Should I buy a cat that had a cold?

A few years ago my son bought a purebred Maine Coon kitten from a local cattery. She is a wonderful cat and has never been sick. I have decided to get one too from the same cattery. At 12 weeks, the kittens were ready to go to their new homes. There are 4 to choose from. But, 10 days ago the female either got a cold or had a reaction to a 4 in 1 vaccine. Five days ago a male kitten got a cold. So far the last two kittens are OK. But they will probably be sick next week.

My question, am I buying a problem getting a kitten that once had a cold? I read that some cats will keep the virus in their system for life and may have outbreaks several times a year. And I heard that they can be carriers and may give the virus to my sonâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cat if they ever meet. Anyone have any thoughts?

Not everyone will agree with me here, but I would personally buy the kitten. Upper respiratory infections are extremely common and treatable in kittens and cats...Ripley had one when I brought her home at 8 weeks of age. I just kept her quarantined from Fergus, administered her antibiotics, and it went away within a week. Every kitty needs a chance...even the sickies!

Poor kid probably picked it up at the vet's office.

Kitty colds are as common as the common cold in humans... If you take good care of your kitty and keep her vaccinated she probably won't get colds very often, but it does happen. It doesn't mean she's a "problem" any more than you are a "problem" if you get a cold once in a while. Its just something that happens, its part of life, and you have to accept the risk that your cat might get sick once in a while when you take the risk of adopting.

Personally I wouldn't buy a kitten from anyone who's prepared to sell a sick kitty. The breeder or whoever is selling the cat should hold on to it until it's got a clean bill of health.

Urbantigers, I was thinking the same thing. Personally, the breeder should be the one having the kitten treated, and paying for it...it does raise red flags, doesn't it? Then again, I do know how it is once you have your heart set on that one kitten, even if it was found in a dumpster behind the local IHOP. I would address this concern with the breeder, and express that she should not be knowingly selling ill kittens...that only healthy kittens should be up for adoption. But, like I said before, I'd probably end up taking her anyway.

URI's are basically kitty colds. They really are no big deal, unless they go untreated.

I would be a bit hesitant if I had other cats all ready. Sometimes URI symptoms aren't just a kitty cold. Most of the time yes thats all it is and a dose of antibiotics clear it up and thats that. But sometimes the symptoms point to just a URI and its more serious.So I think I would not if it where me.As I have other cats that I would be concerned about.

Originally Posted by urbantigers

Personally I wouldn't buy a kitten from anyone who's prepared to sell a sick kitty. The breeder or whoever is selling the cat should hold on to it until it's got a clean bill of health.

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I totally agree. What if it is not just a cold? My boy Garfield has feline herpes, so he sniffles and sneezes all the time. Sometimes herpes is very severe, and could cause eye problems. I would wait until the kittens are fully recovered from their illness.

It was the breeder who told me she wanted to keep the kittens longer when the first one got a cold. Then the second got sick. The last two are fine so far. But incubation is 7 to 10 days. She will not release a sick kitten. My big concern is if the kitten has more than a cold...say herpes. It can stay with a cat for life and some cats will always shed the virus to other cats. I don't want to infect my sons cat if they ever meet. I do not think there is any easy or cheap definative way to verify whether a cat has herpes or some other virus or lessor form of a cold.

I do know of at least one member here who has one cat with herpes, but the others cats do not have it...so...Becky - did Gar give it to any of your other cats?

I think that the breeder is wise, and you could probably still get the kitten when it is better. I do know someone who bought a Maine Coon that had a "URI" and they spent hundreds of dollars because he got some sort of lung infection.

I would not purchase a sick cat. If you really want a particular cat, that cat should be totally clear of any "cold" before you bring it in your house.

As a breeder, I will not sell a knowing sick cat to anyone!

Originally Posted by kluchetta

I do know of at least one member here who has one cat with herpes, but the others cats do not have it...so...Becky - did Gar give it to any of your other cats?

I think that the breeder is wise, and you could probably still get the kitten when it is better. I do know someone who bought a Maine Coon that had a "URI" and they spent hundreds of dollars because he got some sort of lung infection.

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Prego has the herpes virus, and so far he has not passed it on to Polly, even though they share a water fountain and play together all the time. I've had Polly about a year. Prego gets lysine everyday to control outbreaks. He does sneeze quite a bit especially at night, but he rarely requires treatment, other than the lysine.

Since you know the kitten is sick right now with a cold, I would hold off on buying it until the breeder can give it a clean bill of health. However,, I don't think if it is just a cold that there would be any future problems down the road.

I got my cat Smokey from a shelter when he was just a kitten, about 12 weeks old, and even though he is not a purebred cat and did not come from a breeder, he is very healthy today, but he did have his share of kitty problems when he came home..

He had a cold, also an eye infection. Then we found out he still had roundworms, then he also had ringworm.. I spent a fortune on him probably over $1,000 to have all his problems fixed and everything. The worms took two more doses of meds to clear up, then as soon as that cleared up we noticed he was loosing his hair in a patch on the back, the skin scraping came back positive for ringworm, he was then shaved down to his skin and he looked like a sphynx cat,,, poor baby

But now he is 3 yrs old, and no more problems,,, just trying to deal with getting him on a good premium food that will not give him the looose poopeys..

Both of the kittens I recently purchased had colds. However, within 2 days of taking them home (and a few Baytril pills later) they were getting better (once they got out of the cycle of passing the cold from kitten to kitten at the cattery they were just fine). Please note that the kittens were taken to a vet for a check up within 48 hours of taking them home (just to ensure it wasn't anything more than a cold). Two months later, no colds for either kitten and they're in perfect health.

I have 17 cats and of those 2 have herpes. Emma has a chronic case and deals with runny eyes everyday. Luke has a runny nose that causes his nose to appear like it is chapped. Emma is four, Luke is two. Did Emma give it to Luke? It is hard to say. Luke and Emma are related, same mother. Luke is a survivor of kitty parvo. Bad genes? Rotten luck for Luke? I don't know. I was one time asked why I didn't put Emma to sleep. Why because I have to clean her eyes everybody? I would rather Luke have herpes than have lost him, so I count my blessings. The only thing different about these two is I have to be careful when they get sick. Luke just had a URI, it was hard on him because he had trouble breathing, Emma didn't get it. I wouldn't trade my two for two with out herpes at all!!

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