Cat flu: cold symptoms in cats and their treatment
What is the cause of frequent cat sneezing and cat runny nose?
Cats get a runny nose for many reasons (or what is called the cat flu), because the cat's nose is very sensitive and can become irritated and cats start sneezing for the simplest reasons.
Therefore, you may sometimes notice some symptoms of sneezing or a runny nose in your cat, which disappear quickly and do not require any treatment.
But if you start to notice that your adult cat or kitten is constantly suffering from colds and flus, you must find out the reason and make sure that she is not sick.
There are many symptoms of a cold in cats, or what is called cat flu, so if you notice some symptoms in addition to the cold and runny nose, you should pay attention. These symptoms may indicate to you that you are infected with cat flu, and they are as follows:
1. The presence of secretions from the eyes or nose
2. Loss of appetite or unwillingness to eat
3. Behavioral changes such as extreme lethargy
4. The presence of ulcers inside the mouth or on the tongue
5. Mild or severe vomiting
If these symptoms appear along with a cold, you should contact your veterinarian or make a visit to the veterinary clinic to find out the cause of the problem and treat it, especially if you notice an increase in symptoms and a deterioration in the cat’s condition.
Is cat flu contagious to humans? Is human influenza contagious to cats?
The types of viruses that cause colds, colds, and influenza in humans are viruses that infect humans only, so it is very rare for these viruses to infect cats, and therefore human influenza is not contagious to cats.
Therefore, if you are wondering whether cat flu is contagious to humans, the answer is generally no, except in very rare cases.
Cats are infected with their own viruses, such as feline herpes virus or calicivirus, and they are also infected with some bacterial infections that cause cold symptoms in cats that are very similar to cold symptoms in humans.
Upper respiratory infections (cold, cold, or flu) can affect adult cats, but they appear more frequently in young cats. It also appears in adult cats whose vaccinations are neglected.
Cat flu: cold symptoms in cats and their treatment:
There are some of the most common cold symptoms in cats that indicate cat flu. If you notice one or all of the following symptoms, which are:
1. Nasal congestion due to cold in cats
2. The presence of secretions in the eyes or nose (runny nose in cats may be mild or heavy and dense, white, yellow, green, or transparent in color).
3. Frequent swallowing due to the presence of secretions inside the mouth and throat
4. Sneezing or coughing
5. Inactivity and introversion
6. Loss of appetite
7. Fever and high temperature
8. Dehydration
Therefore, if one of these symptoms appears along with cat sneezing, this may indicate that your cat has a bacterial or viral infection and needs medical treatment after being examined by a veterinarian.
What are the causes of colds in young and old cats?
Colds in both young and old cats are caused by a viral infection from certain types of viruses. Feline herpes virus and calicivirus are the two most common types of viruses that cause cold symptoms in cats.
Sometimes it may develop into a secondary bacterial infection that may lead to cats developing pneumonia.
Treating the cold in Persian cats and all types of cats at home:
As soon as you notice some cold symptoms in cats, you must take certain steps to ensure that the infection does not worsen or the cat’s condition does not develop or deteriorate. These steps are as follows:
1- Clean the eyes and nose of any secretions by using paper tissues moistened with warm water.
2- Provide your cat with some warm foods, for example a small plate of chicken or meat soup with mashed or chopped chicken pieces that are easy to digest.
3- Place a clean water dish in front of your cat and change it every two hours.
4- In some cases, cats will improve and you will notice this and will not need any additional treatment. But some cases develop quickly.
5- Some people advise giving some medications that contain the active ingredient cephalexin, which is a treatment for bacterial infections, but we never recommend giving any medications without examination by a specialized veterinarian.
6- If the cat becomes completely unwilling to eat or if the condition deteriorates, a veterinarian must be consulted.
How does a vet diagnose a cold in cats?
The veterinarian will physically examine the cat and will often be able to determine the cause of the illness and infection in the upper respiratory tract without any problem. He will also prescribe the appropriate treatment for you based on the severity of the condition.
If your cat does not respond and recover from the flu, the doctor may perform additional tests such as blood tests or a CT scan to determine the cause of your cat's symptoms.
How are colds and flu treated in cats?
If your cat is diagnosed with a bacterial infection, your veterinarian will give you some antibiotics that will help overcome the disease.
If the infection is viral, the veterinarian will give medications that increase the cat’s immunity and resistance to the disease.
Your vet will also recommend some nutritional supplements if your cat is not eating or if he is dehydrated. He may also prescribe some solutions that help the cat live.
Recovery period from illness:
During treatment, always make sure to keep your cat's nose and eyes clean. Clean any secretions from the eyes or nose because this will help speed up recovery.
Use a paper towel moistened with warm water for this purpose.
Warm water vapor can also be used to aid nasal breathing and clear the breathing passages.
You must also make sure that your cat eats normally. If the cat loses his appetite, he must receive some solutions intravenously to compensate for the lack of food.
Cats that do not eat for several days may develop serious liver complications, so you must pay close attention.
How can a cold or cat flu be prevented?
To prevent cats from becoming infected with
Cold or flu: You must be careful to protect yourself from viruses that may cause upper respiratory infections.
Virus prevention occurs when cats are vaccinated annually. The quadrivalent vaccination for cats helps protect the cat for a full year from viruses that cause colds in cats, which are deadly viruses such as calicivirus or herpes virus.
We have designated for your comfort from the seventh bird:
Alfarabi Flagyl antibacterial solution for animals 100ml
Canvit Multi is a multivitamin food supplement for cats 100g
Tylan Al-Farabi antibiotic to treat respiratory and digestive diseases 20ml
Canvit Nutrimin food supplement for cats minerals, vitamins and taurine 100g