating illness in a young cat, the delay is not worth the risk.
If you decide not to do this now and wait until morning, then do you have a syringe to get some water into him? You cannot over hydrate an ill cat so get as much into him as possible, aim for at least quarter of a pint or more, he will just pee the excess out.

 

[AmyMay]

Sounds like cat flu. Possibly too late now - but it should receive immediate veterinary care.