Gently stroking and talking to cats at rescue centers prevents upper respiratory infections

Shelter worker adopts shelter cat

You might not have heard of the words. I certainly hadn’t until today. They are “gentling” and to be “gentled”. Gentling is the action of stroking a cat gently and talking to them equally gently. It is the kind of thing that a rescue centre worker would want to do naturally because it is …

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What antibiotics are used for upper respiratory infections in cats?

Haw (cat)

The question in the title incorrectly presupposes that the cat has a secondary bacterial infection. The question is jumping the gun because bacteria might not be the cause of the cat’s symptoms. Initially, upper respiratory infections (URIs) in cats are normally caused by two viral groups: herpesvirus and calicivirus. Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses. …

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How badly things can go wrong when young kittens don’t receive timely care for an upper respiratory infection

This horror story details how badly things can go wrong when young kittens don’t receive timely care for an upper respiratory infection. It comes from Kellie Wester, a feral cat rescuer from the Raleigh, North Carolina area. Not only does Kellie practice TNR, she also rehomes many cats who are friendly and has a …

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Alleviating the symptoms of cat upper respiratory infections

Why are there very few medicines to alleviate the symptoms of upper respiratory infections (URIs) in cats? I can’t find any with which we are familiar. The advice is to wipe the eyes with most cotton balls as often as required, and keep your cat hydrated and warm. Is there much else we can …

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My cat has an upper respiratory infection and loss of appetite, please help

by Tracey (England) Hi, I have a 12yr old male cat who has just spent 2 nights at the vets on a drip. He has been home a couple of days but will not eat or drink anything so he is becoming weaker. I have him on antibiotics but am frightened of losing him…help? …

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Comparing domestic cat viral and bacterial infections using tables

Comparing viral and bacterial disease affecting domestic cats

Let’s compare viral and bacterial diseases affecting domestic cats. Here’s a concise table highlighting the key differences. The sources are many veterinary websites and other authoritative websites (see base of page). Sorry but you’ll have to turn your smartphones horizontally to see the 2nd and 3rd tables width-wise. This is a coding issue and …

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Is this new Chinese respiratory disease affecting children serious and zoonotic?

Langya virus

I would think that some people are a little concerned about the news from China of hospitals being overwhelmed with sick children after a surge in respiratory illnesses. It sounds a bit like Covid-19 all over again. And as you know, Covid-19 is a zoonosis which means it’s a disease which humans caught from …

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