Indoor cat with a cold

[pinkandsparklytoo]

I am looking after my mum's cat while she is in a nursing home (hopefully not for long) and she seems to have a cold. I have two cats of my own who go outside but I don't let her out. Today I have noticed her sneezing a lot and am unsure what to do. I've never known a cat have a cold before.

Is she fully vaccinated and been boostered regularly for cat flu? It sounds as if it could be that - and I know from my own family that some older people with house cats stop preventative meds as they think house cats won't get exposed to any nasties. (Same with flea and worm treatment.)

What are her nose and eyes like? Any discharges or a wet nose?

She might be a cat flu carrier. If she had cat flu as a younger cat/kitten it can flare up every so often in the form of snotty nose/runny eyes. I would definitely take her to the vets and get her checked out. Are your own cats vaccinated?

I don't know if she is up to date on vaccinations. My mum probably didn't bother because she never went outside. I'll have to ring her tomorrow and find out.

I would book an appointment with your own vet as well and also ask your mother about worm and flea treatments. (She may not have bothered about those either.) I was uncertain about Seniorboy's vaccination status when he came to me from my Mom so I started again and have boosted him to schedule ever since.

He's got residual cat flu and gets sneezy/snottery every so often and the vet sometimes medicates him if he gets infections as a result. (He's pretty old now.) How old is your Mum's girl?

Oh - and WeeSleekit makes a good point. Are your own cats up to date with shots and worm/flea treatment?

PS - if your Mum can't remember or is a bit - maybe - defensive about the flea and worm treatments (or lack of), I would just get her in anyway and explain the situation to your vet. She would be able to get clinical records from your Mum's vet if you know who that is; and in any case, would be able to judge on flea and worm treatments simply by knowing how long your Mum has been in a nursing home.

I do appreciate that you might not want to press your Mum too hard for information because it might unsettle her to think that her cat has got any sort of problem. Don't worry though. Your vet will have come across many situations like this I'm sure - and will advise you.

I know she kept on top of the fleas and worming. She did initially have two cats but my friend looked after them for me when my mum first went into hospital and one of them managed to get out and disappeared. My mum went into hospital last April for an operation that went wrong. I've had the cat here for two months or so.

Ah - then her cat is due flea and worm treatment anyway. I'd maybe try, gently, to find out about the vaccinations - but make an appointment for the cat with the vet anyway. (It would just be a question of what was needed when you got there.)

So sorry about your Mum. Quite a strain for you keeping things going while she's in the home.