Respiratory Infection in Kittens

We all know how shrewd and wily these cats are. When the same cats are younger, kittens to be precise, they seem to be such cute and cuddly bundles of joy! However, cat owners cannot bear the agony of anything happening to their beloved pets. Especially, if it is a respiratory infection in cats it is an even more a miserable time for both the feline and the owner. The kitten, because it is suffering and the owner as he or she is equally aggrieved seeing the plight of the kitten. The worst part about this upper respiratory infection in kittens is that it is contagious and can be totally detrimental to cat health. Moreover, it attacks the nasal passages and sinuses of cats and kittens. Hence, if not taken care of immediately, it could pose further problems. The following text will have a description of this feline malady.

Feline Upper Respiratory Infection

Causes and Transmission of the Infection
The most prominent and common cause of this infection is either bacterial or viral. Feline Herpes and calicivirus are chiefly responsible for causing this respiratory infection. Cats in animal shelters, in the vicinity of human beings and in feral colonies, where there are lots of cats, are highly prone to this infection. Another important aspect of the contagiousness of this infection is the fact that the cats who have earlier had this disease, are silent carriers. This means that they shed this virus and can be responsible for this infection in other cats. Interestingly, those who transmit this virus do not show any symptoms of that.

Symptoms of Upper Respiratory Infection in Kittens
The symptoms of this respiratory infection in cats are limited to the upper body. Therefore, as the name suggests, these symptoms are sneezing, considerable and noticeable nasal discharge, red and bloody nose due to bad sneezing bouts, oral ulcers, depression and lack of appetite, pasty discharge from eyes and open mouth breathing due to congestion of nose. The nasal discharge would be clear and watery in the beginning and might not be noticed by the owner. These symptoms are generally negligible and mild for the first 2 or 3 days and then they worsen as the infection gains momentum. The range of the incubation period can be as expansive as 2 to 17 days in respiratory infection in cats.

How to Treat Upper Respiratory Infection in Cats
The treatment of respiratory infection in cats depends on how perfect and quick is the diagnosis. That correct diagnosis is based on history and clinical signs. Laboratory tests for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection could prove to be helpful as these two can cause the immune system to weaken, facilitating an attack of respiratory infection. Once the upper respiratory infection is confirmed or rather diagnosed, the treatment starts. The first line of treatment is antibiotics- amoxyllin, making sure that the kitten is properly hydrated and proper nutrition to the cat. If the infection becomes very serious then the cats might even have to be hospitalized. If this is not done, the cats would get fatal pneumonia. Some cats have latent long lasting signs which could recur if the cat is stressed out or is not feeling well. Hence, the bottom line is to have good nutritious cat food and proper care is the bottom line to deal with respiratory infections. All said and done, if the treatment is started in the initial stages immediately after diagnosis, the infection can be cured and the cats will be healthy once again. Read more on kitten care.

Prevention of Disease
In a shelter situation, it is difficult to prevent this infection. Quite a few cats are silent carriers and they would go in the shelter and then transmit the virus in other cats. Therefore, avoiding a shelter situation to control the disease. In a household situation, vaccinating the cat can be helpful in preventing the respiratory infection in cats. But this also comes with a 'Conditions Apply' tag. If the cat has not been infected by herpes and calicivirus, only in that condition the vaccination would prove to be more effective. Even otherwise, it is better to vaccinate the feline. For more on kitten care read taking care of kittens.

Considering all this, it can be said that this feline respiratory infection does not have a major mortality rate and if treated properly and before things go totally out of control, the cat or the kitten can recover fully. Further, respiratory infection in kittens does not have a huge or significant mortality rate, so there is no need to worry about your beloved kitty. But yes, one has to make sure that the signs are identified as early as possible and acted upon.

That's it, this is where I sign off! Have a great time with your kitty!