Cat Cold Symptoms
Cat cold symptoms usually occur when your cat gets a bacterial infection in the nose. A sensitive membrane lines a cat’s nose that helps keep bacteria at bay. Bacteria cause the infection that gives cat cold symptoms. Cold weather or dehydration can cause this membrane to dry out which lets the bacteria pass into the respiratory system.
If your cat only sneezes for a little while and does not have any other symptoms then he probably does not have a cold. Sneezing for the whole day is usually an indication of a respiratory infection. Cat colds can last from seven to ten days. Mucus discharge is usually associated with respiratory disease and thick yellow discharge is caused by a bacterial infection. Cat cold symptoms can not be passed on to you and you cannot get a cold from your cat.
Cats seem to catch more colds in warm weather. They can pick colds up form boarding kennels, at pet groomers, the vets or from other cats. Two types of viruses can cause cat cold symptoms. One is feline herpesvirius. This virus causes conjunctivitis or corneal ulcers and is only found in cats. The other one is feline calicivirus. This virus can affect a cat’s throat, eyes, and nasal cavity. It can also involve the lungs and intestines. Calicivirus produces cat cold symptoms that are similar to humans that have a head cold. It can live in the environment for a long time and is resistant to disinfectants. Sometimes cats can have both feline herpevirius and feline calicivirius.
Some other cat cold symptoms are discharge from the eyes, cough, and blood in their mucus, watery eyes, and a temperature. Watery eyes are one of the main symptoms to look for when you think your cat may have a cold. It is very important to make sure your cat’s temperature does not get to high. A cat’s body temperature will rise if they have a cold and can put their life in danger. Sometimes cats lose their appetite when they have a cold. This may be due to a runny nose that keeps them from smelling their food. When cats do not eat for a day or two they can get a serious illness called hepatic lipisosis of fatty liver syndrome. Cat cold symptoms may not seem like they are threatening to your cat health but it is important to take them to a vet to make sure. If a cat has a secondary bacteria infection, he could need antibiotics.