Cat Colds

[rabbitinred]

I am really wanting some info on ALTERNATIVE health care options for kitties with colds. After reading dozens of emails(TODAY alone!) from people who took their kitties to the vet only to have them put on antibiotics (or several) that did not work, I don't want to waste my money on that or torture my kitty with swallowing nasty medicine that doesnt work! Viral infections cannot be treated with anti-biotics and since they cant apparently tell if it's bacterial or viral........guess what we get? Anti-biotics. I took in a whole litter and half of them have cat flu. Does anyone know what I can give them to ease them over it? I wash their faces and noses,rinse their eyes with saline (same exact ingredients as expensive pet eye drops) and keep them warm and fed, but I want them to feel good alll day not just part of it-HELP!!!
Thanks!!!

[Barbara]

You are right: viral infections cannot be healed by antibiotics but many viral infections have bacterial infections on top. As soon as the liquid coming from the nose is white greenish (and no longer clear) it means there are leucocytes in -the immune system is fighting bacteria.

Cat "colds" can have many different reasons and can be very dangerous. So it's anyway better to see the vet. I hope that in your area you can find a vet who uses more homoeopathic stuff or other meds that are not as heavy.

I wish your cat all the best. And welcome at PT!

[jenluckenbach]

Actually, most of the time when a cat is given anti-biotics for a cold, it is NOT for the cold symptoms, it is to PREVENT complications that can result from a depressed immune system. In other words, it is meant to to prevent the cold from becoming MUCH worse. The sniffling, sneezing etc. that are cold symptoms are not affected by antibiotics (hence the reason people believe the medicine is not working). Do you understand?

[carole]

I honestly would not mess around with alternative medicene, unless you know exactly what you are doing, I am sure there are qualified people who practice this, it is something I myself have been interested in.

Cat Flue is serious, so maybe a trip to the vet is the only way to go at this stage.

Good luck with your cats!!!

[rabbitinred]

That's what gets me is that I know there is actually a lot of info out there on alternative meds only so far all I can find is a bunch of sites to buy books on it. I guess a trip to the book store will help at this point. I used to own a vitamin store and am up on all of that for people and while I had many customers who used things for their animals for leukemia, fleas, etc, I never came across the cold situation!! Guess it's time to go learn something new!!!! :) Thanks for your post! Shelley