Multiple cat people: do you have a cat with feline herpes? Feeling down.

aytees

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Hi everyone,

I posted here about my new cat that I adopted on Monday. She is having a feline herpes flare-up and her eye has been watery and squinting all week. I have kept my other cat away so that she doesn't get infected. I am wondering about a couple of things.

1) How long will the new cat have a watery eye? Could this be a chronic thing? If it's chronic does that mean my older cat can never meet her?

2) If it's not chronic, do I have to separate the cats every time there is a feline herpes flare-up in the future?

I'm a relatively new cat person. I've only had a cat for two years (with no problems), so I'm very inexperienced with these issues. Feeling sad and anxious. I'm one of those people who gets easily stressed.

Please offer me some advice. Thank you!
 
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cat dad72

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I adopted a senior cat last year with the same thing. He has occasional flare ups usually about once every two monthes. Lasts a couple of days. I also was worried about my other cats. Haven't had any issues with them.
 
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aytees

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So I'm assuming that you don't separate him from the others when he's having a flare-up?
 

NewYork1303

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One of my cats has feline herpes. The other two do not. They're never separated from each other even when he is having flare ups. Haven't been any problems yet. 
 
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aytees

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May I ask how often he has flare-ups, and for how long? Thank you!
 

NewYork1303

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May I ask how often he has flare-ups, and for how long? Thank you!
He only has them once in a while, usually when he is stressed. So he had a flare up when we introduced each new cat and when he first came home. Sometimes there's a bit of a flare up for no apparent reason to. In general they only happen a few times a year. When they do, we give him L Lysine and usually the flare up is over in just a few days or a week.
 

stephanietx

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I have 4 cats. My oldest and senior most resident has had herpes her entire life. She is now 11.  We have brought all 3 other kitties into our home since she was diagnosed and none of them have caught it.  I don't separate my kitties when she's having a flare up. She's pretty good about separating herself from the rest of the gang on her own.  But that's a whole 'nuther topic. LOL

The leading cause of flare ups is stress.  Since you just brought her home, that's a huge stresser and most likely the cause of the flare up.  Herpes is a chronic condition, but it can be well managed. It usually isn't transmitted to other kitties in a home unless the kitty is already sickly and malnourished.  Some kitties have it and never show any symptoms.  It really just depends on the kitty and the situation. 

Since you're dealing with eye issues, make sure that the 3rd eyelid isn't showing or her eye doesn't become red.  Also, watch the discharge from the eye. As long as the discharge is clear, you're okay. Just wipe it with a tissue. If you notice any discolored discharge or her eye becomes cloudy, get her to the vet immediately as that indicates something else is going on.
 

darkhorse321

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My vet told me almost 99 % of cats today have herpes. Herpes is just a term for cold sores---but we hear it and think genital herpes. I even have the herpes virus---the cold sores of the mouth, as my mom has them and her mom. Herpes is a cold sore virus that is passed from mother to child and mommy cat to kittens. Some kitties never show signs, others will when stressed (like humans)

There are eye drops you can get as my mom's persian kitty had it worse than my two--my two rarely showed signs unless highly stressed.

Speak to your vet, but just wipe eye gently with warm cloth to remove crusty debris. The watering and tearing is normal and kitty will likely groom away.

Hugs! Sounds like you're a great kitty mom!!!
 

di and bob

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L-lysine is for the herpes virus, it keeps it from replicating. I buy mine on Amazon as treats. I have one cat that keeps coming down with it, it can last as long as a couple of weeks. None of my other cats come down with it and they are not separated. Just like the human version of the virus, some people in a family will break out with them and the others will not. I think when your kitty has less stress she will be fine. You might want to give her some vitamins or get the L-lysine with additives that will build up her immune system, that would help too. This virus is a kitty cold that comes on with stress, your little one will be fine in time.  
 
