Can my cat's upper respiratory infection spread to my ferret?

The distemper vaccine is against feline rhinotrachetis and calicivirus (feline herpes virus type I) which are responsible for 80-90% of infectious feline upper respiratory tract diseases. But that means there are still 10-20% of upper respiratory infections that can be caused by other things such as bacteria and viruses. It may be Alani has a respiratory infection from one of those. I would have her seen by a vet. The vet can confirm if she has a respiratory infection, and can prescribe medication to help her. I can give you some things to try at home as well, but they should not take the place of seeing the vet. First, you can try starting her on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. I hope this helps!

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is an undesirable situation to be in when adopting a new kitten. You did the right thing by leaving kitty there becuase upper respiratory infections are highly contagious. However, if your cats are up to date on their FVRCP vaccine, this greatly reduces the chances of them getting ill also. There is a small chance that the virus can survive on fomite objects, but typically it is spread through direct contact or through aerosolized droplets from oral secretions, similar to the flu or common cold. You can change your clothing just to be safe, before coming in contact with your cats and home and just wash your clothing as you normally would, and monitor your cats for any symptoms. However, like I said, there is a low chance of transmission this way. Upper respiratory infections are very common in cats, so once the kitty is free of illness, wait about 10 days before considering adopting him. He also should be up to date on his vaccinations. Once a cat gets infected, they are likely to get re-infected in the future and have upper airway issues as an adult. I hope this helps and best wishes with your prospect kitty. Take care.

That is a great question. Upper respiratory infections in cats are highly contagious. If one of your friends has a sick cat at their home, they can spread the infection to your cat if they have any contamination on their hands or clothes. Your cat can also contract an infection if they are in close enough contact to any outdoor cats that are sick, such as a sick cat sneezing near your open window, etc. You can picture children on a school setting and how easy it is to spread a virus...it is the same with cats.

If Oscar is a dog then it is very, very unlikely that he could contract a respiratory infection from Sylvester. Most upper respiratory infections in cats are caused by feline herpesvirus or calicivirus which are not contagious to dogs, however occasionally there are some bacteria that might be contagious to dogs. Ask your vet if you are concerned.

Ferrets cannot contract infectious diseases from people. So you not have to worry that you have passed anything on to them. However, they are susceptible to a number of their own infectious diseases and, depending on their vaccine status may be infected with distemper virus (https://www.petcoach.co/article/canine-distemper-in-ferrets-cause-prevention-and-vaccines/). This disease is almost always fatal in ferrets. If your ferrets are unvaccinated, it is very important that you take your ferrets to see the veterinarian. Unfortunately, there is nothing you will be able to do for them at home and they will certainly need veterinary medical care.

Most upper respiratory infections are species specific, meaning that cats can't transmit them to dogs (and vice-versa) - so it's unlikely that your dog would be able to catch this infection from the kitten. But if she does, it should be easily treated with medication from your veterinarian. If Raven continues to have runny eyes, or develops squinting, redness, or other signs of a problem, I would recommend taking her to the vet for a check-up. If needed, the vet can prescribe antibiotic eye drops or oral antibiotics for her to help get things cleared up :)

This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a gengivostomatitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.