What are the symptoms of feline upper respiratory infection?
Cats susceptible to upper respiratory infections generally develop signs about two to five days after exposure. The specific signs present rely, to some extent, on the particular disease agent causing infection. The most common signs are: • Sneezing • Nasal discharge • Runny, red, or squinty eyes • Cough • Oral or nasal ulcers • Sniffles • Fever • Hoarse voice • Or any combination thereof More serious complications may also occur, including lack of appetite (due to either oral ulcers or nasal congestion), pneumonia, or eye ulcers. Very young kittens have a higher incidence of pneumonia, and some do not survive the infection. While most upper respiratory infections typically resolve in 10 to 14 days, some infections are more persistent. For instance with calicivirus, even after apparent recovery, an infected cat continues to spread virus and be contagious to other cats. This may continue for a few weeks to as long as a few years after apparent recovery. These cats are known as “carrier”
