Advice on a cat with a cold

Hi my cat has been at the vet since Tuesday (3 days) being treated with antibiotics for what they say is a cold. Monday night she was up all night sneezing/ coughing (I wasn't sure what it was) so I took her in first thing tuesday morning. I live in Vietnam and the vet is vietnamese so we have some communication issues and their care is very basic. I have been going here for years and have never had concerns but today when I went to see her she was a lot worse. Her nose was runny for the first time and she was very lethargic. They said that is normal and, like humans, she is going through the process of having a cold. They said they are concerned that it is starting to get in her chest and they are increasing the strength of her antibiotics. She is staying there until she is healed as I am at work all day and worry that I can't provide the care for her. 

My question is...does what they are saying sound right or should i be taking her for a second opinion (and therefore ruining a great relationship with our local vet)?

I'm kinda surprised they have been keeping her. What are they treating her with that she needs constant supervision? Just curious. I've had a cat with a cold and he didn't need constant supervision. I just needed to make sure he got his antibiotic twice a day.

It sounds like she is getting worse though, not better.

And I probably would NOT want to leave my cat at the vet if it had a cold personally, just because it would be more susceptible, and exposed to other things. If it has something other than a cold that absolutely needs round-the-clock care, that's different. But that wouldn't be a cold in that case then.

My question is, since when do you give antibiotics for a cold?  Even we humans don't take antibiotics for colds. 

So...I'm thinking this is perhaps something else?  Sounds like an Bacterial caused Upper Respiratory Infection to me, and if not treated properly, can evolve into Pneumonia.

How are they treating her...meaning is she on fluids, are they making sure she is getting food, even if that means force feeding her?  Is she getting  the RIGHT antibiotic for whatever bacterial is causing this?  Is it warm enough where she is, particularly at night?  She does need to be kept well hydrated, well nourished, well rested, warm and able to breath.  Are they steaming her or clearing her nasal passages with a baby bulb syringe?  YOU just need to feel comfortable that they are respecting her and giving her all the care she needs. 

If you are having some communication issues, can you take someone with you or have an interpreter on the phone? 

Thanks for the replies! She has been on antibiotics since Tuesday when they diagnosed it as a bacterial infection. She is still eating and drinking so no concerns there and no fever either. She is staying at the vet as we have a new kitten at home and as it is a rescue kitten they were concerned about her catching something and making her worse. Luckily here vets are super cheap so it is affordable to do this and as I am at work 12 hours a day it is better for her. It was just concerning yesterday to see her feeling worse  They are cleaning her nose and eyes regularly and have a humidifier / heat lamp with her at night (the heat lamp was drying her up and making it more difficult for her to breathe so they changed it). They are so caring and sweet and I know they love her it is just the feeling of not trusting our location...it is very basic and they don't have great facilities.

What you say about the symptoms getting worse--going from sneezing and coughing to runny nose and lethargy--sounds like what I've seen with our cats, too. Everything got worse (in one cat's case, quite a bit worse, though she never had to stay at the vet hospital) before it got better.



I'm not sure what I'd decide about having the cat stay at the vet's: it sounds like there are plenty of pros and cons. The big thing is that I hope your cat gets better soon!

Oh my goodness! THANK YOU! The knowledge that you have had experience with it with your own cats and that they got worse before they got better makes me feel more at ease. I have had cats all of my life and never have any of them ever had a cold before so I have no idea what the norm is! I am happy with her being there as they can take better care of her for more hours in the day. I will continue to go and give her cuddles each day  

That's how things went with our cats (we've been through this twice, with two cats each time) but I can imagine that every cat and every respiratory infection pathogen is a little different. (My caveat!) Our two current cats had it much easier than the previous two but still had a fair bit of goopy sneezing. I seem to recall it taking a week or two for them to recover.

The best piece of advice I got was from a friend who had been through a URI with a cat: he said that if a cat got very sick, it was worth asking the vet for subcutaneous fluids. That's what we did for the one I mentioned who got a lot worse. The fluids did help her recovery: I'd been very concerned because she was barely eating or drinking and just hanging out in the shower. The fluids perked her up very quickly.

I'm glad you can visit every day to keep a close eye on your cat (what's her name?) and let her know you're thinking of her! Here's hoping all goes well, you don't have to get a second opinion, and she can come home soon.