Cats and Human Colds

lavishsqualor

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I feel super stupid taking up space with this question, but the all mighty internets is doling out conflicting information (imagine that). 

So, fellow cat lovers just as a preamble  . . . you CANNOT IMAGINE the lengths to which I go to avoid getting sick.  I wash my hands a kazillion times a day, I carry Clorox hand sanitizer, and I avoid touching ANYTHING I don't have to.  Consequently I haven't gotten sick in a VERY long time; in fact i think it was 2013 when I last had a cold.  Even so, it appears that the Universe (and a few nasty germs) have conspired against me and I now officially have a cold.  I feel lower than whale sh*t.  But my diseased state aside, my question to you guys is am I contagious to my cats?

I sure don't want to get them sick too.
 
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stephanietx

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Sorry you're sick, but the good news is that you're not contagious to your kitty.
 
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lavishsqualor

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Oh, I'm so glad!  This is embarrassing but I've been petting them wearing surgical gloves!  My being sick I can handle, but my cats being sick would be awful.  They've actually never been sick before.

Thanks so much for putting me at ease!  I'm ditching the surgical gloves and doing some serious snuggling with my two cats.  I feel like crap and their fur under my fingers is the perfect antidote!

Thanks again.
 
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lavishsqualor

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The universe is seriously conspiring against me.  I felt so utterly miserable today that my partner forced me into one of those Minute Clinics at CVS.  My throat was on fire and I felt like I went ten rounds with Mike Tyson.  I was sorta' freakin out because I felt so bad.  They did a rapid flu test and a rapid strep test and BOTH of them were POSITIVE.  I almost cried in the exam room.  I'm going to my own physician on Monday to be sure but in the meanwhile I'm on antibiotics and antivirals.

I still feel beyond miserable and wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.  I've never had the flu before. 

So anyway, I asked the twelve-year-old nurse practitioner if my cats could catch the flu from me, and she said, all grossed out like, "Oh . . . you have cats?"  As if she could hardly deign to say the word.  Then she said, "I'm sorry, SIR, but you'll have to ask a CAT DOCTOR that question; I only work on humans, thank God."

When I was walking out the door I was so tempted to take her head in my hands and kiss her right on the lips, WITH TONGUE, and say, "THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP, CAT HATER . . . ENJOY YOUR FLU AND STREP!"

The bitchy twelve-year-old nurse practitioner aside, I'm really worried about my cats and have avoided them since we got home.  I feel like I should take them to my mom's house, but then they're going to be freaked out which will only stress their immune systems more, and the bottom line is that they've already been exposed to me.

It's this article that making me so apprehensive.  What do you guys think?
 
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molly92

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Interesting! Well not that article it was really vague and worded to scare you. But I think this is the study it's based on: http://jcm.asm.org/content/49/12/4101.full.pdf+html

Now the thing about viruses is that even though a species can catch a virus, it doesn't mean that species will have the same symptoms or any symptoms at all. This study was looking more at whether cats could be a player in how the flu virus is spread worldwide, so they didn't really focus on whether or not the cats who had the virus actually got sick from it. They did note that yes, some of the cats who had the flu virus have also had respiratory illnesses, but they had no way of testing if the illness was from the flu. There are lots of viruses that cause URIs in cats, and they are very common, like the common cold for us. The most prevalent URI viruses are the feline herpes virus and calicivirus, neither of which are the flu. So technically your cat can get the flu from you, but we don't have any proof that your cat will get sick if they get the flu from you.

I would not worry about quarantining yourself from your cats. If they're all in good health and not immunocompromised, then the worst that could happen is they get a URI, which is typically sneezing and watery eyes. URI's are normally worse for cats under stress, so it's probably counterproductive to isolate them anyway. 

I'm sorry you're so sick! I've heard the flu is bad this year, and strep on top of that? Ugh! Wash your hands often, but don't use antimicrobial soaps. For most of us, cats and people, getting exposed to viruses and bacteria now and then makes for a healthier immune system overall.
 

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I don't think flu is transferable to cats as it is a virus, but as strep is a bacteria, it may well be. I assume you haven't been giving wet kisses to the cats.[emoji]128516[/emoji] Bottom line. I don't think you will make the cats sick. Make yourself a cup of chai tea with honey and go to bed. Hope you feel better.
 
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lavishsqualor

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Oh thank you so much!  I feel better about my cats, at least. 

Listen, folks, take my advice:  Wash your hands a thousand times a day and don't touch ANYTHING you don't have to.  I've never had the flu before and it's REALLY REALLY REALLY HORRIBLE.  Everything hurts; you're entire body, and even your nasal passages feel like they're burning.  Add the fact that my throat feels like it, too, is on fire, and you quickly realize that the worst cold is a WALK IN THE PARK compared to this.  

It totally sucks, so be careful and don't catch it.

Thanks again for putting me at ease about my cats.  They're on my bed now. 
 

