Upper Respiratory Infection, Not Eating.

WrenandBoo

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My cat (she's a little over one) was diagnosed w an URI on Saturday. yesterday I thought she was doing better, but today she has been refusing to eat. Im not sure what to do. I've tried wet and dry food, and tuna. she also hasn't drank any water. She is on antibiotics and has been using the restroom just fine, my big concern as of right now is her not eating or drinking. any suggestions? very worried about my little girl.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi! Ask the vet if you can put her in a bathroom with a steaming shower, 10-12 minutes a couple times a day. The warm moist air should help ease her airways. Plus there is this
Homeopet Nose Relief

Can you handfeed canned food with some water stirred in? Also try a flat paper plate, believe it or not :)
She probably can't smell anything, which is what cats rely on regarding eating, so you'll need to help.

There might be something here;

Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!
 
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WrenandBoo

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Hi! Ask the vet if you can put her in a bathroom with a steaming shower, 10-12 minutes a couple times a day. The warm moist air should help ease her airways. Plus there is this
Homeopet Nose Relief

Can you handfeed canned food with some water stirred in? Also try a flat paper plate, believe it or not :)
She probably can't smell anything, which is what cats rely on regarding eating, so you'll need to help.

There might be something here;

Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!
Thank you so much for the reply! the bathroom idea is great. I finally got her to eat some dry food, not sure why she wanted that over tuna, her usual favorite. she still hasn't had any water today though, and its getting late where I am :(
 

MissClouseau

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Check with the vet but there are multivitamin pastes for cats, right. When Hima seems to not eat enough one of the things I try is boiled chicken, served warm. I handfeed with little pieces and put some multivitamin paste on the last few pieces. She sometimes totally refuses the paste so I don't risk it and let her eat plain chicken a bit first. I use GimCat ones currently.
 

Maria Bayote

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My Bourbon recently had URI and besides antibiotics the vet put her in this nebulizer chamber (I don't know if that's the correct term for that) everyday for 4 days in a row (for about half an hour every session) as she also was not eating.

And yes, as suggested above, multivitamin paste was also recommended by the vet and I mixed it with her food. When I get home later I will try to take a picture of it.
 

denice

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She is probably so stuffed up that she can't smell the food. A cat won't eat what they can't smell. Feeding her after some time in a steamed up bathroom may help. Some foods smell stronger then others and warming wet food will also amp up the smell. A last resort would be syringe feeding, not pleasant but far better then a serious liver issue called Fatty Liver. Use the side of her mouth, give her just a little at a time and give her a chance to swallow each time.
 

stephanietx

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I have a kitty with chronic URIs due to herpes. I get stinky canned food (Fancy Feast classic pates are great for this) and plain meat baby food (turkey or chicken no garlic or onion). I add a little to a bowl and mash together. Then, add a little bit of warmed up water to the food to make it the consistency of oatmeal. Warming it up helps enhance the aroma and the water helps get water into their little bodies. You can top with a little bit of tuna juice or salmon to also help. Sprinkling bonito flakes on top also helps.

If her nose is congested, try the steam treatment mentioned above. You can also try putting 1 drop of plain nasal saline into each nostril. The Little Noses brand found at the pharmacy is good. Make sure it is plain nasal saline and a dropper bottle, not a spray.
 
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WrenandBoo

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Thanks so much for all of the replies and tips! Happy to report that boo has been eating and drinking a lot more today! We ran a diffuser in the room she sleeps in last night, and that seemed to help a lot. We have also been boiling hot water in the kitchen whenever she's in there (while watching her like a hawk, of course!) and she seems way less stuffed up:)
 

kathy1

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I took one of my cats to the vet two weeks ago because she was congested not eating breathing heavy with tongue out they gave her fluids and orbax when we gave it to her she began eating after 24 hrs she was on it for ten days then she started not eating again taking her to vet again going to ask for blood work and to see what else we can give her probably put her back on clavamox or anti biotic shot also has bad breath could be something in her mouth she can't smell her food to eat she does nibble but doesn't eat alot ordered a humidifier hoping that will help
 
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