Post # 1
Member
146 posts
Blushing bee
We just adopted a new kitten from the Humane Society! She is a little monkey and we love her already. However… they warned us about respitory illnesses that are currently going around the shelter. We do not want to infect our other cat at home so we have new kitten set up in a bedroom with the door closed.
Our new kitten has been sneezing but there is no discharge from her eyes or nose… so she could just be sneezing or it could be a cold.
How long do we need to keep her isolated to make sure it will not spread? or to make sure she isn’t infected at all? The vet told us two weeks if it’s a respitory infection…but if it’s not that, then how long?
Also, our big cat has been very interested in the kitten and will lie on the floor and play with kitten through the crack between the floor and the door. If they already have contact and are sniffing each other through the crack, does this count as contact? Do we need to have big cat checked? Do I need to block off the crack also?
lol…I know I seem paranoid about this but I can’t find any concrete information how to deal with this situation on google. I would hate to have 2 animals on meds at the same time.
Please help!
Post # 3
Member
2638 posts
Sugar bee
Hmmm. I know very little about respiratory illnesses in cats, so honestly I’d call the shelter or the vet again and just ask some more questions. What do they mean an “illness” has been going around the shelter? Kennel cough? Something more serious? Did they say your kitten had it? Did they say that she would need antibiotics if she did? How often is she sneezing? My cat sneezes kind of a lot but isn’t sick (she usually just has water in her nose or litter dust or something) . . . Considering you have two cats, I guess I’d have the kitten checked out and maybe start antibiotics just in case?
In other news, it’s GREAT that your cat is showing friendly interest in the new kitten — I know that isn’t always the case!
Post # 4
Member
2114 posts
Buzzing bee
I would call the shelter and/or your vet and check with them
Post # 5
Member
3041 posts
Sugar bee
Yes, your other kitty could have it from them playing. Block off the crack.
Call the shelter & ask them questions!! Ask them what type of respitory illness, do they know the name of it? & don’t feel bad for all the questions, you’re not wasting their time at all. Kittens with “the flu” can get seriously ill. My mom got 2 kittens with this & even with treatment, it was too late so if you catch it early, the chances of fast recovery are much greater! If your kitty is sneezing already, I’d get them on a natural antibiotic, such as Collodial Silver (the website below will say more on this). I’ve personally seen a few cats who have been on antibiotics for weeks with no sucess get the Collodial Silver & recover quickly after. You do NOT want to put them on man-made antibiotics if they’re not confirmed sick, it can lead to it becoming resistant & harder to treat. Collodial Silver can be used for a wide range of illnesses, basically it really bumps up the cat’s immune system… just don’t give them this if they’re on any other anti-biotics.
Any contact (I’m not a vet so don’t hold me to this!) can lead to spreading it. I believe it is spread by saliva… so kitten licks paw, plays with your cat, their paws touch, than your cat licks his paw.
MOST shelters give you a free vet exam at a local vet. You should take your kitten to the vet. The vet will also be able to tell you more info.
Here is what I looked up for you:
Check out this website, it has detailed info such as symptoms, how its spread, etc…. http://www.petfinder.com/pet-health/feline-upper-respiratory.html
& this is from another site…
http://www.holisticat.com/uri.html
Use precautions such as washing your hands frequently in warm water for thirty seconds after handling infected cats. After your cat has recovered from her upper respiratory illness, wash her bedding in hot water
Post # 6
Member
1145 posts
Bumble bee
Two years ago we had taken in a stray who ended up having 6 kittens, and we already had 2 cats. We were a regular old crazy cat house for a while! All of our cats ended up getting upper respitory infections and we were told by our vet that it is a cold like human colds, and sometimes it’s just in the air and they catch it. You could keep them apart and your older cat could get the infection anyway. We treated with antibiotics and they were fine.
Post # 6
Member
1145 posts
Bumble bee
Two years ago we had taken in a stray who ended up having 6 kittens, and we already had 2 cats. We were a regular old crazy cat house for a while! All of our cats ended up getting upper respitory infections and we were told by our vet that it is a cold like human colds, and sometimes it’s just in the air and they catch it. You could keep them apart and your older cat could get the infection anyway. We treated with antibiotics and they were fine.
Post # 7
Member
146 posts
Blushing bee
@canthugallcats:
I will definetly call the vet in the morning and block of the crack at the bottom of the door.
@daybyday
She seems to sneeze sporatically… like she’ll crawl across the bed spread and then sneeze. I admit our room is dusty (despite me vacuuming), so it could just be a tickle in her nose from the dust like you said. Petsmart said that it was kennel cough going around. They didn’t say the kitten had it, but they said many other cats did.
Today the big cat sneezed, hopefully it was a bad coincidence and not illness.
Thanks for the advice ladies!
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