What Are the Treatments for a Kitten With a Bad Cold?

When she catches a cold, your kitten experiences the same miserable congestion and achiness as you. The average feline cold, officially called an upper respiratory infection (URI), lasts seven to 10 days. There are things you can do to help your kitten feel better.

  1. Symptoms

    • Your kitten might experience sneezing, nasal discharge, watery eyes, coughing, fever and a hoarse voice.

    Physical Care

    • Isolate your kitten from other cats to prevent contagion. Clean the nasal mucous with a wet sponge and gently wipe her crusty eyes with a moist tissue as often as needed. A vaporizer might help open your kitten's nasal passageways.

    Feeding

    • If your kitten does not want to eat, try warmed-up human baby food with meat or canned kitten food with a strong odor. You might need to pat some food on your kitten's mouth so she will lick it off.

    Comfort

    • Ensure that your kitten is not in a drafty area. Provide her with a warm blanket, plenty of fresh water and a clean litter box. Make sure she has a quiet place to sleep.

    Veterinary Care

    • If your kitten refuses to eat, develops ulcers in her eyes, becomes lethargic, depressed, dehydrated and/or develops a thick nasal discharge, take her to your veterinarian. URI can grow into life-threatening pneumonia.

    Prognosis

    • Your kitten will most likely recover on her own, but the viruses that caused the cold are permanent and she might experience recurrences throughout her life.