Treat a Cat With a Cold

A cat with a cold is as miserable as a human suffering from a respiratory infection. Generally, the cat needs rest and some tender loving care, as well as keeping an eye out in case things worsen.

Steps

Part 1: Determining whether the cat has a cold

  1. Check for signs of a cold or an upper respiratory infection. If you see discharge from cat's eyes and/or nose, it's probable that there is a respiratory infection. Signs include:[1]
    • Sneezing for hours or even days in a row
    • Coughing a lot
    • Swallowing more than usual (this may be to get rid of excess discharge)
    • Discharge, from eyes and/or nose; the color can vary from clear/watery to yellow or green; or it may be bloody
    • Fever, high temperature
    • Lacks interest in eating
    • Dehydrated
    • Wants to curl up and sleep a lot; lacks interest in interacting with you
    • Third eyelid is up.
  2. Be attentive. If the cat is sneezing, lethargic and off her food for a short time, then it's probable that the cold is passing through and your cat will be right again soon. On the other hand, upper respiratory infections can be very serious in cats, and can lead to death if proper medical attention is not given quickly. As such, if your cat has bloody discharge, has excessive or prolonged yellow/green discharge, has a fever that doesn't break and fails to eat at several normal mealtimes, see the vet immediately. If the cat won't drink, she will dehydrate quickly, and veterinary care is required.

Part 2: Helping the cat through the cold

  1. Take your cat's temperature. Gently pinch his ear (thumb inside, finger outside). If it is winter, the ear should be cold; if summer, it should be warm. Note that central heating is not a major contributor to the cat's temperature, although it may have a vague effect.
  2. Listen to the cat's breathing. Lay your ear gently on the cat's chest and listen for up to 1 minute. If the breathing is raspy, or wheezy, press on the chest and rub it until the breathing calms.
    • Massage the cat's muzzle, throat, and chest area.
    • Try to make it easier for your cat to breathe. Maybe place a humidifier in the room.
  3. Deal with the discharge. Gently wipe away excess discharge from the eyes and nose. Use a moistened (warm water) cotton ball to wipe away the discharge. Use a separate cotton ball for the nose and a separate ball for the eyes, to avoid transferring germs from the nose to the eyes. Discard after each use.
  4. Encourage your cat to eat. The smell will help his nose and maybe test if he has a cold. For example, prepare some food where the cat cannot see. When it's ready, you will know if he has a cold because the cat will not come running owing to the fact that he cannot smell it.
    • Warming the cat food might entice your cat more and help increase the odor. Baby food with a meat flavor can be useful as it is already well puréed.[1]
  5. Keep your cat from dehydrating. Feed him a constant supply of water and check that he has drank it.
  6. If you have other cats that don't have a cold in your household, then it is strongly recommended you keep them separate. If not, the other cats may catch the cold. Then you would have to treat all those other cats, which is more effort and worry, as well as potentially being more expensive. Keep your cat with a cold away from any other pet cats you may keep in your house.

Part 3: Seeing the vet

  1. Feel your cat's stomach gently putting pressure on it. If the cat shows pain, this could be a sign of FIP which is a potentially deadly feline disease. Treat this as an emergency.
  2. If the suggestions outlined above do not help the cat within 8 to 24 hours, try taking your cat to a vet. The vet will be able to check that the cat is not suffering from a more serious condition and allay your concerns. The vet will also be able to suggest other treatments that might help, as well as fixing dehydration if this has occurred.

Warnings

  • If you have any worries or feel incapable of working out what is wrong with your cat, make a vet appointment immediately. It is better to be reassured by the vet than to spend hours wondering if your cat will be okay, only to find out that an earlier visit to the vet could have fixed things.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.petmd.com/cat/emergency/common-emergencies/e_ct_excessive_sneezing_nasal_discharge
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