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Mews & Merlot

Saving the tiniest lives, one glass of wine at a time.

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Upper Respiratory Infections in Kittens

If you've rescued a kitten and you're hearing tiny sneezes and seeing discharge, your kitten likely has an upper respiratory infection (URI).

If you’ve rescued a kitten and you’re hearing tiny sneezes and seeing discharge from the eyes and/or nose, your kitten likely has an upper respiratory infection (URI).

Before you panic, URIs are very common—a high proportion of kittens rescued from shelters or outside show symptoms due to their decreased immunity and high risk of exposure to bacterial and viral agents.

The most common viruses that cause upper respiratory infections in cats are Feline Herpesvirus Type-1 (feline viral rhinotracheitis or FVR) and Feline Calicivirus (FCV), and the most common bacteria are Bordetella bronchiseptica (B. bronchiseptica) and Chlamydophila felis (C. felis).

How do kittens get upper respiratory infections?

The most susceptible kittens are orphaned kittens, those under four weeks, and FeLV or FIV positive kittens.

Upper respiratory infections spread through direct contact, like eye, nose, and mouth secretions. It’s also spread via contamination of hands/clothing of people, surfaces and bedding, and fur.

Even cats that appear healthy can shed the virus. A high percentage of cats have been infected with the virus at some point in their lives—even if they never showed symptoms. Cats can periodically shed the virus, especially during times of stress.

While URIs are not a zoonotic disease (you won’t get sick from your cat), you can spread the virus between kittens. This is why it’s important to always wash hands and change clothing between handling sick and healthy kittens.

What are the symptoms of upper respiratory infections?

It takes less than a week after exposure for the virus to incubate, and the kitten to start showing signs of illness.

The most common symptoms are:

  • Discharge from the eyes and/or nose
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Sneezing
  • Refusal to eat/nurse
  • Lethargy
  • Fever or low body temperature
  • Corneal, oral, or nasal ulcers

Do I need to see the vet?

Tiny kittens are very fragile, so a visit to the vet is always recommended.

Your vet will likely prescribe antibiotics to help speed recovery, and prevent a secondary bacterial infection (which can be very dangerous for a tiny kitten). If eye discharge or conjunctivitis are a concern, your vet will probably prescribe an ophthalmic antibiotic.

At-home care for upper respiratory infections

There are a few things you can do at home to help make your kitten more comfortable and aid in recovery.

Keep them clean

Use a warm compress to gently remove and discharge from your kitten’s eyes and nose, as needed.

Clear any congestion

If you have a warm vaporizer or humidifier, put it in the room with your kitten to help clear the airways. You can also bring your kitten into the bathroom while you shower—the steam will help loosen any mucus. Little Remedies Saline Drops can relieve runny or stuffy noses and are kitten-safe.

Monitor hydration levels

Check for dehydration by pinching the skin above the shoulders and pulling up gently. If the skin doesn’t snap back right away, your kitten is likely dehydrated. If the skin stays up, that’s a sign of severe dehydration, and you should visit your vet immediately. Treat slight dehydration at-home with unflavored Pedialyte. Simply add a little to their wet food (if they’re eating well), or give by dropper or needle-less oral syringe. The typical dosage is two to four milliliters of Pedialyte three times a day, but always check with your vet first.

Keep them nourished

Kittens won’t eat what they can’t smell, so nasal congestion can be very serious. Try enticing your kitten to eat with wet food—add a little warm water to bring out the smell. If your kitten simply won’t eat, you may have to try syringe feeding or tube feeding (only with training!).

Filed Under: Health

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Copyright© 2020 Mews & Merlot. Articles may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent of Kelsie McKenzie [that’s me!].

THE INFORMATION SHARED ON THIS SITE IS THE RESULT OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.
PLEASE CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN BEFORE MAKING ANY HEALTH DECISIONS.

We’re ready to start looking for forever homes f We’re ready to start looking for forever homes for Nacho, Queso, and Colby Jack! We’ve determined they don’t have vision issues. However, they all might need surgery to treat their eyelid agenesis and Queso may have a cataract. 

The cheesy boys wont be ready for surgical intervention until they’re about 6 months old, so they will be placed in foster-to-adopt homes until then. 

What does this mean?

Mews & Merlot will cover their veterinary care through any surgical treatments. After surgery (if needed), they will be able to be fully adopted by the individual/family. 

What is required of the foster-to-adopt home?

You must be willing to either transport the kitten to and from the specialist (we are talking to ones in Fairfax and D.C.) OR bring the kitten back to the foster in Stafford for the foster to take to appointments, then pick up again from the foster after. 

These are some of the cutest, sweetest boys—and their eyes give them extra character! Please share so we can help find the best homes for them ❤️
Tulip, Aster, Lily, and Petunia ❤️ Tulip, Aster, Lily, and Petunia ❤️
If there’s one thing Colby Jack excels at, it’ If there’s one thing Colby Jack excels at, it’s telling you how he feels 😹
Nacho has perfected the cat nap 😻 The cheesy b Nacho has perfected the cat nap 😻

The cheesy boys are growing great! We know that they currently have vision issues, but we’re hopeful they’ll improve over time. The limited vision has made litter box training slightly more difficult than usual, but we’ve been having great success using Dr. Elsey’s Kitten Attract litter. It’s a bit expensive for our limited funds, and kittens go through litter very quickly, so if you’re able to help, we’d really appreciate it! We’ve added the litter to our Amazon wishlist, which is linked in the comments. 

Nacho, Colby Jack, and Queso appreciate your support ❤️
Meet Rosie, Petunia, Lily, Daisy, Tulip, and solo Meet Rosie, Petunia, Lily, Daisy, Tulip, and solo male Aster! These babies have been here for about 5 days, and while they have cute floral names, they’re growing like weeds 😻
And last but not least, congrats sweet Poppy! She And last but not least, congrats sweet Poppy! She found a great home with another kitten to keep her busy ❤️
Happy adoption to Max and Wanda! 🎉🥰 Happy adoption to Max and Wanda! 🎉🥰
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THE INFORMATION SHARED ON THIS SITE IS THE RESULT OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN BEFORE MAKING ANY HEALTH DECISIONS.