Chronic cat flu - any solutions?

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Piefuchsia9847 Icon representing the flag French
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Hi, I adopted two kittens a few months ago and one of them has chronic cat flu, which I was told about on the day of the adoption. In the last 6 months, he's had 4 flare-ups and has needed antibiotics every time. I've tried L-lysine with mixed results. My cat is congested again, what should I do? Antibiotics for life? I must admit I'm feeling a bit desperate. He's eating well, playing, and going outside, but hearing his blocked nose and the congestion still worries me. The only positive is that he is FIV negative. On top of all these problems, the cost of this condition is starting to get a bit heavy. Thanks for your help and any advice you can give.

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    • ProvetoJuniorConseil
    Provetojuniorconseil Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    Unfortunately, cat flu is a latent (or chronic) condition: the animal cannot be 'cured' in the sense that they will always carry the pathogens in their system (specifically in the nose, mouth, and eyes). There are phases where the flu is active and your cat is visibly unwell (having a flare-up, as you put it), and then other times when the flu is dormant and your cat is doing well. It’s also important to keep in mind that your cat is a 'shedder': by being in contact with other cats, they can pass it on. There is a vaccine available which helps to reduce the severity of the symptoms, but it won’t prevent your second cat from being infected, for example.

    It is indeed a lot of management and a heavy treatment regime for you and your kitten. Don’t hesitate to speak to your vet for more advice on vaccinations and the possible care options.

    All the best,

    Quitterie

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    Chatzen Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    I totally understand your stress… I went through something similar with a cat that had chronic cat flu, and it really is exhausting after a while.

    To reassure you a bit, no, lifelong antibiotics aren't really the answer. They help during flare-ups, but as it's usually viral at its core, it doesn't fix the root of the problem.

    Lysine is the same; it helps some cats and not others at all… so your "mixed" results are pretty typical.

    What helped for me was mainly relieving the nose: inhalations (just steam to start with), making sure the air isn't too dry, and avoiding stress as much as possible because it easily triggers relapses.

    The fact that your cat is eating and playing is already a very good sign despite the congestion. That's often how it goes with chronic cat flu: they never fully recover, but you manage to stabilise things.

    However, if he's really bunged up quite often, it might be worth seeing the vet again to check there isn't something else going on (like polyps or chronic sinus inflammation).

    And with FIV, yes, they are more vulnerable, so that might explain the more frequent relapses…

    Hang in there anyway, you're clearly doing all the right things.

    Chatzen 🐾

    Translated from French

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