Found sick stray cat. Can I transmit illness to my unvaccinated cats?

Your male cat would probably not get any diseases that need to be treated by antibiotics from touching her. The main conditions that can spread between cats are worms, coccidia, Giardia, herpes, fleas, feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus. If possible, I do recommend to have her dewormed, apply a flea prevention and checked for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus if you are going to let the cats interact. Monitor your male cat very closely for any changes in behavior, coughing, sneezing, runny eyes or nose, vomiting or diarrhea. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

Hi there and thanks for posting! It is hard to say exactly what the lesion above the stray cat's eye may be without examining it first, but some possibilities may include a bite wound or abscess, bacterial infection, or a fungal infection such as ringworm which can be contagious. You may want to call your local animal control and let them know about the stray cat around your area. Perhaps they may be able to get the cat seen by a veterinarian for treatment and also to have the cat scanned for a microchip (if it has one) which may provide information about its owner. Until more information can be found out about the stray cat, I would recommend limiting your cat's contact with the stray. I hope this helps!

Your cat should be fine. Most diseases and parasites need more direct contact and since she only touched the stray cat for a short time and washed her hands there should not be anything left for her to give to your cat. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you Noushmc.

Yes there is a chance that you can carry the disease back home. If your cats are vaccinated against Calicivirus, Herpesvirus and Panleucopenia virus (and eventually Leukemia virus as well), the risk of infection should be basically none. To minimize the risk I would recommend to wash your hands/arms and clothes before getting in contact with your cats again when you are back home. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Yes, you need to keep your cat separated from the kitten. Parasites, Felv/FIV viruses or the respiratory infection could all spread to the adult cat. Make sure to wash your hands and change any clothes that came in contact with the kitten after you handle him to lessen the chance of contamination. If you cannot locate the owner and the kitten is sick, have it examined by the veterinarian so that it doesn't get worse. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Unfortunately, without a physical exam, this cannot be determined. The discharge may be due to bacterial or viral infection and the black may be dirt or debris. An exam with your veterinarian would be needed to diagnose any infection or medical conditions. The safest option would be to keep him/her separated from other cats and wash your hands before and after handling the kitten.