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Upper Respiratory Infection in Cats(URI)
Infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by multiple pathogens including herpesvirus and calicivirus, commonly known as 'cat flu'. More severe in kittens and immunocompromised cats.
Vet Supervised
Symptoms
- Sneezing
- Nasal discharge
- Eye discharge
- Fever
- Decreased appetite
- Mouth ulcers (calicivirus)
Related Symptom Pages
Causes
- Feline herpesvirus-1
- Feline calicivirus
- Chlamydia
- Bordetella
- Mycoplasma
Diagnosis
1
Clinical diagnosis
2
PCR testing
3
Virus isolation
4
Conjunctival swabs
Treatment
- Supportive care (eye/nasal drops)
- Antibiotics (secondary infection prevention)
- Fluid therapy
- Nutritional support
- Nebulization therapy
Prognosis
Most adult cats recover within 1-3 weeks, but herpesvirus remains latent lifelong and may recur with stress.
Severity: Medium
Prevention
- Core vaccination (FVRCP)
- Quarantine period for new cats
- Hygiene in multi-cat environments
- Stress reduction
Commonly Affected Breeds
Epidemiology
Age Range
Most severe in kittens and young cats
Prevalence
Up to 50% infection rate in shelter environments