If One Of Your Cats Has A Cold, Here's How To Protect The Others

Colds can be passed around from cat to cat just like they can be with humans. If you have a multiple cat household and one of them has become ill, it can spell trouble for the others. The best way to protect your cats is to start with these tips as soon as you can after noticing that one of them is sick.

Isolate

The very first thing you should do with your sick cat is to isolate them from the others. Dump out any food or water that's been shared between them and wash the bowls. Put out new food and water for your healthy cats and an individual set for your sick kitty. This will help to prevent germs from spreading from your sick cat to your healthy cats. However, since one of your cats could have already caught it from the others, keep your eyes open for signs of symptoms among your healthy cats. You should isolate them immediately, too.

Vaccinate

If your cats haven't already received their standard inoculations for the year - or in the case of kittens, ever - it's time to get your pet vaccinations. One of the most common causes for the common cold in cats is a virus that the FVCRP vaccine will protect your cat from. Feline rhinotracheitis can be entirely prevented with the vaccine. In rare events where cats do catch the virus after they've been vaccinated, it vastly reduces the severity of the symptoms. In either case, your kitties will have a much easier time than the kitty that's already sick.

Your sick kitty can also be vaccinated against the illness after they've recovered. While they've already had the illness, getting a vaccination can help to boost the immune system's response if your cat ever encounters it again.

Wash

The final way to protect your healthy cats is to be extremely careful with your personal hygiene. It's possible to spread the germs your sick cat is carrying just by touching them and then another cat. Germs can get on clothes, door handles and cat bowls very easily, so make sure to wash your hands thoroughly when doing anything involving either your sick or healthy cats.

By using these steps while your sick kitty recovers, you can help to keep the other kitties from getting sick. Make sure to consult a veterinarian to ensure that your sick cat gets the care that they need, too.