Can a cat get a 'cold'? Our vet said yes...

[WillParkinson]

Cat has been having dry, hacking coughs. This is especially evident when the little one is trying to chase her around the house.

She's been lethargic and has had little appetite.

Monday Paul took her to the vet and she said that Cat has a 'cold'. She gave her some antibiotics and she now has some pills to take for 6 days.

Does this make sense to anyone?

[meegbear]

1. Yes ...

When I got my cats (as kittens), I had them fixed just before Christmas. When they came back from the vet's, they both had colds. Sluggish, little sneezes, watery eyes. I didn't bring them back to the vet and a few days later, they were fine.

In thier case, the operation made them weak and being in closed quarters with the other cats, they caught it.

[commander bunnypants]

2. Sure

But why did the vet give antibiotics for a virus? Unless the cat picked up a bacterial infection which is not a cold. Hope the kitten feels better soon.


DDQM

[GemMom]

3. Does this make sense?

Yes, to the pets getting colds - my dog used to get them. No, to the vet giving the pet antibiotics for a virus. The reason to give antibiotics is for a suspected bacterial infection such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Was your cat running a fever? (My dog did.)

[undergroundpanther]

7. I think maybe

its because when cats get upper respitory infections of any kind it's hard on them physically and if it gets entrenched in there a cold can weaken the kitty so other infections in the already cloggy lungs like pneumonia can rear it's ugly head.
Pneumonia can kill a cat pretty quick if it's not recognized and treated.Also a cat that can't smell won't eat.That can spell trouble when a cat's not feeling well and is weakened too.
If it's a virus sure on the surface I'd say,don't give antibiotics,but cats are different than people and a simple cold may have a different set of problems for cats than we have when we get a cold.
I'd ask the vet why he prescribed them and see what he says his reasons are.I ask my vets questions about everything they do for my cats.I mean after all my 3 kitties rock my world.And It's a learning experince everytime I do ask.

[GemMom]

8. OK - got it

Thanks for explaining - I admit I know very little about cats in general. What you're saying does make sense. If pneumonia is suspected, then it would be appropriate to treat it immediately.

[Catshrink]

4. Sure... my Ryno girl is prone to get them.

Two of my cats I adopted from a shelter came home with bad URIs. Both times the vets gave them antibiotics. Poor little babies. Everyone is fine now....

But Ryno still gets colds now and then and has some allergies. I can't use scented candles or pot pourri stuff at all.

[bamademo]

5. Feline Upper Respitory

It's quite common in cats and very contagious.

[RebelOne]

6. Oh, definitely yes

I rescued two little kittens that were dumped in front of my house. They were sneezing and had runny eyes. Luckily, I found them a home and when their new mommy took them to the vet she was told that they both had upper respiratory infections, which I would assume to be a cold.

[Philostopher]

9. They do get upper respiratory infections.

This is personal experience, so take it for what it's worth. Cats, unlike humans, often develop bacterial sinus infections as a primary infection -- mostly, in humans, a bacterial sinus infection is a secondary infection either to a viral 'cold' or allergies. Cats can pass bacterial infections around (and do pretty easily), just like humans do viral colds.

One of my cats seems to turn into a sneeze and hack factory every time he spends more than half an hour at the vet. If he's not over it in a few days, or at least showing improvement, the vets assume he's developed a bacterial infection and we have to put antibiotics down his unwilling gullet. I only do this if I think he really needs it, because it's like giving a pill to a Tasmanian Devil. Mostly, he gets better before we have to worry too much, which is a very good thing in my book.

A little advice -- if she stops eating entirely, and doesn't eat at all for more than 24 hours, contact the vet again. It's uncommon, but cats can develop fatty liver syndrome if they go too long without eating anything, so keeping them eating (even a little bit) is pretty important. Gord's such a food hog even when he feels awful, he'll at least eat canned food. Some cats won't eat if they can't smell the food, though.

[meow2u3]

10. URI killed two of my cats

My favorite ones, for that matter--Sylvester and Tweety :(

I'll miss them,,,,,<boo hoo>

[BurtWorm]

11. Our Buster came with a cold

and gave it to Perfect, the naughty boy. But they've been cold free for two years.