If you are a cat lover or you have a feline friend as a pet, it is needless to say how much care and affection they get from you. They are jolly, want to play around, and always want to stay around you. But when you see something out of the blue like they are not in their usual state playing around or eating nothing, not even their favorite food, it is normal for you to freak out. But that is unless you are accustomed to their illness and behavior, or have cats for years.
As a beginner, I did not know what to do when my kitten did not eat anything all day and was continuously sneezing. What I had to do was type all the symptoms on google and something like that. Since cats are very sensitive to colds and it can kill them, I wanted to get the cure as soon as possible. She has now recovered and gone back to being healthy. However, for those who are still not familiar with it, I wish to be a source of help even if it’s a little.
Can cats get cold? How can you know if your cat has a cold and what are the symptoms? In case of that, what should you do? These questions are very common among cat owners. Let’s get into it and see what can you do to help your cat fight the cold.
Can cats get Cold?
Of course, they can. They are mammals and has a similar respiratory system as a human. If humans can get a cold, cats can also. The question is how do they get cold? We, humans, get cold, runny, or stuffy noses due to virus attacks. Cats also get their cold from the virus that affects them. If your cat gets in contact with other cats that have a cold, your one can get it through their sneezing.
Cat Cold symptoms
There are some specific symptoms from which you can be sure if your feline friend got a cold or not. The most common ones are:
- Coughing and sneezing
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue and would sleep more than they do
- Runny nose
- Stuffy nose that leads to mouth breathing
- Dehydration
Before noticing some of these symptoms, you may notice their sneezing being the first symptom to show. Within a day, other symptoms will show up. If not treated or getting well all alone, the damage can be serious leading them to have pneumonia or infection.
How to help them feel better?
Usually, mild colds go away on their own if you help them in some way. Cold gets worse when the air is dry. You can use a humidifier that helps them with their stuffy nose. Due to their stuffy nose, they cannot smell which leads them to not eat anything. You can put them before their food when it’s time or get them their favorite foods to make them eat. Also, you can feed them if it’s a kitten. It is mandatory to keep them warm. Giving them warm foods also fall in that criteria.
When does it get serious and what to do?
The cold takes about a week to go away on its own if it is mild. In case the symptoms get serious and your cat needs immediate care, it is time to go see a vet. However, in mild cases, if they don’t go even after a week or more than that yet have the same symptoms, you should go to the vet.
Cats are our family. If their illness is left with no treatment, it can lead to serious problems or make them leave our side forever.