Need advise on adopted kitten

I have been reading the different threads on this site for a while now and I have learned that cats are complicated pets. But despite that I still wanted to adopt a cat. So after tossing the idea around and looking on Petfinder.com for a couple months just to make sure I really wanted one. I visited a shelter that had over 200 cats and picked out a 5 month old kitten. I just got him home today and I wanted to ask if I can enlist you cat lover folks here to help me make this work. This is only my 2nd cat, The 1st one I only had for 2 weeks and he was sick when I got him and he died. It tore me up so bad that I canâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have that happen again.
This kitten is up to date on all shots and is active and acts normal, but there is one issue with his heath that I need advise on. Before I picked him out, the shelter lady told me that he was getting over a cold. His nose is wet and when heâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s not playing but smelling things in his new house I can hear him whizzing and sometimes he sneezes. The shelter told me he has been given antibiotics and it is just a matter of weeks till the kitten is over the cold. Here my question, does this sound right to you? I mean, does that make sense?
Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve had him for about 5 hours now and he is calm and starting to feel like home here but he wants attention is making it difficult to type this post. Keeps typing his own words that no one can understand.

URI (upper respiratory infection) are common in shelters. It is airborne & almost impossible to stop from spreading. I'd call your vet on monday to get him in for an appt to see what the vet thinks. How long was he on anti-biotics at the shelter?

I would call your vet.
So many kittens from the pound have Uri's.
My Cleo got sick coming out here on the plane.
Kittens do get colds easy.

Congratulations on your new kitty! Upper respiratory infections (URIs or kitty colds) can be tough to kick. If your little one is wheezing, he needs to be seen by a vet ASAP. Until then, you can take him into the bathroom while you're showering and let him enjoy the nice steam. It'll help loosen up the mucous causing his wheezing. If he starts coughing though, you need to get him to the vet immediately.

It's common for a kitty in a new environment to not eat for awhile, so watch your baby and make sure he's eating. If you feel like he's not eating as he should, go to the kitten forum and look for the homemade kitten formula and make it for him to eat. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74659

Unfortunately, it sounds like he wasn't completely over his URI and many times, the stress of a new environment can trigger a relapse. Keep an eye on him and if you think something's wrong, take him to the emergency vet for care.

Stephanie

Everything seems to be ok except for the cold. Thanks for the help, it really helps to get advise. he started eating today and he has been drinking water and using the litter box. So as soon as we cure the cold he will be in perfect health. Problem is I need to find a GOOD vet.

Originally Posted by RustyBoy

Everything seems to be ok except for the cold. Thanks for the help, it really helps to get advise. he started eating today and he has been drinking water and using the litter box. So as soon as we cure the cold he will be in perfect health. Problem is I need to find a GOOD vet.

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Congratulations on your new kitty. Sounds like his cold is his only problem at the moment and as the others have said keep an eye on him to ensure he is getting better.

As for a good vet, often word of mouth is the best way to fiind a vet. Ask some of the folks where you work or go to school that have a pet where they take their pets when they are sick and what they think of their vet.

ETA: Even if you buy from a breeder it is always recommended to take your new kitten to your own vet within days for an examination.

I'm glad to see you have a new kitty. I remember the anguish you had over your first cat; what a bad initial experience!

Virtually all the cats at our shelter eventually get the upper respiratory infection. It's a virus, and it's essentially everywhere, so a cat is almost sure to get it eventually. Until a cat has been at our shelter 3 weeks, we assume that he is about to come down with it.

Since it's a virus, antibiotics won't treat the initial infection, but they WILL knock out the secondary infections. Keep a close eye on him; if he starts to go downhill fast, get him to a vet immediately.

All three of our cats had the infection when we brought them home. After a run of antibiotics, all three recovered just fine.