My new cat has flu. Can I vaccinate him and protect my other cat?

I'm assuming that your cat has an upper respiratory virus like herpesvirus or calicivirus. It is fine to vaccinate cats who have been already infected, especially since this is typically a combination vaccine that covers other viruses as well. There is some evidence that the intranasal vaccine could lessen the severity of signs in a cat who is having an outbreak, but if your cat is already infected the vaccine will not cure him. If you introduced another cat and Frank became symptomatic again (i.e. sneezing, watery eyes or nasal discharge) the new cat could catch the disease. That being said, these viruses are extremely common and many kittens have been exposed even before they are vaccinated. If you are concerned you could always consider adopting an older cat who already has been vaccinated.

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!

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.

Cat Flu is a general term that refers to an upper respiratory infection. In kittens, the biggest causes are usual one of a couple of different viruses that will go away with the infection. One of the viruses (herpes virus) will stay latent in the body and may come out again during times of stress. However, most cats have this virus already, so it's not standard for us to recommend isolation for the rest of kittenhood based on a history of cat flu. I would double-check the reason for the recommendation. I suspect there was something else going on with that case. The kitten should not be contagious if there were no signs of infection when you got her. Outside cats pose a risk of transmitting FIV and FeLV, which both affect the immune system and can be quite severe in kittens. I'm assuming that's why they recommended her not to go outside. From what you've described, I don't think you have much to worry about. Shelters commonly adopt out kittens with a history of cat flu and it's rarely a problem. Again, I think it's worth talking to the Vet at the SPCA. Sometimes the staff do not fully understand the situation and may have not explained this well enough. I hope that helps and you enjoy the new kitten. It's always great to see people adopting, so good on you.

If your cat isn't vaccinated against Calicivirus, then yes Kovu can get it. Make sure his vaccines are up to date, and should reduce the symptoms should your cat acquire the virus from this foster cat. How lovely of you to want to take this foster cat in!

At this point, it will not help to vaccinate the other cats because they've already been exposed to the virus - all it would do, would be to weaken their immune system. It won't provide protection quickly enough to be of any use. I agree that cleaning and disinfecting the house is a good idea, as well as keeping the infected cat isolated from the others. In 2-3 weeks, you could talk to your veterinarian about vaccinating the other cats if they still aren't showing any symptoms.

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.