Real Estate in Barrington & The Northwest Suburbs: Can a Cat Get a Cold?

Since my hubby and I got married 26+ years ago, we have always had cats in the house. We had a dog once as well but decided for now cats suit our hectic lifestyles and jobs a little better.

Now cats get sick with a varity of illinesses and  our lifetime of 7 cats have presented us with a variety of things. Over active thyroid for the black cat that lost an eye. Sudden onset hemorrhaging with no cause that resulted in Smartie's early demise. Those were the worst, often a cat just looks a little under the weather and a couple of days later will bounce right back. Up to now we have never had a cat with a cold and suddenly two go down. Shadow is one of our twin three year olds, he is apparently allergic to some foods and keeps getting lumps on his leg, fixed with a recent visit to the vets, but a few days later he is sneezing all over the place. Not very hygenic but telling him to use a tissue or his sleeve fell on deaf ears!

Still apart from the fact he kept scaring himself - he is our scaredy cat - after 2 days he was on the mend, never stopped eating. However there is no doubt his wonderful little germs are all over the house. I have five cats so it stands to reason the others were at risk. Joey our seven year old starts snuffling. Next day it is apparent he is not a well cat, has stopped eating and drinking - is having a real hard time breathing - cannot curl up and go to sleep as his congestion gets worse - and the best tell tale of all - he is no longer sitting by his favorite person in the world nutting his head all over my hubby. Joey is sick. 

So the following morning it is off to the vets. Diagnosis is an upper respitory infection, or basically a cold. He gets some sub Q fluids as is dehydrated, and some appetite stimulants as well as anti biotics just to make sure we fend off any nasty bacteria. He is confined to the master suite - oh poor baby! Of course when you have five cats that roam the house a shut door is just an opportunity! Every second it gets opened we all dash under Mom's legs to see what is happening - and to see if we can catch that cold as well, talk about royal treatment, we want some.

Night time. A shut door needs to be opened, especially if Mom and Dad are asleep in there and we are not. Lets scratch and scratch and scratch -we can get it open while they are asleep - they'll never know. NO WAY KITTIES! Dad sleeps in the guest room and takes the inquisitive 4 with him.

Three showers a day for poor Joey. Not the water part - he needs to have some steam baths to break up his congestion. It certainly helps him. After another day of no drinking I start force feeding water with the medicine syringe. The vet calls Saturday and Joey still has not eaten or had water on his own accord. She starts to get a little concerned. He seems to be better in himself but not eating or drinking now is the bigger problem. He could be in real danger. So I agree to start force feeding him in the hope he gets interested by Monday - if not off to vet hospital he is going. Thankfully after 2 messy meal times he decided maybe he should do it and off we go. All day Sunday he is eating, drinking and the sneezing and snuffles are much better. He is on the mend and catching up his quality sleep. For now he is attached to Mom, after all she took care of him. No doubt he will remember Dad soon.

I now have to see if the remaining three escape the infection - I hope so. Looking after a cat with a cold is harder work than kids. I thank Dr G at VCA Noyes in Barrington - a wonderful caring vet. In the meantime the other four are busy watching the mice get an early morning breakfast.