Cat flu...?

[rallye101]

Hi guys,
My 15yr old indoor cats been receiving regular visits at his outdoor run from another cat recently so could have been passed the virus or similar...
Was very ill with upset stomach 3 weeks ago and given probiotics from our vet, trouble is he's started sneezing due to the flu/ cold for the last x3 days and is following through with ass explosions..
How long should the sneezing go on for? I have a carpet cleaner but fear it might be curtains very soon

Edited by rallye101 on Saturday 1st July 16:33

[Simpo Two]

My cat was about 11 when she got cat flu. It did knock her for six for 2-3 days.

I took her to the vet for a checkover and asked him how it spread. At that point the cat issued a massive sneeze and sprayed a mist of saliva and snot all over the table. 'Like that!' he said, as he wiped it down...

[tribbles]

Simpo Two said:

My cat was about 11 when she got cat flu. It did knock her for six for 2-3 days.

I took her to the vet for a checkover and asked him how it spread. At that point the cat issued a massive sneeze and sprayed a mist of saliva and snot all over the table. 'Like that!' he said, as he wiped it down...

I've got a cat who was seriously injured when he was young, and has a restricted nasal passageway - so frequently sneezes.

He went through a bout of rhinitis, and we took him to a vet. The vet was holding him, and asked me what colour his discharge was. I apologised as I'd not seen him sneeze out snot (my wife had, but she couldn't attend), so I couldn't tell him what colour it was. On cue, he sneezed, and left a large deposit on the vet's bare arm.

"I guess it's that colour then" I said

A different vet has recommended something we give him which should help him breathe - Flumax. I add it to his food, and it seems to have made him a bit better. He still sneezes, but not so bad now.

Note that the first one I ordered online came in a Romanian language bottle (I think - Google Translate couldn't quite make it out, but it was the closest match), but the second one was in English. The English one says you can give it directly (but it is a complementary food). I guess the Romanian one said the same, but I didn't pick up on that!

[Thevet]

Were the cats vaccinated?

[Simpo Two]

Thevet said:

Were the cats vaccinated?

Mine isn't - but she never goes to a cattery; if I'm away I organise kindly neighbours look after her.

[tribbles]

Simpo Two said:

Thevet said:

Were the cats vaccinated?

Mine isn't - but she never goes to a cattery; if I'm away I organise kindly neighbours look after her.

Mine are!

Just need rallye's reply now!

[Thevet]

And then there will be a reasonable number for data analysis!! Cat flu is primarily a disease caused by feline herpesvirus and calicivirus, ther are other bugs that cause flu like symptoms just as with us pathetic humans, but simple prevention of the nastiest ones is a no-brainer, let's here the conspiracies but vaccination is magnificent, it uses nature's own defence system to protect us and our pals. If your cat or dog can come into contact with others of the same species, they are at risk of contracting diseases specific to that species. My wife's cats never went out, but we had an outbreak of cat flu 15-20 years ago..... she said that she didn't want vaccinations every year as the "internet" vibe was that it was unnecessary for housebound cats. That ended well with a dead litter or two and a number of arguments. Now, vaccination is done and there is no more flu based loss.
Anyway, genuine cat flu can be stopped by vaccination, but there are still bugs that can cause significant upper respiratory infections (just like people) but without laboratory evidence of what caused the original problem, we don't know if vaccination would have helped because we don't know if it was cat flu or just a non-descript version of cat cold.