Lots of Snotty Little Kittens

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Feline Upper Respiratory Disease

Congratulations, you've just adopted a new kitten from a shelter. Good for you! You have named her "Lulu" and she is as cute as cute can be. Your older cats "Spike" and "Princess" even seem to like her (or at least not hate her). Everything is going swimmingly at home...for about a week. Now, Lulu is sneezing and has gross yellow eye boogers. She's still bouncing around like a normal kitten, so you might not be too alarmed. Oh wait, now Spike is sneezing. He's also lethargic and not eating. What is going on? Bad luck, your household may be ground zero for an outbreak of Feline Upper Respiratory Infection! You might not know it, but this is a fairly common situation that we see. A seemingly healthy kitten (or adult cat) is brought home and suddenly, there is an outbreak of snuffles and goopy eyes in some or all of the household cats. Why does this happen and what can you do about it? Let's find out!

Feline Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) is a catch-all term for upper respiratory disease in cats. The two most common viral culprits are Herpesvirus and Calicivirus (accounting for 90% of all infections), but bacterial orgainisms like Mycoplasma, Bordetella and Chlamydophila are often accomplices. The signs are what you would expect for a cold - sneezing, nasal discharge, runny eyes, cough, fever and oral/nasal ulcers. Young kittens or immune-compromised animals (such as FIV+ cats) often show more severe symptoms. Older and well-vaccinated cats are usually not as affected. Even in multi-cat households, some cats of similar age or health status can show more clinical signs than others.

Our clients frequently do good deeds like adopting homeless shelter kitties, so we see the "Lulu" scenario on a fairly regular basis. Some of it can attributed to the obvious risk of adopting shelter cats with unknown health histories, but some of it is due to the inherent nature of viruses and the impact of stress on a cat's immune system. Shelters are stressful to cats. Shelters try to minimize stress as much as possible, but they can't get rid of all of it. Throwing a bunch of cats together for any reason is stressful, so boarding facilities or veterinary hospitals also fall into the stress-inducing category. Stress lowers the ability of the immune system to fight disease, meaning that cats in stressful situations are more susceptible to diseases. The simple fact that you are bringing home a new cat is also stressful, for both the new cat and any cats you currently own.

Shelters or boarding facilities also tend to serve as reservoirs for infectious agents that cause feline URIs. These germs are easy to kill with disinfectants, but these little buggers stick around because they have a ready supply of hosts to re-infect. And infection with either herpesvirus or calicivirus is permanent. Once a cat has been infected with these viruses, they are ALWAYS infected. Since 90% of cats with URIs have either herpesvirus or calicivirus, this fact is a key one in understanding and controlling disease spread. Shelters do a wonderful job fighting pet overpopulation, but by their very nature, they are stressful for animals. Coupled with a steady stream of new cats coming in and others being adopted out, this allows easily-spread diseases like URIs to stay around. Is every shelter cat infected? No. But every shelter cat could be looked at as a potential carrier.

I mentioned above that herpesvirus and calicivirus are permanent infections. This means infected cats can continue to shed virus and show recurring signs especially in times of stress. Herpesvirus is especially good at rearing its ugly head again and again. Travel, boarding or hospitalization can all trigger fresh herpesvirus episodes and further viral shedding. Kittens also can have chronic recurring herpesvirus episodes because their immune systems are still developing. Older cats are less prone to resurgences of herpesvirus and often show only very mild (if any) signs. Cats with calicivirus do not seem to have recurrences like cats with herpesvirus, but calicivirus will shed anytime, not necessarily only during times of stress. Approximately 50% of infected calicivirus cats will stop shedding later in life. This means that although Lulu, Spike and Princess may recover just fine from this episode, they may show resurgence of URI signs during any stressful period in their lives. You should also be aware of the possibility of viral shedding for weeks or months after episodes.

For these chronically infected cats, there are some anti-viral treatments we recommend. The first is a lysine supplement which comes in tasty treats or gel. Lysine is an amino acid that suppresses the ability of the herpesvirus to replicate. Cats often need to stay on lysine during recurrences, but some occasionally need lifelong therapy. Topical anti-viral medications such as idoxuridine may also be needed. There are vaccines for calicivirus and herpesvirus available (usually in a combination for other diseases), but these vaccines do not always prevent disease; sometimes they only lessen the severity of clinical signs. The intra-nasal herpesvirus vaccine is actually recommended for chronically affected cats because it does decrease the severity of disease. Even during stressful times, a healthy well-vaccinated cat is more likely to fight off infection and show few if any clinical signs. Preventing infection is always preferable to treating.

Now, what do we do with Lulu and Spike? As I mentioned before, the majority of feline URIs are viral in origin. Antibiotics are not affective against viruses, only against bacteria. Viruses have to run their course. However, secondary bacterial infections are not uncommon and many veterinarians will dispense antibiotics for this reason. Colds are as much a pain for cats as they are for us. Most cats recover well with simple supportive care (tasty food, topical eye medications, etc), but some do require hospitalization. Since Lulu is still bouncing around and eating, she will likely do well with just supportive care. Spike is lethargic and not eating. He may require hospitalizations with fluids and antibiotics to recover. It does not take long for a cat, especially a kitten, to become weak and dehydrated when they are sick. Oral ulcers or conjunctivitis are also common symptoms which require further treatment. Lethargy, anorexia (lack of appetite), high fever or congestion (especially with open-mouth breathing) are all reasons to seek veterinary care for your cat. Untreated URIs can potentially progress to severe dehydration, oral or ocular ulcers and even pneumonia.

Luckily, Spike and Lulu recovered just fine with a little TLC. After a few weeks, your multi-cat household is back to normal with no sneezing or runny eyes. So far, there have been no recurrences of disease, but you know the potential is there. Diseases like herpesvirus and calicivirus are out there, and not just in shelters. Cats can pick up these viruses from breeders, boarding facilities and even veterinary hospitals. Cats cannot tell us how sick they feel, so it is up to you as a cat owner to be pro-active about your cat's health! And if you are thinking of getting a cat, please go to your nearest shelter. There are hundreds of Lulus looking for a loving home. Save a life and adopt!