Has anyone’s cat had bad flu, please?

[Anothernamechange3]

My beautiful Birman started hiding/sleeping loads and was off her food. At first I put it down to the hot weather but it became apparent she was really poorly early last week. We’ve had 3 trips to the vet, she thankfully started eating a tiny bit on Friday, which avoided another trip/possible stay at the vets but she’s still eating minuscule amounts and I don’t think she’s pooed in ages. She’s lots a lot of weight, and her inner eyelids are partially closed. She’s had antibiotics and painkillers. She’s not getting worse and seems slightly brighter than she was but she’s still so poorly. Really snuffly nose/breathing and when she tries to eat/drink it sets off sneezes/mucus gets dislodged.

Has anyone had similar with their cat please, and reassure me that she will get/is getting better and it’s just a slow road? I will be ringing the vet again tomorrow

Hi. Yes my cat had really bad cat flu a couple of years ago.
It started with his 3rd eyelids up. Took him to vet the same day. Antibiotics. 2 days later he started with the most awful diarrhoea which lasted for 4 weeks. That was caused by a nasty bacterial infection, then a few days later full blown cat flu, although he is fully vaccinated, never missed his boosters but it still got him.
It took him about 3 weeks to recover. I don't know whether the 3 were connected, but it was bad.
He's fine now, no lasting symptoms.
I hope your girl recovers quickly.

__

Sorry about the awful photos, but this is the reality of cat flu.

Obviously I cleaned his eyes and face up each time, but I took these to send to the vet.

Thank you @Clarich007, your poor cat, I’m glad he recovered. Awful for him that it took 3 weeks but that has helped me not worry as much at about 9 days in. It’s horrible seeing them so ill, I just wish she’d eat a little more to build her strength up.

Our cat had flu as a newborn kitten, before we got him. The rescue lady said at one point she didn't think he would survive the car journey to the vet. He's 5 and totally fine now.

Wishing your puss a speedy recovery 💐

I should add, he's been totally fine the whole time we've had him and we adopted him at 5 months!

Just realised I might have made it sound like it took him 5 years to recover in my post above!

Hope she recovers quickly. I have a birman and they’re beautiful cats. Does yours go outside, just wondering where she caught it from. Mine hasn’t had vaccines as he’s a house cat but now I’m wondering if he should have them.

I previously had a normal moggy and he was just recovering from cat flu when I adopted him. He really felt quite sorry for himself and needed lots of eye cleaning but he recovered well.

Hi yes she is a house cat but does go out (for about 5 minutes before she comes back in to sleep) in our tiny yard which is completely enclosed by walls. The vet did seem confused as to where she had picked it up.

I pleased to hear of these cats that have made a full recovery.

All 3 of my cats had cat flu during the height of Covid. It started with one of them going down with it and within a week all 3 had it. They were all pretty poorly with several vet visits each which was horrible as I had to hand them over at the door as wasn't allowed in with them and they are really nervous cats.

They all made a full, but slow, recovery. I stupidly assumed that if they were vaccinated they couldn't get cat flu but I now know this isn't the case.

I'm sure your cat will come through this ok with lots of rest.

I thought the same Icequeen. I was, surprised when he still got cat flu

@Clarich007

looks like your telephone number on your cat. I've reported the pic for you .

I hope she recovers soon Anothernamechange.
It is a slow process. Because he couldn't breathe well or smell much, I gave him strong smelling foods, sardines that sort of thing. I also gave them 10 seconds in the microwave. He lived on poached chicken and fresh salmon plus his own food for the vitamins etc.
Don't be too alarmed if his eyelids take a while to go back to normal either.
He slept such a lot too, just getting out of his cat basket to use his litter tray.
This is a big tough street lad who never uses a tray even in winter. There is always one down. I bonestky thought he was going to die at one point.
💐

Oops Jennalong. Thank you. I didn't notice.

I have asked for the photos to be removed. Thanks Jennalong

My friends' cat got cat flu a few days before his annual jab. He was so ill. The worse thing was that he would try and hide away outside, even when it was raining. As well as antibiotics and metacam, the vet prescribed a decongestant (a powder to put on his food) and eye drops. We had to restrain him to get the eye drops in but they definitely helped them look less bloodshot. He recovered after about a week I think. Hope your Birman makes a similar recovery!

Hi, well it’s been about 2.5 weeks now and she’s still so poorly, still barely eating and has gone from 3.8 to 2.7 kg. If she doesn’t eat tonight I think she’ll be hospitalised tomorrow for more tests, a feeding tube and possibly an ultrasound. I’m so worried I just want her back to her old self.

She’s just hiding under the bed and comes out for water about once a day. When I picked her up yesterday to give her antibiotic she sicked up 3 fur balls. I was hoping she’d feel like eating after that but she’s even less interested in food than she was a couple of days ago. Is it at all likely that a feeding tube will build her strength and kick start her appetite again? I’m starting to lose hope that she’ll get better 😞

This is her when she’s well she’s so lovely

Poor puss. I hope she's soon better. (And she's lovely.)

Looking back it's been about 2 weeks not 2.5 so hopefully she'll start recovering soon-ish.

Ahh, poor girl. I hope she gets better soon, she's beautiful.

I'm so sorry to hear she is still unwell. It sounds like hospitalisation may be the best thing. Hopefully they can get her stabilised and she will feel better in herself and start to eat. I can only imagine how anxious you must be feeling right now. Please let us know how she gets on.

Do let us know how she gets on. Do hope the vets make her all better