Cat Flu: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

Cats are pets that humans love to raise, and cats may be infected with many diseases, the most famous of which is cat flu, which affects the respiratory system in cats and is dangerous if not diagnosed early and the necessary treatment is provided, after which the symptoms gradually decrease and the virus is cured. This disease is not dangerous for healthy cats that do not suffer from weak immunity, and it poses a danger if the cat’s immunity is weak or old.

Cat flu can be noticed through the appearance of some symptoms such as runny nose, coughing, high temperature, lethargy, and other symptoms. There are several reasons that are a major factor in contracting cat flu, such as various viruses and types of bacteria. Here is a comprehensive guide from teketrek، to the symptoms, treatment, and prevention of cat flu. 

Definition of cat flu and its causes

Cat flu, or what is known as cat flu, is a viral disease that affects the upper respiratory system of cats and causes several symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, eye inflammation, and throat. The cause of this disease is viruses and bacteria surrounding the cat. There are several causes of cat flu, which are as follows:

Secondary herpes virus

It is one of the most common causes of cat flu. This virus is transmitted through saliva and nasal or eye secretions and can be easily transmitted from one point to another. Its symptoms appear in fever, sneezing, ulcers in the eyes and tongue, and loss of appetite. This virus poses a great danger to pregnant cats and leads to the death of the fetus. Cats get a cold due to this virus by 80%. Calicivirus in cats

This virus is transmitted from one point to another due to direct contact with it or through the spread of the virus in the air. Symptoms of this virus appear in fever, secretions from the eyes, nose, drooling, severe loss of appetite, and the presence of ulcers in the mouth. Pneumonia also appears if the virus is severe. This virus poses a great danger, as after cats recover, they can become carriers of the infection and transmit it to other cats, despite not showing symptoms again. Vaccinated cats do not show symptoms of the virus, but they are carriers of the virus and can transmit it.

Chlamydia

This is a type of bacteria. Cats rarely get a cold because of this bacteria. Among the symptoms caused by this bacteria are severe secretions from the nose and eyes with redness in the eyes, but this type of bacteria usually does not pose a great danger like other viruses.

Bordetella

This is a type of bacteria similar to chlamydia in symptoms, but it may be more advanced than it, as it causes damage to the cat’s chest and respiratory system. This bacteria may cause the death of cats.

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How influenza is transmitted between cats

When a cat is infected with the virus, the virus particles are quickly transmitted through the nasal and eye secretions, and through saliva. When any other cat is exposed to these viral particles, the disease is quickly transmitted to it, and there are symptoms that appear on it.

Symptoms and warning signs of cat flu

There are several symptoms that appear on the cat that suggest that it has cat flu, and these symptoms must be paid close attention to in order to diagnose them early and save them before it is too late. These symptoms appear two weeks after the cat is infected with the virus, including the following:

Runny nose.

Sore throat.

Eye ulcers.

Sneezing.

Loss of voice.

Difficulty breathing.

Fever.

Laziness of the cat.

There are several complications that appear on cats, such as a permanent runny nose due to inflammation of the nasal lining. These complications usually appear when cats are infected with a virus because the cat will carry it in its body for life even if the symptoms disappear.

How to diagnose cat flu

When noticing any of the symptoms we mentioned above, you should visit the veterinarian immediately. The doctor will then perform several tests to find out the reason for these symptoms and will scan the cat and send it to the laboratory to find out the type of virus strain that caused the cat’s cold. After that, he will prescribe the appropriate treatment for the cat.

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The best methods of treatment and dealing with infected cats

If it is proven that the cat has the flu, the doctor will prescribe treatment to alleviate the symptoms. These treatments include the following:

Anti-inflammatories that alleviate the symptoms.

Antibiotics in case the symptoms of the cold are severe in cats.

Lubricants and eye drops to avoid eye ulcers, which can cause loss of vision.

If the cat has a severe loss of appetite and is unable to eat, it is preferable to be admitted and treated in the hospital.

Methods of prevention and vaccination against cat flu

It may be difficult to prevent infection with cat flu because it is quickly transmitted from infected cats to other cats through a cold or the cat moving in a place where the virus or bacteria that causes influenza are prevalent, but caution may be taken and precautions by not mixing the cat with other new cats until at least two weeks have passed. If there are no symptoms apparent on the new cat, then you can mix your cat with it because there are cats that carry the virus and its symptoms do not appear until two weeks later.

The cat must be fed the required vaccines against feline herpes virus and calicivirus, because these two types are among the most dangerous types of viruses that cause influenza, and when the cat is exposed to one of them, they remain in the cat’s body for life.

Conclusion 

Cat flu is one of the serious diseases that affect cats if it is not diagnosed and treated quickly because this disease spreads quickly among cats and may cause the death of many cats, so you must notice the symptoms we mentioned and prevent the cat from mixing with other cats so as not to transmit the virus to others, and do not worry because cat flu is not transmitted to humans, and you must visit the doctor when any symptom appears on the cat.