Is my new cat's URI contagious? Should I separate her from my cat?

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.

Your cat should not be infectious at this point although the new kitten may have been exposed to another strain of upper respiratory infection so either cat could develop a mild respiratory infection again. This is like kids going to school and being exposed to viruses from the other kids. Regardless of when you adopt this could happen so go ahead and adopt the new kitten. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Blue.

That is definitely suspicious, because they can share certain upper respiratory diseases. If the vet did not find a foreign body, then hopefully they would be treating for infection. This would be good information to pass along to your mother's vet. Also, Ginger should see the vet. The infections that are passed from dogs to cats are bacterial, so this will require antibiotics to clear the infection. I hope that helps and Ginger gets better soon.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Viruses can be contagious, especially if the healthy cat is unvaccinated. It is always best to keep a new cat separate from your other cat for about 2 weeks (most viruses show up in 7-10 days) and if Sifu is sick I would definitely separate them until Sifu is feeling better. Monitor Sifu, and if he isn't eating/drinking or is having trouble breathing then have him back to the vet. Once he is feeling better then get him vaccinated and then introduce the two. A cage in the same room won't separate the viruses, ideally, they would be in separate rooms where the water from the sneezing won't be inhaled by your healthy cat. Best of luck with them!

Upper respiratory infections are very contagious and so it is very likely that your older cat caught the bug. The gulping is likely her response to drainage of mucous down the back of her throat, this is also common in people. I would recommend getting Bibi Noor seen by your vet to get on a short course of antibiotics to treat her secondary infection and hopefully get her feeling well soon! Best of luck to you and your furry friend. Take care.

At this point, it is likely too late to separate them. Have the kitten examined by your veterinarian and treated for a respiratory infection if diagnosed. Monitor your older cat for symptoms and have him or her treated if necessary.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cats. I suspect that your adult cat has caught the upper respiratory tract infection from the kitten. A lot of cats can clear the infection on their own. However, if he loses his appetite, becomes lethargic or the symptoms are not resolving, then he will need to see his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!