Vet always needed if it's "just a cold"?

[mrsbrak]

My sweet little 8-yr-old kitty girl was vomiting a lot over a 2-day period last week, so I took her to my wonderful vet. Well, about 7 days later, she now has what appears to be a cold, which she must have caught at the vet's. She never goes outside and neither does our other cat. And now, after reading about feline URIs, I'm about to panic.

She's been sneezing, blowing snot bubbles, and her right eye is very weepy. But she doesn't seem that uncomfortable. Her appetite is fine.

Is it worth it to go back to a potential source of infection for treatment? I am afraid she'll catch something else! The reason she was vomiting was likely hairballs, nothing serious. Now I wish I hadn't taken her in at all. And after all the scary stuff I read about vaccinations, I have avoided having her vaccinated since she was a kitten because she had a bad reaction to the vaccine.

I guess I'm just looking for reassurance and advice. If she has a URI, is it almost always going to be a serious problem? Or could it clear up on its own? Or if I wait, could it turn into something deadly? My poor little baby girl.

 

[orangeishcat]

First off, it is always absolutely worth it to go to the vet- it can be a potential source of infection, but I would think that's fairly rare... I've never had any incidents in Peanut's life of that, and he's been to the vet enough for your cat and five others as well!

Vaccinations are very important... where I live it's required to have proof of rabies vaccination. I've got a certificate for both Sylvie and Peanut should I have to show it to the police for whatever reason- if you don't vaccinate here, you can have your animals taken away if it's discovered. You might check the local laws in your area- not only could it be illegal, but it's also a risk to your kitties' health. They don't go outside, but you do... and you can bring in all sorts of uninvited friends. I keep Peanut on Frontline even though he doesn't go outside, because Sylvie does, and all it really takes is one flea/tick/whatever to cause issues for him.

I think it would be best to go ahead and give the vet's office a call and describe your cat's symptoms at the very least. I don't know if it could turn into something serious, but... I'm not sure it's a risk that's worth taking.

Lots of for you and your girl!

 

[ziggy'smom]

Imo it's not always worth it to go to the vet for a simply URI, although of course it depends on the situation. URIs are caused by a virus and there is no treatment for viruses. All you can do is relieve the symptoms and let the virus run its course. Giving 500mg of L-Lysine twice a day can help clear the virus. Sometimes, though, a viral URI can cause a secondary infection and when that happens antibiotics is generally needed. It can clear up on its own but it could take a while and it's unecessary to let your cat suffer if you can clear it up in a few days with a course of antibiotics.
Normally you do get antibiotics when you bring in a cat for URI because there is really no way, except for expensive blood work, to tell if it's just viral or bacterial.

In your case I would recommend that your cat does see a vet to be on the safe side considering that she has never had URI before. The runny eye is quite likely due to an eye infection too and that does require treatment. In some cases an eye infection can cause permanent damage to the eye or eye duct so it should be treated with eye drops or ointment. Permanent damage isn't common, especially with adult cats, but it's possible.
I would not stay away from the vet out of fear for reinfection. If they practice good hygiene the risk shouldn't be that big. If that is where she got it this time it was probably just a case of bad luck.

A viral infection should clear itself up in a couple of weeks. If a URI lasts longer than that a vet should be seen. If the cat gets a fever, is not eating or drinking, has a lot of trouble breathing or is very lethargic he should also be taken to the vet. Eating and drinking well is probably your main concern when a cat has a URI.

To relieve your cat's symptoms until it clears up you can treat him with a hot steam vaporizer with Vicks vapor drops. For maximum effect you can put him in a carrier under a table and put the vaporizer under the table with him just not too close. You can also put him in the bathroom with the vaporizer.
Cats that have a stuffy nose may not be too interested in eating. If that happens it can help to put him under the table with a vaporizer for about a half hour and then feed him a fish based canned food like Fancy Feast that you have warmed up in the microwave for a few seconds. It makes it more smelly and he can smell it despite having a stuffy nose. Cats have to be able to smell their food or they won't eat.
For a stuffy, snotty nose you can use children's nose spray like Little Noses. You can buy it with a bulb syringe that you can use to get some of the snot out of your cat's nose.
And, of course, use the L-Lysine.

Good luck!

 

[mrsbrak]

Thanks for weighing in, OC. I will definitely be calling my vet in the morning. It's funny that he didn't mention my kitty's lack of immunizations. I think it may be a law where I live, but not enforced. My girl has been incredibly healthy and sleek up to the recent hairball bout and now this URI. Maybe she'll be much better tomorrow so I won't have to haul her to the vet's. I know it stresses her out.

 

[mrsbrak]

Thanks to you too, ZM. I have read about L-Lysine, and see it's often recommended for cats with URI caused by feline herpes. I guess it won't hurt her to take some even if that's not what she has. She really doesn't seem too bothered by this URI other than being sneezy and weepy. Calling the vet for sure tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[jenwales]

I too am a believer in L-Lysine. I'm also unusual (here) in that I don't run to the vet at the first sign of a URI. I don't run to the doctor if I have a cold because I know what to do, and I use that philosophy with my cats. What sends me to the vet is if they stop eating.

 

[orangeishcat]

Originally Posted by mrsbrak

Thanks for weighing in, OC. I will definitely be calling my vet in the morning. It's funny that he didn't mention my kitty's lack of immunizations. I think it may be a law where I live, but not enforced. My girl has been incredibly healthy and sleek up to the recent hairball bout and now this URI. Maybe she'll be much better tomorrow so I won't have to haul her to the vet's. I know it stresses her out.

Anytime! I had just been discussing the vaccination law with a friend so it was fresh on my mind.

I should also clarify that I didn't mean 'run to the vet at the first sign of the sniffles'- I meant that if it's necessary to take her, then it's absolutely worth it to do so.

 

[stephanietx]

I had a cat that would break out with an URI about 7-14 days after going to the vet. It was like clock-work. Come to find out the stress of taking her to the vet usually brought on the URI, not being at the vet's office. Stress can really do a number on a kitty's system, just like a human.

You kitty definitely needs to either see the vet, or at least call the vet and explain they symptoms and have them prescribe an antibiotic. If she was "just" sneezing, I wouldn't worry about it, but with the runny nose and the snot bubbles, that's a bit more serious and definitely needs attention.

Hope she's feeling better soon!

 

[arlyn]

I avoid vaccinations like the plague.
I have two animal that have very bad reactions, both have waivers to show the authorities.
I do vaccinate kittens, and stop at one year old.
Last year's blood titers on my oldest cat show that antibodies are still there, her last vax were more than 10 years ago.

After all, we don't vaccinate healthy children throughout their lives, just boosters for a few things every few years as needed.

As for determining when it becomes neccesary to see the vet RE a kitty cold, watch the discharge, if it is yellow or green, that is an infection, and most infections do require antibiotics.
Keep her eating, drinking and stress free.

 

[mrsbrak]

Thank you too, Arlyn and Steph. I talked to the vet this morning and described the symptoms. He said he had been seeing a lot of cats with allergy problems lately due to all the spring pollen. He told me to feel her ears and if they were hot, she was running a fever. I felt them and they were cool. So that was a good sign. He also said if the snot is cloudy or has pus, that could indicate infection and she should go see him. Well, that's not a problem either. So we're staying home and I'm keeping an eye on her. I think she likes all the extra attention and pity! Thanks again, everyone.