Pet Lovers

[house_cat]

My 12 year old cat has a cold.  I'm wondering how they catch them if they have no contact with other animals? Does anyone know?

Also, do they need to be treated or should I expect it to go away on its own?

[CamilleP]

If your cat has a stuffed up nose and is sneezing, it's almost certainly not a "cold".  What people think of as a "cold" is a viral infection by a rhinovirus.  Cats can get viral infections, but they can also have bacterial sinus infections, and irritation caused by foreign bodies (grass seeds, etc.) or allergies.  Given your kitty's age (12) I would suggest a veterinary exam as soon as possible, since any such infection can get into the lungs, or even move from the sinuses into the brain, and turn from a minor illness into a dangerous medical emergency very quickly when the immune system starts to weaken with age.  I'm sorry to have to raise another topic, but a tumor is another possibility as well, and the sooner it's diagnosed the greater the chance of a positive outcome.   Obviously you don't want to go to the emergency vet clinic on Thanksgiving Day, but you should put a call in to your regular vet's office tomorrow morning to get an appointment as soon as possible, to find the cause of your cat's symptoms.

[pommom]

Our cat had the sniffles for too long (over the weekend).  We took her to the vet only to find out she had an upper respiratory infection.  She's a senior, but has recovered nicely.

[Sammycat1]

Yes, they can get upper respiratory infections (viral) but a senior cat like yours should be taken to the vet to rule out other issues and also to get some boosters for her immune system because of her age.

Good luck!

[Annabellethecat66]

Set up a meeting with the Vet as soon as you and he/she can.  As a cat gets older it can get pneumonia very quickly.

By the time you get in you will have an idea on how serious it is.  I've had a lot of cats and a lot of viral problems.  

[jaxs mom]

I'm sorry your cat is sick, I agree with the other posters regarding setting up a vet visit ASAP especially since this is a senior cat. When one of cats had Rhino/FVR/Feline herpes he got antibiotics and I think eye and nose drops. It's been a few years. He was pretty sick and had a high fever along with the watery eyes and runny nose.

I hope he feels better. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. 

I'm killing some time because they turkey is taking longer than expected and all my sides are finished. 

[house_cat]

Thanks for your responses. She's had "colds" before, at least two times that I can remember and didn't need treatment. Since she's older now, I'm going to make a vet appointment for later today.

[Bird mama]

@house_cat

Cats can pick up respiratory things from people.  I've seen it first hand.  Also, I just went through a sinus infection with my sister's cat (vet was involved). The occasional sneeze here or there can be anything - dust in the house.  Watch for boogery nose and eyes.  If you see any swelling around the nose area - for sure, see a vet.

[house_cat]

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@Bird mama wrote:

@house_cat

Cats can pick up respiratory things from people.  I've seen it first hand.  Also, I just went through a sinus infection with my sister's cat (vet was involved). The occasional sneeze here or there can be anything - dust in the house.  Watch for boogery nose and eyes.  If you see any swelling around the nose area - for sure, see a vet.

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It's interesting that you say this.  DH and I are certain that our cat caught our colds on more than one occasion. I can't find any research that confirms this, but in our experience, it's true. Even this time, my son and husband both had colds last week and now the cat has one.

[jaxs mom]

If it's rhino, then cats don't get that from people nor do you get it from them.