My cat has a cold, runny eyes, and noisy breathing. Is it serious?

Question

Our female, spayed cat is sick with congestion, runny eyes, seems like bad cold or upper respiratory ? Never before. Makes noise when breathing. Still keeping her hydrated & eating wet tuna. Can tell she's miserable. How serious if not treated w med? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

I would recommend having Miss Gray seen by a vet to be prescribed medication if she is miserable. It's not really fair to leave her untreated in that condition, and if she is miserable, I would say she is seriously ill enough to need medication. The problem with congestion is that cats can stop eating if they can't smell their food, and if a cat stops eating, they become prone to developing a fatty liver. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment, so it's best to avoid that. I would take Miss Gray into a vet immediately for an exam and medication. I can give you some things you can do at home that will work well in conjunction with medications from the vet. Please keep in mind they cannot be used as a substitution for seeing the vet. First, you can try starting her on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. Since she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections.

My cat has a cold, runny eyes, and noisy breathing. Is it serious?

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