Do Cats Get Colds Or Flu

He points to reports of H1N1 found in cats in the United States.

Do cats get colds or flu. In fact they can develop a wide variety of viral and bacterial respiratory infections. But it can be serious and even fatal in kittens and adult cats with underlying illnesses so its important to get your pet to the vet. Just like people cats can get colds.

Cat colds are usually caused by a virus. Symptoms of cat flu. Cat colds are usually diagnosed as an Upper Respiratory Infection.

People cant catch cat flu and cats cant catch human colds or influenza viruses. Its very common in cats and kittens and is usually caused by either the feline herpes virus FHV or feline calicivirus FCV. The virus is present in saliva tears and nasal secretions and spread through contact between cats.

As with human colds there are several viruses that can cause it. Human colds are caused by the rhinovirus and are host specific. Cat flu does cause cold-like symptoms with a runny congested nose that can make your cat snuffle and sneeze a fever drooling and red watery eyes.

So if your cat is sneezing and coughing or has a fever or loss of appetite it may well be suffering from cat flu. These viruses produces symptoms similar to the common cold in humans. Cat Flu is used to describe the cold or flu-like symptoms that accompany an infection of the upper respiratory tract in cats.

Your cat might also avoid moving around as much if she has cat flu as it can cause muscle and joint pain. The virus attaches to cells in the respiratory tract of felines similarly to how it does in humans says Weese. These are dangerous to the cat and can be fatal.