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Nursing Care
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Most viral upper respiratory infections will clear up on their own within one week if the cat is kept warm, hydrated, well-fed and calm. To help your cat recover, feed her a high-quality canned cat food twice each day. Make fresh water easily available to your cat in a warm, dark, quiet place. Monitor her consumption of food and water. If a cat stops eating and/or drinking, she needs to see a veterinarian immediately.
It may be beneficial to temporarily confine your cat to a single room in order to reduce her stress level. Don't confine your cat if she becomes distressed when separated from you.
Wash the eyes and nose daily with a warm, damp cloth. Gently remove all discharge.
L-Lysine
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One home remedy for a cat with a cold is the amino acid L-lysine. This naturally occurring amino acid interferes with the replication of the feline herpesvirus, thereby reducing the length and severity of upper respiratory infections caused by FHV. With your veterinarian's approval, give 500 mg of L-lysine to your sick cat each day until symptoms have disappeared.
Cats with recurring upper respiratory infections may benefit from a 250 mg daily maintenance dose of L-lysine.
If Symptoms Worsen
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If nursing care and L-lysine are administered and your cat's symptoms worsen or fail to improve, a visit to your veterinarian is necessary. Your veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics, intravenous fluids and nutrients, hospitalization and/or other treatments to help your cat make a full recovery.
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Home Remedy for a Cat's Cold
A cat with cold symptoms is likely suffering from an upper respiratory infection. Most of these infections are caused by the feline herpesvirus or the feline calicivirus. Your cat with cold symptoms should see a veterinarian to make sure that he has a viral upper respiratory infection, as opposed to a different problem, such as pneumonia or a vaccine reaction. If you absolutely cannot see a vet promptly, home care may be sufficient to help your cat recover.