Will my vaccinated cat get sick fostering a cat with Calicivirus?

I recommend getting a cat when you no longer live with your current roommate and her cat. As many of half of all cats with calicivirus infection may continue to shed calicivirus particles intermittently or constantly for several months or for a lifetime. As calicivirus is extremely contagious through either direct contact with an infected cat/cat shedding viral particles, breathing the same air as an infected/carrier state/shedding cat, or contact with contaminated objects such as food bowls and toys, it would definitely be best to wait and to be sure that your new cat/kitten receives all required boosters of the FVRCP vaccine as well as the rabies vaccine early on. Good luck!

Once a cat is exposed to calicivirus, it will go through an incubation period of 2-6 days before developing clinical signs which typically last for 14-21 days. During this entire time, the cat will potentially be infectious to other cats. At a minimum, infected cats will shed virus in their bodily secretions for 2-3 weeks. Following apparent recovery from the disease, as many as half of all infected cats may develop a carrier state in which they will continue to shed the virus. In some of these cats the carrier state may only last for a few months, but in a small percentage of cats the carrier state may persist for life. Carrier cats may or may not show any signs of infection when they are actively shedding calicivirus and serve as an important source of infection to susceptible cats. I would say it would not be safe for you to bring the kitten home for at least one month. I would also recommend re-vaccinating your old cat with the FVRCP vaccine if it has not been given in the last 6 months to boost his immunity.

It is true that if she has the virus, the vaccination is not likely to help much, but it is still recommended to vaccinate her as the vaccination will protect her from other diseases. There is unfortunately no known effective treatment for calicivirus, when it flares up it is recommended that the vet pute Fluffy on antibiotics and anti inflammatories.

1. Yes, Sifu can and should be vaccinated since the vaccine for the cat respiratory viruses (herpes and caliciviruses) also covers the panleukopenia virus. While some cats will continue to have intermittent symptoms of respiratory viruses others do not so it’s possible that Sifu will completely ‘recover’. 2. Routine cleaning should eliminate the virus from your room, so it should be okay to move Panda back. Cats can continue to shed virus even after their clinical signs are gone so I typically recommend waiting at least two weeks after clinical signs are gone to introduce Sifu and Panda. You should consider getting Panda vaccinated as well.

It is true that Zara could spread calicivirus to another susceptible cat, but if your friend's cat is over one year old, then I would not worry about it. It is highly unlikely that a cat over a year will contract calicivirus, because most cats are naturally immune by that age. It is even less likely if your friend's cat has been vaccinated. If your friend's cat is under a year old, then it's possible that it could contract calicivirus from Zara, but it's not a given. Again, it will be less likely if the cat is vaccinated. If your friend's cat is a vaccinated kitten, then I would not be concerned about Zara giving it calicivirus. I hope that helps and all goes well for Zara.

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.

How lovely of you to foster this young cat! It's great that Cleo is up to date on her vaccines, which will help minimize her risk. Given that this new cat is potentially showing signs of herpes, you should isolate her from Cleo while she is symptomatic. Make sure this new cat has her own litter box, food, and water bowls, and be sure to keep them clean. You might try a humidifier in the new cat's room to help her if she has any congestion. Make sure she is as rested as possible, and gently warm really smelly wet food if her appetite goes down. When cats can't smell their food, they won't eat, which is why I recommend gently warming the food. Once her symptoms are clear, it's fine to allow her near Cleo. I hope this helps!