Identifying Common Ailments in Cats Adopted from Animal Shelters and Rescue Groups

Cats that come from rescue groups and animal shelters are more likely to have relatively minor illnesses that if untreated can become serious.

Before you leave the shelter, ask the shelter or rescue group for a written copy of their medical support policies. Will they provide vet care, medicines, and for how long?

So you've just brought home your new furry friend and you want to know what to do next. If you already have a resident cat at home I strongly urge you to keep them separate for the first week. Not only may this assist you with the introduction between them, but it also makes it much less likely that your resident cat will catch anything from your new friend.

Never give your cat any human medication unless directed to do so by your vet! Many common human medications (like aspirin or Tylenol) are dangerous to cats and can kill them.

Please contact your vet or shelter if any of the following symptoms listed below appear.

• If the cat starts sneezing
• Develops discharge from the nose or mouth
• Loses its previously healthy appetite
• Develops diarrhea
• Develops small bald spots with scabby, possibly reddish or gray welts (commonly around the face, ears, and paws)

If you already have a cat at home and he develops any of the above symptoms even though the new cat appears healthy then the new cat is a latent carrier and has infected your resident cat.

Upper Respiratory Infections

Fluffy is sneezing! Probably the most common illnesses of shelter cats are URIs (colds). The first symptom is usually sneezing. Additional symptoms are discharge from the nose or eyes, loss of appetite, and lethargy. When cats get stuffy noses they lose their sense of smell, and cats that can't smell their food will generally refuse to eat.

You should consult your vet or shelter if you see cold symptoms. Most URI's are viral, so medical care is generally supportive. Cats are prone to secondary bacterial infections, so it is standard practice to put cats with colds on an antibiotic. Do not attempt home remedies to take care of the problem. Seek veterinary intervention.

It's very important that a cat keep eating during the cold. Eating helps her immune system fight the cold, and without sufficient food the cat will lose energy and possibly become dehydrated. The first step to keep a cat eating with a URI is to introduce a stinky (fishy) wet food that will penetrate the cat's stuffed nose. Talk to your vet about using saline drops called Little Noses to help unclog the cat's nose. You can also create a steam bath in your bathroom to help with the congestion.

If you cannot convince the cat to eat, the next thing to do is start forced hand feeding. Your shelter or vet will give you specific instructions, or you may optionally board your cat at the vet.

If the cat's eyes become goopy or the eyelid is partially closed you will need to get some eye cream for her. This is important to prevent permanent damage to the cornea.

Calicivirus is a more serious URI than garden-variety colds. The first symptoms are often a loss of appetite and lethargy in advance of other more common URI symptoms. Sores in the mouth are the most common and definitive symptom of Calicivirus but may take several days to develop. Sneezing is less prevalent in Calicivirus. Calicivirus symptoms include:

• Sores in the mouth, or tip of the nose (tip of the nose sores can look like a scratch)
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Labored, difficult breathing
• Limping due to tenderness in the joints or muscles

Cats with Calicivirus must keep eating. Soft foods are recommended to avoid aggravating the sores in the cat's mouth. Cat's who have previously had Calicivirus may be able to infect other cats as latent carriers, but most transmission is from actively sick cats. Cats are vaccinated for Calicivirus in the standard three in one vaccine FVRCP, but this may not prevent infection and may only lessen the severity of the illness. Kittens under the age of sixteen weeks are at extra risk of Calicivirus.

Less common is another URI, Feline Herpes also known as Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus. Common symptoms include:

• Coughing
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Runny nose
• Sneezing attacks
• Runny eyes

Sneezing attacks may be more intense than in other URIs. Eye problems are more common and more serious in cats with Herpes. Eye creams are required.

Not all cases of Feline Herpes fully go away. Sometimes the symptoms return from time to time (especially in the form of eye discharge) either due to stress or to other causes. Some cats will become latent carriers and remain able to infect other cats. Cats are vaccinated for Herpes in the standard three-in-one vaccine, FVRCP.