Do cat's get head cold's?

Question

Her symptoms are shacking of the head, scratching her ear's and sneezing. If so, what can you give her?

Answer 1

Certainly. A vet might say benadryl is okay but better call them just in case.

Answer 2

Take her to the Doctor!
Infection Alert
Your cat's cold can be deadly without timely treatment. Learn the facts about herpes virus and calcivirus.


If you've ever been to a cat shelter, you've probably heard cats sneeze. Cats get their own colds. Two common causes of cat colds, especially in young animals, are herpes virus and calicivirus. Because these respiratory illnesses can quickly become life-threatening if not identified and managed early, it's important to protect your cat from these potentially deadly infections.

Herpes
Feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), or herpes, causes upper-respiratory infections in cats. This virus is not the same as the herpes virus that humans get. A cat suffering from a respiratory infection cannot infect humans, however herpes is extremely contagious among cats and kittens. Severe infections are fatal if left untreated. Transmission occurs either through the air in a closed environment, such as in a shelter, or through direct cat-to-cat contact. Herpes also can be transmitted from a nursing queen to her kittens if she is actively shedding the virus.

Once infected with herpes, a cat's body never gets rid of it. The virus remains latent in one of the nerves in the head and the cat cannot infect other cats during latent periods. However, during times of stress, the virus becomes active and the cat becomes sick and can then infect other cats.

Sneezing is typically the first sign of a respiratory infection. With herpes this is usually followed by fever, depression, nasal discharge and conjunctivitis (inflammation of the inner lining of the eyelids) with ocular discharge. Cynthia Powell, DVM, a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, said herpes typically causes ulcers on the cornea of the eye. "If your cat is squinting and has an ocular discharge, see your vet immediately," Powell said. "If the cat has a corneal ulcer and it remains untreated, in a short time it can lead to a rupture of the eye and loss of vision."

Severe herpes infections cause so much ocular and nasal discharge that the eyes and nose can crust shut. When cats cannot smell their food, they stop eating. They also may resort to breathing through the mouth.

So what can you do if your cat suffers from a herpes outbreak? Julia Veir, DVM, a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist, said that supportive care is essential. "You need to maintain hydration, which might mean intravenous fluids in severe cases," she said. "Keep secretions cleaned off the cat's face and humidify the environment. If your cat is not eating well, try warming canned food, or you may have to resort to force-feeding or appetite stimulants from your veterinarian."

Answer 3

There's a TON of upper respiratory diseases that cats can get, some are viral and some are bacterial. If you're seeing green/yellow discharge from the eyes or nose, that's a sign of bacterial infection that would require you to get some antibiotics from the vet. As for the ears, is there a lot of dark brown crusty material in there, and does she scratch like crazy with her back feet when you rub the base of the ears? If you answered yes to those questions, she probably has ear mites. The best medicine (in my humble opinion) for mites is Acarexx, you get it from their vet, they can put it in the ears for you, and it kills the mites in one dose 95% of the time. Bad cases sometimes need a second dose in 3 weeks. No cleaning or daily messing with the ears is required, costs about $20 here where I live.

Answer 4

Not a cold possibly. Allergies and URI (upper respiratory infection) are common in cats. If URI, go to vet. Betting you have an allergic cat due to change in seasons. Cats can also get Asama. They will act like they want to throw up a hairball but nothing comes out. Never, ever give a cat human medication like Benedryl!!!!!!!!! Distemper is not a major concern unless kitty is allowed to roam free out doors.

Answer 5

Yes, but take her to the vet to pinpoint exactly what it is. Remember that the ears, nose, and throat are connected, so if she has an infection in her ears, it could be what's making her sneeze. Don't just assume it's a cold and will pass.

Answer 6

there are upper respiratory infections, my kitty had one last fall and she was sneezing and just moping around so I took her to the vet where I got a $10 prescription for her and it cleared her right up :) so there is no harm in taking your cat to the vet, or at least calling to ask before giving her anything because if it is just a cold it isn't expensive to treat it.

Answer 7

No, you need to have her checked by a vet, it sounds like she may has an upper respiratory infection and ear mites or another ear disorder. Those conditions are extremely contagious to other cats so please keep your cat isolated until you have seen the vet.

Answer 8

When cats get colds they get them differently then we do, it shows up in their eyes. They get runny eyes. Doesn't sound like your cat has a cold.
Actually if she is scratching her ears and shaking her head she may have ear mites, i would get her checked out.

Answer 9

Yup pets get sick just like we do take her to the vet for some meds they will probley just give you a pill to give her but she may require a shot just to get the meds into her blood stream it also sounds like it could be an inner ear infection which untreated could cause long term side effects so make sure you take care of this ASAP good luck hope the kitty feels better

Answer 10

Best bet is always, take them to the vet to be sure. It depends on if your cat is an outside or inside cat. If it's an outside cat, it could have caught anything these days. Be safe and make it happy. Run her by the vet.