What is that disease?
This disease is very common among cats and especially kittens. It can be caused by several viral and bacterial agents, the most common are feline herpes-1 and calisivirus. It’s a condition affecting the cat’s mouth, nasal passages, sinuses and upper airway.
The symptoms:
Watery eyes, sneezing, coughing dehydration, fever and lose of appetite. The symptoms are very much like a virus symptoms.
How can a cat get infected ?
In order to get infected your cat must be at the same environment with an infected cat, share the same toys, food and water bawls, share the same bed or the same owner. It is usually spread through contact with the discharge from the eyes or a wet sneeze.
How to treat the disease ?
- Remove the discharge daily from eye and nasal passages.
- Make sure there will be enough food and water available. It is recommended to keep an eye to see that the cat actually eats because of the symptoms – lose of appetite and dehydration.
- Keep the cat’s place warm all the time.
- It’s very important to take the cat to the vet for supervision and for antibiotic treatment.
How to prevent the spreading of the disease ?
First of all, it’s important to know that most cats, once they got the disease, will continue to carry the virus but not show any sign of the disease.
- It’s very important to give the cat systematic vaccination.
- To be aware if you notice a cat with this sign effects and separate him from the others.
- If you have a kitten, separate him from the others until the second vaccination (a week after).
- If a female cat is pregnant make sure to take her to the vet to vaccinate.
- Make sure the cat’s territory will be warm enough.
- Make sure you disinfect your hands between handling cats.
- Use products like litter box, cage, toys etc. that can be easily disinfected.