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aytees

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Thanks so much, everyone! I really appreciate your help. Yes, I've been giving kitty l-lysine every day. Now her other eye is leaky too. Probably just too much stress in her new home.
 

stephanietx

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It's very, very common for kitties in new homes to develop an upper respiratory infection from all the stress of the new home.  Keep an eye on her and if she gets worse, stops eating, or becomes very lethargic, get her to the vet.
 

drmroth

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My new 14 week kitty came home with URI too. When it was bad I would lock her in a room with a vaporizer to help with her breathing and she liked it. After 1.5 months she still has a little sneezing and eye gunk. The vet says it can take a few months to completely clear. As for the other kitty in the house, I kept them apart anyway because they were new to each other, but after a week it was too hard to keep them apart - they just wanted to play. I gave in. The other cat had a little sneezing for 2-3 days and that was it. My vet said that even if you keep them apart the virus is in the house and it's really very difficult to keep it contained. I give them both lysine gel and they like it.

 

sweetspooky

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[I adopted two cats from a local rescue center. First one was healthy and no problems. When my sweet dog Harley died we decided to adopt another cat to keep Finn company. Thus Spooky entered our life! His tail was a stub, he walked with a bop, but he had the most incredible yellow eyes and a thick luxurious black coat. He sneezed once when he came out of cat carrier but that was it. A few weeks later i noticed a lesion on his nose and he was sneezing and sounding congested with a little running in eye. I took him to vet and he was put on aantibiotics for bacterial infection. Suddenly,and this I have never seen posted under any herpes sites, he developed bald patches all over his body with ONE scab in the middle of each one!! And they were itchy. Back to vet. Another antibiotic and told to use frontline. I thought that was helping Sneezing and nose healed to just a light scar on nose. But bald patches remained. Finn my other car never caught anything and they shared water food and litter. Now the nose lesion was back as was sneezing and snuffling only this time it was worse. I researched online and spoke with vet about feline herpes. Spooky was put on Famciclocir 125mg 2x/day. Within three days I notice fur is filling in. No more scabs forming and the antibiotic cream for nose seems to be working. Very little sneezing. Lesion going down. I'm hoping this will end the second outbreak of what I believe now is herpes. I didn't realize it will probably be ongoing his whole life. Vets should be made more aware so we and our kitties don't have to suffer so long. Finn has never caught it and can't wait til his brother is back to himself and playing!!
 

catwoman707

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Herpesvirus has no relation to human herpesvirus, none.

It was nicknamed that because once acquired, it is in them for life, just as in humans. That and the fact that stress, which lowers immune systems (in people and animals) will trigger an outbreak.

That's it.

The more mature the cat becomes, the less you will notice an outbreak, some will grow out of it and you won't see it again, ever.

Some maybe once a year, others more often.

As long as your other cats have been vaccinated before, they are about 80% protected.

Vaccines are not 100% but this means onl;y 2% will catch the virus who are vaccinated.

Then if they do, it's usually not a full blown URI but a few sneezing times, maybe watery eyes, then it fades and is history.

No need to keep separate and that might even help contribute to stress.
 

sweetspooky

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Regarding my cat Spooky, doc and I figured it was feline herpes. Sneezing. Runny eye. Big sore on nose. And circles of hair loss with s scab in the middle of each one. He ate. Drank water. But didn't run around and play and my other cat Finn was sad. After two weeks on Famcicovir 125 twice a day for two weeks he was back to his usual playful self and whereas he still had some hairless circles there were no more scabs. The day after he finished his meds he started sneezing again and a hairless circle had a scab!! I couldn't believe it!! I immediately went to vet to get more meds. Does anyone think maybe he needs a longer dose? A stronger dose? Or will he need to be on meds forever? I do have to say there has been a lot of emotional stress lately in my house. Could this be the issue ?
 

cattytiger

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Our 11 year old went to the vet last week because of herpes in her eye.  It looked kind of like pink eye and very runny.  I've been putting the ointment in her eye since, and she is feeling so much better that she started playing yesterday.  I guess it was stress from losing our 1 1/2 year old to liver failure - congenital her vet thinks.  Pretty Girl Lookalike isn't the friendliest cat but she liked kitten Kaley.  Was not told to separate her from the other five. 
 

joshua sawaya

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Does anyone else here recommend Famcicovir in conjunction with lysine for immono support? It so, do I ask the vet or do it myself? How much a day? Answers welcome. :wavey:
 

stephanietx

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Some people do give Famciclovir, but I don't know much about it.  We don't give it to our herpes girl.  I would discuss it with your vet.
 
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