Treat Feline Upper Respiratory Illness (URI)

Treat Feline Upper Respiratory Illness Feline upper respiratory illness (URI) affects a cat’s mouth, nasal passages, upper airway, and possibly the eyes.1 It is usually caused by one or more infectious agents. Two viruses—feline herpes virus-1 FHV-1 and feline calicivirus FCV—commonly cause feline URI Bordetella and Chlamydia are bacteria that can cause feline URI.2 Feline URI can make your cat feel pretty miserable, so it is best to treat your cat as soon as you notice signs of the disease. The sooner you treat your cat, the sooner she will feel better and get back to her normal activities. Detecting Feline URI Look at your cat’s eyes and nose. Discharge from the eyes and nose is one of the most common signs of feline URI. The discharge may look clear in the early stages of disease, then become yellow and pus-like as the disease progresses. Your cat’s eyelids may also become red and inflamed. The pus-like discharge would indicate a bacterial infection. A URI caused by Chlamydia can make your cat’s eyes water. A URI caused by FHV-1 can lead to corneal ulcers. Examine your cat’s mouth. Feline URI can cause sores to develop in and around your cat’s mouth. For example, you may see sores in the roof of her mouth, on her tongue, or on her lips. Your cat may start to drool this is usually associated with FHV-1. FCV commonly causes oral ulcers.