What's wrong with my cat? Gunky eyes, nose & ears

[crimplene]

We've had our cat for 2 months from the RSPCA, he's 9 months old and very lovely. They told us he'd had cat flu whilst in the cattery and he had gunky eyes when we picked got him and I assued that it might be the tail end of the cat flu.

His eyes have been persistently gunky (just more brown goop in the corners than I would expect, but not red or irritated). In the last week there's a slight brown crustiness in the end of one of his nostrils and this evening I noticed some brown crustiness inside his outer ears. I picked the brown bits out of his ears thinking they were just stray bits of wax, but they turn out the be scabs over slightly reddish areas.

Do I need to get him to a vet? Does anyone know what it might be? I've never owned a cat before.

Yes need to go to a vet. Sounds like cat flu still.

OK will take him tomorrow. But can he really have it for over 2 months? He seems very well and cheerful otherwise

Yes they can have it for life - they can be carriers of it sadly. Some show mild signs all the time, others more serious signs, some are well most of the time and just get occasional issues with it.

Best get the vet to check to be on the safe side. Scabby ears is not a typical sign of cat flu! The eye discharge also does not sound typical either. Hopefully the vet can tell you more when they check the cat. So long as he is eating and happy then no need to rush him in though.

One of my cats caught cat flu at a cattery (despite being vaccinated ) it flares up periodically and now will do for life.

If he has crusty eyes (brown with occasional bits of blood) de-flea him

Also the brown with sores underneath in his ears can me mites - the vet gave me drops for our cat (I nearly said they were for me)

Will be the cat flu and a possible infection of the eyes as a result.

Once a cat has cat flu, it will flare up periodically, especially after a big move. All you can do is bathe his eyes once it starts up.

He will need a course of antibiotics and eye drops to clear it up.

I'm not sure but RSPCA may pay vet fees as a result of a pre-existing condition...some rescue centres do.

cat flu is a virus, antibiotics do nothing for it per se. They are only indicated when there is concurrent bacterial infection. Most cases of cat flu will not require this.