How to Treat Feline Upper Respiratory Illness

Detecting Feline URI

Look at your cat’s eyes and nose. Discharge from the eyes and nose is one of the most common signs of feline URI. The discharge may look clear in the early stages of disease, then become yellow and pus-like as the disease progresses. Your cat’s eyelids may also become red and inflamed. The pus-like discharge would indicate a bacterial infection. A URI caused by Chlamydia can make your cat’s eyes water. A URI caused by FHV-1 can lead to corneal ulcers.

Examine your cat’s mouth. Feline URI can cause sores to develop in and around your cat’s mouth. For example, you may see sores in the roof of her mouth, on her tongue, or on her lips. Your cat may start to drool; this is usually associated with FHV-1. FCV commonly causes oral ulcers.

Observe your cat’s sneezing. Sneezing is another common sign of feline URI. Sometimes, excitement or physical activity can trigger sneezing. You may see the nasal discharge when your cat sneezes.

Take note of any changes in appetite. Feline URI can make a cat feel lousy. It can also cause nasal congestion, which would make it hard for your cat to smell and taste the flavor of her food. As a result, your cat may start eating and drinking less than usual. The loss of appetite is usually more severe with FHV-1 than FCV.

Take your cat’s temperature. Feline URI, whether bacterial or viral, often causes a fever. You can take your cat’s temperature rectally or via the ear—whichever your cat is most comfortable with. Keep in mind that digital ear thermometers are difficult to position within the ear and may not provide accurate temperature readings. With FHV-1, fever can reach as high as 105 degrees F (40.5 degrees C). Usually, the body temperature then drops to between normal (100.4 to 102.5 degrees F/37.8 to 39.2 degrees C) and 103 degrees F (39.4 degrees C). If you do not feel comfortable taking your cat’s temperature, your vet will do so.

Take your cat to your vet. When your cat is showing the telltale signs of a URI, take her to your vet. Often, a diagnosis of URI can be made based on the clinical signs. If your vet wants to determine the infectious agent causing the disease, they will perform other diagnostic tests, including an analysis of the discharge from your cat’s eyes, nose, or throat. Your vet may also take a small skin sample (a ‘conjunctival scrape’) from the inside of your cat’s eyelids. Treatment for feline URI is generally the same regardless of the infectious agent, so your vet may decide not to test for viruses or bacteria. If your vet suspects the infection has traveled down into your cat’s lungs and caused pneumonia, they may take a chest x-ray to look at her lungs.

Treating Your Cat’s URI

Treat your cat’s eyes. Your vet will prescribe either eye drops or eye ointment. If the discharge coming from your cat's eyes suggests a bacterial infection, your vet will prescribe an antibiotic-containing eye medication. If your cat’s eyes have corneal ulcers, then medicated eye drops would be needed. Apply the eye medication exactly as prescribed. Since discharge can be irritating, regularly wipe the discharge away from your cat’s eyes with a clean, moist tissue. Remove nasal discharge as well. Be gentle when wiping away the discharge.

Give your cat antibiotics. If your vet has identified the specific bacterial agent causing the URI, then they will prescribe an antibiotic to target that bacteria. Sometimes, though, bacterial infections can occur after a viral infection has weakened the immune system; these infections are called secondary bacterial infections. If your cat has a secondary bacterial infection, your vet will prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic that would target a wide range of bacteria. Follow the prescription instructions exactly to kill all of the bacteria and prevent antibiotic resistance. Your vet may prescribe an oral antibiotic for your cat, rather than antibiotic eye drops.

Place your cat in a humid room. If your cat’s nose or airways are congested, she may benefit from some extra humidity. Turn on the shower in your bathroom, close the door, and let the room become steamy. Then, place your cat in the bathroom for 10 to 15 minutes. Do this several times a day to help relieve her congestion. If you’d like, stay in the bathroom with your cat to provide her with some comfort. You could also place your cat in a non-steamy room with a humidifier. Speak with your vet about how long to keep your cat in a room with a humidifier.

Consider giving your cat a nasal decongestant. Your vet may prescribe a nasal decongestant to relieve your cat’s congestion. Be aware, though, that long-term use of decongestants may actually cause recurrent congestion and make your cat’s symptoms worse. In addition, nasal decongestants for cats haven’t shown much benefit. Humidifying your cat’s environment may be better for your cat than giving her a decongestant. Medications are also available that can break down extremely thick discharge or reduce the amount of discharge. Your vet can recommend which nasal medications would work best for your cat.

Encourage your cat to eat. Your cat’s congestion has likely reduced her sense of smell and appetite. To encourage her to eat, feed her an especially tasty and strongly-scented canned food. If she still isn’t interested in eating, your vet may have to prescribe an appetite stimulant for her. Consider placing a small morsel of food on your finger and allowing your cat to lick the food off your finger. Placing the food on your finger would warm up the food with your body temperature and possibly release some appealing aromas. Force feeding has been suggested to get a cat eating again, but it may not be a good idea—your cat may end up biting you. Talk with your vet before attempting any force feeding techniques (e.g., syringe feeding, placing food in the mouth by hand).