DreamerRose

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Bed's the best place for you AND the cats! Next year, get a flu shot! I do and haven't had the flu in years.
 
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lavishsqualor

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That's what so irritating!  I ALWAYS get a flu shot!  I had one this year too.  Evidently they are not always completely effective.
 
 

molly92

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The flu shot is developed each year based on how they predict the virus will have mutated, and some years they're closer than others. I think I heard that this year was not so accurate unfortunately.
 

margd

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The universe is seriously conspiring against me.  I felt so utterly miserable today that my partner forced me into one of those Minute Clinics at CVS.  My throat was on fire and I felt like I went ten rounds with Mike Tyson.  I was sorta' freakin out because I felt so bad.  They did a rapid flu test and a rapid strep test and BOTH of them were POSITIVE.  I almost cried in the exam room.  I'm going to my own physician on Monday to be sure but in the meanwhile I'm on antibiotics and antivirals.

I still feel beyond miserable and wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.  I've never had the flu before. 

So anyway, I asked the twelve-year-old nurse practitioner if my cats could catch the flu from me, and she said, all grossed out like, "Oh . . . you have cats?"  As if she could hardly deign to say the word.  Then she said, "I'm sorry, SIR, but you'll have to ask a CAT DOCTOR that question; I only work on humans, thank God."

When I was walking out the door I was so tempted to take her head in my hands and kiss her right on the lips, WITH TONGUE, and say, "THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP, CAT HATER . . . ENJOY YOUR FLU AND STREP!"

The bitchy twelve-year-old nurse practitioner aside, I'm really worried about my cats and have avoided them since we got home.  I feel like I should take them to my mom's house, but then they're going to be freaked out which will only stress their immune systems more, and the bottom line is that they've already been exposed to me.

It's this article that making me so apprehensive.  What do you guys think?
Thank you for the best laugh I have had all day!  
 
 
   I'm very sorry you are sick and feel so crummy but at least you have not lost your sense of humor!  
 

stephanietx

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Last year, I had the flu and gave it to my husband.  I like to share things like that. :)  Anyhoo...he had the flu and I took him to the doctor.  Turns out, he also had strep!  So flu and strep together and he loved on all our 4 kitties and none got sick.  Cats are great nurses, too.
 
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lavishsqualor

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I'm still among the living . . . but hardly.  I'm actually counting the days until I feel better.  I brought up the calendar on my phone and everything. I'm thinking that by Thursday or Friday I'll be human again, possibly even before.  The worst symptom for me is the HORRIBLE headache and HORRIBLE burning in my nasal passages. Lucky me, I not only have strep lesions in my throat but also in my nasal passages. Yay me--always an over achiever.

Anyway, we have a super nice oncologist who lives across the street from us.  He'll bring his girlfriend du jour over for dinner every two weeks or so, and I really like him.  ("Girlfriend" is a very generous term.  "Booty Call" du jour is probably more accurate but I'm trying to keep it clean here.} 

Anyway, unbeknownst to me my partner asked him to look at me since he didn't trust the twelve-year-old cat hating nurse practitioner at CVS.  The oncologist came over bearing lovely, lovely, lovely VERY STRONG NARCOTIC PAINKILLERS and he is now my best friend.  He was shocked that the minute clinic did just the bare minimum of treatment, so if you find yourself with the flu and/or strep be sure you go to you own doctor and ASK FOR DRUGS.  They really do make all the difference in the world.  I'm considering going dancing as I type this.  STREP & FLU BE DAMNED!.


Seriously, though, I always think people are making stuff like this up, but I swear my two cats know that I'm sick.  Thirteen keeps walking on my tummy and meowing.  Then she'll lick my face.  She wants to get right up in the crook of my arm and sleep.  Even Atticus, who isn't concerned with anything that he can't eat, keeps looking at me quizzically and butting his head against me.   Since I'm quarantined away from my partner it really does make all the difference in the world.

Huffin' my two cats is almost as good as the drugs the oncologist brought.  It's just a shame I can't smell them. 
 
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DreamerRose

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So glad you got some good drugs and the cats are giving you some lovin'. Hope the antibiotics kick in soon.
 
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lavishsqualor

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Thanks so much.  You're awfully nice. 
 

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That's what so irritating!  I ALWAYS get a flu shot!  I had one this year too.  Evidently they are not always completely effective.
 
Here's why:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm

Note that the complete statement ends with THE reason why a flu vaccine in any given year might not be effective:  "....recent studies show vaccine reduces the risk of flu illness by about 50%  to 60% among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are like the vaccine viruses..."

Most people stop reading after they see that 50 to 60%.  It's only effective if you happen to GET the same flu virus that was contained in your vaccine.  

Ok this is the last edit and I will stop.  This is why I NEVER get the flu shot.  I'd rather take my chances.  Might get the flu this year, but the last year that happened was in 2006. 
 
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