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Cat Cold Care: What To Do If Your Cat Catches A Cold

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The common cold is a problem for everyone, even those who aren't human. Cats can catch a cold just as easily as you can. If you've never gone through the common cold with your cat, read this guide so that you know what to do should your kitty become ill.

Symptoms To Look For

Cats can experience symptoms of colds that are very similar to humans, but not all of the symptoms are identical. For example, your kitty may stop eating, hide, or become irritable. In addition, certain symptoms are harder to detect in cats than people. Fevers are fairly common when cats get colds, but touching a cat's ears, pads, or nose isn't an adequate way of measuring their temperature. Instead, you have to take a cat's temperature with a thermometer.

More common symptoms of feline colds include sneezing, nasal discharge, and lethargy.

At-Home Precautions

If you suspect that your cat is sick, you should immediately take action at home. If you have a multi-cat household, you should isolate your sick cat from the others. Do not allow them to share food, water, or bedding. Taking action as soon as you can will help to prevent other cats from becoming sick.

In addition, you should make an effort to keep your sick cat comfortable. Give them a private place to rest where they have easy access to food, water, and a litter box. You should consider tracking how much your cat eats and drinks. Your veterinarian may find this information useful when you come in to have your cat treated.

Veterinarian

Cats with colds should never be left untreated. You need to take them to a vet as soon as possible. While some colds are harmless, many can worsen and become more dangerous, or even life-threatening.

Your veterinarian will examine your cat physically and may perform some tests. These could be tests that utilize their blood, discharge from their nose, or both. Your vet will be able to determine if your cat's cold is caused by a virus or bacteria. From there, they'll begin treatment with antibiotics, if it's bacterial, or antivirals if it's a virus.

Once your kitty begins treatment, you should be able to see an improvement in their health very quickly. Remember to follow your vet's directions and to give your cat all of the medication your vet prescribed for as long as they prescribed it. With these tips, you can help to keep your cat from getting worse or spreading their illness to others. Talk to a professional veterinarian if you're not sure whether or not your cat is sick.


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