Feline Flu caused by Influenza Viruses.

It is cold in some countries right now and there is a general experience of flu in this region, while humans are concerned about keeping themselves safe from flu at a time like this, it is essential to also look out for the safety of our pets, as cats can also stand a chance of catching the flu.

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Cats can get infected with the influenza viruses, the influenza virus is transmittable from one cat to another, it is an illness that can affect both kittens and adult cats alike. Experts say that the flu virus spreads in cats the same way it does in humans, the virus spreads through direct contact with other cats during their snuggling period or while playing, air droplets which could come from coughing, sneezing, or certain type of discharge. Cats can also contract flu by coming in contact with the item of an infected cat item like; shared bowls shared cages or other items.

Cat flu is a general name for the description of upper respiratory infections, caused by feline viruses and bacterial infections, the infection as in humans, mostly affects the nose and the throat. Age factor or breed differences is not a clear factor to differentiate the type of cat that the flu would affect, this is because cats can affect all ages and breeds. When cats have flu in most cases, it is usually viral and seriously contagious.

Sometimes, pet owners get scared that they may transfer the flu to their pets or have their pet transfer the flu to them, but that is not a possibility because there is a difference between the virus affecting humans and the flu affecting cats. So, cats can only infect one another or get infected through other animals occasionally. Causes of cat flu are;

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Feline herpesvirus (FHV-1), Feline calicivirus (FCV), these two happen to be the most common ones but definitely, that is not all, as we have other ones like; Mycoplasma, Bordetella, and Feline chlamydiosis. I have mentioned that every cat regardless of age or breed could experience cat flu, but cats that exist in batteries and shelters where cats are in close quarters with one another, spreading the virus through nasal/eye secretion and saliva.

The symptoms of cat flu are; fever, eye ulcer, runny nose, sneezing, mouth ulcers, coughing, appetite loss, eye discharge, lethargy, eye ulcer, and difficulty breathing. An infected cat can grow to develop secondary bacterial infections that come with more severe symptoms that can cause pneumonia and damage from eye ulcers.

Whenever you notice your cat has flu, take him/her to the vet before you begin to try any homemade recipe. When you get your cat to the vet, there will be a series of tests carried out in order to rule out other existing conditions, as some symptoms of cat flu could come off as being similar to some other cat health conditions like; cat asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other existing respiratory conditions. Vets would occasionally have to send swabs to the lab in order to confirm the presence of viral strains that may be causing the symptoms.

Normally, cats with flu would recover within 5-10 days, but in more severe cases, recovery would take around 6 weeks, how long the flu stays is related closely to the type of bacterial infection or viral infection that is causing them. However, when a cat has feline herpesvirus, they would most likely carry it around for the rest of their lives, the cats with the feline herpesvirus, are faced with ongoing health problems and it is easy for them to catch other bacterial infections.

After diagnosis and the presence of cat flu have been confirmed, the available treatment options are;

Medications: Antibiotics are usually the most prescribed medications to help fight off infection, and inflammatories are prescribed as well to help lower the fever. Mucolytic is a described medication for when the cat has difficulty breathing due to a runny nose, this medicine could help clear the airways and take off mucus. Eye drops could be prescribed to help heal irritated sore eyes.

Home remedy: Home remedy options are other options for treating cat flu, but it is best to visit a pet first in order to eliminate the presence of other health conditions. The cat's experienced symptoms may make them lose appetitive, you may need to give them more special treats like sardines, fish, roast chicken, etc, there may also be other prescribed special meals by vets that would make your vet feel better.

You need to help your cat out by gently wiping away discharge from its nose and eyes when you realize one, saltwater on a damp cloth is a good way to wipe away the discharge. The presence of steam helps to break mucus apart, so it could be a great idea to let your cat in while you take a shower.

If I were a cat owner, I would surely be very concerned about how I could protect my cat from catching the flu, and the best way to get through that is to get them vaccinated against the virus that would turn around to cause cat flu. Your cat would be given two flu vaccines by a professional vet certainly, then followed by booster shots all through their life. Vaccination is important but the thing is, it may not be able to stop your cat from catching the flu but certainly, it would help keep them from developing certain symptoms.

Let's check out some of the home remedy options for a cat flu patient;

Strong-smelling, strong food, as the cat flu can affect the smell sense of the cat and sore throat that will make eating so uncomfortable, so meals that are soft and have a strong smell, may encourage the cat to eat more.

Having a humidifier close to your cat or having them in the bathroom with you while they shower, as I mentioned earlier, will permit the steam to open their nasal passages.

In conclusion, your lovely cat having flu is certainly not a death sentence, you just need to speak with your vet as early as you can, and both of you would have to agree to go ahead with the treatment procedure to work based on the recommendations from the vet.