multi cat home with herpes

I have three 1 year old sweeties. My special needs kitty (he has seizures) recently showed signs of herpes. I separated all three of them and started them all on Llysine (think that is what it's called). Now the special needs baby is all better but the other two are sick. When i called the vet and asked if it would be okay for me to put the 2 sick cats together the receptionist did not hesitate to tell me it would be fine (she didn't ask the vet). I know that stress is a major factor in herpes and I would love to put them together to make them happy and hopefully make the feel better sooner. BUT I don't want to make anything worse by putting them together either. What would you all do? Also, once the herpes symptoms go away how long should I wait to reunite them all? Thanks in advance!

If they're used to being together, then separating them is more stressful. We rescued a kitty with herpes and never separated her. We were fortunate enough she didn't spread it.

Basically what they're experiencing are flare-ups. Herpes is a virus that doesn't go away. The L-lysine supplement helps control it, and helps boost their immune systems to fight the URIs to which they become more susceptible. But given they all have the virus, I wouldn't bother separating them to begin with. The main question is have they developed a bacterial infection that needs treatment with antibiotics? That is something they can avoid catching by being separated - but you have to be very careful about washing hands and such so you don't transmit it.

If they're not on antibiotics, then I wouldn't bother with the separation, and just provide them with L-lysine supplements all the time. It's a preventative and will help prevent flare-ups in the future.

Thanks so much! I will miss all the lovin's they give me though... I mean WOW, it doesn't get much better than that! I still get good lovin's but nothing like I have the past few days. I can't wait to reunite them!!!!!

They are not on antibiotics yet. I dunno if they are like humans, when we have infection normally there is a little color to the fluids (from the nose). If the same thing applies to cats, they are fine so far!

Yup, same thing usually applies to cats. Sounds like just a flare-up, not a bacterial infection. Of course, no advice here can replace that of a vet though.

Herpes here too, one of my kitties... Never separated them; herpes is all about reducing stress, separating is too stressful.
I add L-Lysine to their drink water, everybody is on it here, the herpes kitty, and the non-herpes too, and it helps a LOT.
During a flare up my kitty takes 1,000mg/day; regularly he takes 500mg/day; since starting L-Lysine he has been very healthy!

I'm curious how you add the l lysine to the water? How do you know if the kitty gets a full dose? That would be so much easier than adding it to their food! Right now, I have to mix it in a spoon full of food, wait til they eat all of that, then feed them their norm. They don't normally eat all their food, it's the only way I can make sure they all get enough of it. To make things more complicated, I have to give them each 1/8 of a teaspoon twice daily. Who in the world has measurement spoons like that?!

Once again, thanks for all the feedback!

This is the L-Lysine i use - it is a pound of powder, perfect to add into the water. Each 1/4 tsp gives 500mg of L-Lysine.
I put 1/4 tsp per cup of water in their water fountain.
Bugsy also get some on his food.
When he is on a flare up, I add all the qty he needs in the food, plus he gets what is in the water.
I like what I do here, it has worked so far, and even if he doesn't get the full dose on the food, you have the water to back it up. With this measurement they all get at least 250mg/day for maintenance from the water, provided that they drink 1/2 glass of water a day, which they do.
The little spoon is easy to find - I have one that is 1/16th of a tsp, or a "pinch" lol.

Another FHV positive owner here. Most likely if you've never seen this type of a thing before with them, then they don't have herpes, but an upper respiratory infection and are passing it around. Herpes doesn't just go away; it goes into an inactive state but can flare up again later when the situations are right. Separating them is much more stressful on them if they're used to being together and that likely helped the virus spread.

I'll have to go shopping for a measuring spoon for sure! I will keep a close eye on them for sure and take them to the vet if it doesn't get better in a few days. I put the sick ones back together. I'm pretty sure it is herpes. My newest cat came form the SPCA and has had a world of problems (including other "flare ups" and a possible FIP diagnosis).

I love this web site because, as you can tell, I have no experience with cats but love them with all my heart! This is such a wonderful place to come for new kitty mammas like myself! My husband and i bought a house and the before we moved in we bought 2 cats, then came the dog, then another cat. We have our hands full but the house would not be home without them all!