A few days ago, my one year old cat started sneezing occasionally. I thought he had just had something up his nose (he usually somehow gets dust up his nose every now and again) so I thought nothing of it. Yesterday he started sneezing more and more and his right eye started leaking along with his nose, so I suspected he had a URI and locked him in my bedroom. We have 6 other cats so we cannot risk their health (or the vet bills).
He's been breathing with his mouth open, which I know is probably because his nostrils are clogged, but it's freaking me out (in a "oh my god I'm scared" way). He has been eating wet & dry food, but has not been drinking too much water. I put some on my finger a few hours ago and had him lick it off of his lips so he doesn't get dehydrated. A few times I have gotten a rag a bit wet with warm water and held it up to his face a bit and cleaned off his nose & eyes, but he doesn't like that too much. About 40 minutes ago I filled the bathtub up with steaming water and sat with him in there for a good two hours to clear his nose and lungs out as a lot of people suggested on other threads/websites. He didn't sneeze much during, and I thought he was feeling somewhat better so I took him back into my room. My room is very cold though because It's over the garage. He started sneezing again and held his mouth open for a bit like he was struggling to catch his breath but he was breathing fine (this of course just freaked me out more than I already was, which lead me here). He now is sleeping with his mouth closed and seems to be ok? I'm just worried. He has seemed to be very out of energy all day today, except thismorning he was playing with my hand under the blanket.
Should I make an appointment to take him to the vet tomorrow? (It's going to be -5 degrees tomorrow where I live) or should I keep him home? Is there any risks of not treating a URI/COLD with antibiotics? I don't want this to get worse. I'm just paranoid. When we adopted him around this time last year, he had a URI, but it was much worse. His snot was bloody and he was just so sick, so is his case as of right now not that severe?
My mother told me her friends cat died very suddenly from URI so that freaked me out even more (I know it's probably not THAT severe, but my mom likes to over-exaggerate everything to scare me for some cruel reason). I can't risk losing my baby.
thank you. x
He's been breathing with his mouth open, which I know is probably because his nostrils are clogged, but it's freaking me out (in a "oh my god I'm scared" way). He has been eating wet & dry food, but has not been drinking too much water. I put some on my finger a few hours ago and had him lick it off of his lips so he doesn't get dehydrated. A few times I have gotten a rag a bit wet with warm water and held it up to his face a bit and cleaned off his nose & eyes, but he doesn't like that too much. About 40 minutes ago I filled the bathtub up with steaming water and sat with him in there for a good two hours to clear his nose and lungs out as a lot of people suggested on other threads/websites. He didn't sneeze much during, and I thought he was feeling somewhat better so I took him back into my room. My room is very cold though because It's over the garage. He started sneezing again and held his mouth open for a bit like he was struggling to catch his breath but he was breathing fine (this of course just freaked me out more than I already was, which lead me here). He now is sleeping with his mouth closed and seems to be ok? I'm just worried. He has seemed to be very out of energy all day today, except thismorning he was playing with my hand under the blanket.
Should I make an appointment to take him to the vet tomorrow? (It's going to be -5 degrees tomorrow where I live) or should I keep him home? Is there any risks of not treating a URI/COLD with antibiotics? I don't want this to get worse. I'm just paranoid. When we adopted him around this time last year, he had a URI, but it was much worse. His snot was bloody and he was just so sick, so is his case as of right now not that severe?
My mother told me her friends cat died very suddenly from URI so that freaked me out even more (I know it's probably not THAT severe, but my mom likes to over-exaggerate everything to scare me for some cruel reason). I can't risk losing my baby.
thank you. x
We ended up taking him to the vet and the vet said he had a URI caused by herpes (apparently, all young cats have it in their system, passed down by their mothers). He gave him an anti-nausea shot for whatever reason, and a shot called "Convenia". I later learned after a lot of internet researching that it has causes multiple cats & dogs to die because of this shot, which then caused me to have a full mental breakdown and I freaked out. Didn't sleep for a good 4 or 5 days and he was constantly by my side so I could keep checking on him. If your vet ever recommends this shot, do NOT take the risk. Thankfully my Sammy is ok (as of now, the medication can last in their system for up to 46 days) but just because my cat is fine doesn't mean yours will be. The vet we took him to did not list any of the potentially life threatening side effects of this medication.. and we will not be taking him back there, ever. Not on my watch. I suggest researching more if you're interested.
