OneStepAtATime Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I have several cats (rescued as kittens from various situations) all fixed and all up to date on shots. Three of them are strictly indoor and have almost no contact with the outside cats. Two of those three are now sneezing. A LOT. And they are wet sneezes, a bit snotty. Clear snotty but still....I can't get to a normal vet until Monday and they have been sneezing several times an hour since yesterday. The sneezing is getting worse. They are eating and drinking normally but seem less engaged than usual. Although that could be my paranoia. Should I be taking them to emergency vet care (really costly option)? Or just wait this out? Any suggestions on what it might be that would affect two but not the third (they are a mother, daughter and son; it is the mother and son that are sneezing)? Any suggestions for helping them in the meantime? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Not sure about the vet, but I would separate the two that are sneezing from the one that is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 O.k. Already done, actually. She is avoiding the other two. I will just make it more official. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Do they have any discharge from their eyes? Is the nasal discharge substantial and ugly? Are they coughing? Are they extremely listless, or otherwise exhibiting signs of a high fever? Are they panting*? If any of those are true, I'd go to the vet now. I tend to worry a lot about respiratory infections with cats. However, if not, then given the fact that they are eating and drinking normally, and that you'll be able to get to a vet by Monday, I'd just keep a close eye on them. I'm assuming when I give this advice that you are not made of money. If symptoms worsen, or they stop drinking water, then I'd go to the vet. Either way, I would immediately isolate the sick cats from the well one. Respiratory infections are mad contagious, and a real pain in the butt if they become entrenched. Wash your hands thoroughly after checking on the sick ones, do not allow any contact. Google is suggesting that a humidifier may make the sick cats a little more comfortable. * A very small number of cats do pant normally. If your cat is one of these, it may not necessarily be a sign of distress. Most cats do not, however, and panting in cats who do not normally engage in it should always be taken seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 Thanks, Tanaqui. No panting or discharge from the eyes. The mucus is clear and there isn't a ton of it but it definitely sprays out when they sneeze. Never had a cat do this before. One of the two, the male, has always had a funny nose thing, though. As a newborn you could hear the air whistle in and out of his nose as he breathed. You still can. It just always seems a bit blocked somehow. But normally neither one ever sneezes. No fever that I can tell. The mother seems less active than normal but the male is still running around. We have to leave the house for about 3 hours so I have some concerns about leaving them alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Clear mucus... well, I won't say it's "fine", but it's not "run to the vet" either unless things are worse than it sounds. If it were me, I'd cut my trip out short, or leave somebody home if I could, but like I said, I worry a lot about respiratory illness in cats. They'll probably be fine on their own for three hours. Make sure to leave them with plenty of water and food. I'd definitely go with wet food - respiratory illnesses can be a little dehydrating, so you don't want to encourage that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 As a person who dehydrates quickly and have had to be stuck on IVs for all kinds of silly things since childhood I definitely get trying to avoid dehydration. :) Thankfully we just bought more wet food, along with the dry. I will put some out. Thank you for the suggestion. Interestingly, the daughter throws up if she eats wet food. Since I am separating them that shouldn't be an issue, though. Mom and son love wet food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I have a few cats here (all related, father and offspring) who get recurring colds, mostly in the winter. They will get really "snotty" and sneeze and cough a lot. The one even gets icky eyes. The first few times, I took them to the vet and she prescribed antibiotics, saying it was an upper respiratory infection (no tests, she just looked). Then, one year we were not able to afford to go to the vet and they recovered all on their own. Now, we never take them (for that issue), as long as they are eating and drinking and acting fine, and they always get over it on their own, just like we do our colds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 We just went through this with our inside cats too. I took one to the vet and the following week I was taking the second to the vet with the same thing. In one of our cats, the gunk had traveled to her lungs so it was pretty nasty. Both of them were put on antibiotics and within 3 days they were feeling like their old selves (the meds were a ten day regimen though). At my vet, the meds were only $12. I agree with keeping them separated but they have all probably already been exposed. :( I wouldn't take them to emergency care but I would get them in to a vet as soon as I could just so they can start feeling better faster and so it doesn't turn into anything worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Upper respiratory viruses are pretty common in cats. As in people, they can last for several weeks. Most cats recover fine with no intervention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Our eldest cat (15) has just gone through this. The vet thought he has rhinitis and gave him an antibiotic injection and he is fine again 5 days later. She reckoned he may have had a respiratory virus earlier in life and it leaves them susceptible to bacterial infections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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