New Cat Health

Hi

I just got a new cat from the shelter 10 days ago.  He is 2 years old.  They neutered him and had given him all his shots.  I took him to my vet and he got a clean bill of health.  While he was in the shelter they said he did have an upper respiratory infection but it was over.  A week after I got him he started sneezing multiple times.  He didn't seem to have any nose discharge but his eyes were a bit watery.  He also was eating but eating less.  The sneezing has decreased quite a bit as of today.

Is this something I need to worry about?  Why would he get it again so soon? Should I visit the vet again as he was just there?  I am concerned as I have had 2 cats live 20 years each and I don't ever remember them getting a URI.  All indoor cats.

Thanks

Don

(and Oliver the cat)

Many cats get an URI from shelters. Too many cats in one place! I'm guessing Oliver is adjusting to his new home. Kudos to you for adopting a slightly older cat.

Primula is right, may cats do pick up respiratory tract infections when they are in shelters.  They can also pick up lots of other things but if they have a good healthy immune system then any bacterial or viral infections they might have will hopefully be fought back by their own body.  If you notice more sneezing, runny eyes or coughing, or the sneezing seems to get better again then come back, it is probably a good idea to take your new feline family member back to your vet for another check over.

It might be a bacterial infection, or even possibly an allergy.  The other possibility is that he has a virus in his system that most cat have but when they are healthy it doesn't show any symptoms.  The stress of something like being in a shelter, or moving to a new and unfamiliar home are often reasons a cat can become run down and symptoms show up for a little while until they settle down and build their immune system back up.   The best way to know what is happening is to take your cat along to the vet as soon as you can when symptoms start to show up.

I hope your young cat gets rid of this sneezing very soon and you see him eating, playing and settling in comfortably in your home. 

Oliver had stopped sneezing and he is eating but one eye is watery and tears. Should I be worried? Sorry but I last cat has only been gone 3 months and I get worried.

Thanks
Don

Coasterdon said:

Oliver had stopped sneezing and he is eating but one eye is watery and tears. Should I be worried? Sorry but I last cat has only been gone 3 months and I get worried.

Thanks
Don

Click to expand...

See a vet.

Glad to hear he's doing better.      

Is the eye running clear fluid?  Does it look brown when it dries?    It could be that Oliver has the feline herpes virus which around 80% of cats carry and the stress of his recent move gave it a chance to get on top of his immune system.  If his eye is runny then it could be related to the virus if the fluid is clear (and often looks brown when it dries).   If this is causing the runny eye he could still be in a lot of pain and it is better for a vet to take a look - if it is this then the vet is likely to see tiny little ulcers on the eye affected.   The other thing they would check is if he has something stopping his eye draining properly.   It is best to know what is causing the runny eye so that if it is something which is likely to happen again the vet and you will know how to treat it quickly when it does, and hopefully precent pain and also damage to Oliver's eye.