What can I give to a cat for a cold?

[CherishHolland]

My daughter's calico kitten is 3 months old and she has a cold. What can I give her to help treat it......I have duramycin Aureomycin tylan 50 and vetrx what would be the best out of these for a 3 month old kitten that weighs about 5lbs? Thank you and yes I know she should head to the vet but if I can treat at home I plan on it. Please no criticizing just looking for an answer.

 

[DStewart PDX]

I have had cats with colds, and I have never given them anything for it. They just sleep a lot for a couple of days, sneeze and have runny noses and eyes, and then they get over it. It might be best not to give an antibiotic if the kitty isn't too sick.

 

[SunnySkies]

NONE of those.

If you can't see the vet, best bet is to do nothing. You can give 250-500 of lysine in the food or by force 2 times a day (dose depends on size). It is somewhat antiviral and may help.

I have seen cats with pneumonia after a kitty "cold" so be aware that can happen. I prefer clients to check in with me at least, as cats can get horribly sick. If they stop eating because they can't smell, that can become a huge problem very quickly.

They can get conjunctivitis that is quite severe, and those need medical care.

 

[cafarmgirl]

X2. I treat a lot of stuff at home but this is something I'd make a visit to the vet for since complications can be nasty.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

X3 about the vet. Kittens tend to get respiratory infections quite easily, and untreated conjunctivitis can lead to loss of one or both eyes.

I would probably err on the side of caution and recommend taking the kitten in. Otherwise, if you decide to treat the kitten at home, I would just be prepared to take him/her in it doesn't get any better.

 

[mara1]

Do you have any amoxi http://heavenssafehaven.webs.com/freecatcaretips.htm here is a site that has a lot of info on dosage for cats. Also at the bottom is recommendations for uri. Easier than posting back n fourth. We all know the vet is always the best course of action but isn't always an option $$, after hours or distance to name a few. If it is recurring I would have a feluk test done.

 

[Peaches Lee]

You definitely want to nip this in the bud, I would head to the vet. Good luck.

 

[SunnySkies]

As a side note, if anyone has any Clavamox liquid laying around that is older than 10 days, dispose of it immediately! It becomes toxic after 10 days in solution. I say this because cat people tend to hang onto extra antibiotic, and while that is generally Ok, it is not something to do with Clavamox.

 

[mara1]

If you get dry powder antibiotics not already suspended in water. Only mix a small portion at a time then you can save the powder for a rainy day.

 

[SunnySkies]

Kinda hard to get the concentration correct that way. Clavamox drops (the 15 ml size) dilutes to 62.5 mg/ml but you need to add 15 ml of water to the dry powder to get that. Unless you have a teeny tiny scale or can work out how to measure the tiny amounts of powder and figure out how much water to add to get the correct concentration, that is difficult. Concentration is how antibiotics work. Too much, and you risk side effects (Clavamox is already one that can make cats vomit) and too little, you make resistant bacteria.

Besides, a bottle of Clavamox drops will last the average cat 10 days, which is about how long it takes to get rid of a URI. I also use Clavamox for first line urinary tract issues sometimes, and that will take 2 bottles, sometimes 3.