Symptoms of a Ragdoll Cat Cold

1 Overview

I. Causes of a Ragdoll cat cold

When a Ragdoll catches a cold, owners instinctively think it is a common cold, but besides that it may be a viral cold. A viral cold is a virus invading the respiratory tract and causing infection. A common cold is usually from temperature changes – living in fluctuating hot/cold environments, not drying the coat after a bath, sudden cooling – all let a cat catch cold. A viral cold is generally from calicivirus, herpesvirus or chlamydia infecting the respiratory tract. Kittens with immature immunity are especially vulnerable.

After a cat catches a cold it becomes listless and stops eating.

II. Symptoms of a Ragdoll cat cold

1. Common cold: usually sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, with fever in a few cases. Appetite and spirits are not much affected. Do not take a common cold lightly – a sick cat’s immunity drops a lot, and viral invasion is then possible. No owner wants a common cold turning viral.

2. Viral cold (upper respiratory infection): coughing, nasal congestion, sneezing, fever, purulent nasal discharge, runny nose, heavy eye discharge, conjunctivitis, mouth ulcers and more. Symptoms are more severe and come with others. A viral cold can block tear ducts, causing watery eye discharge; the cat fears light and hides in dark corners, and severe cases can reduce vision and, untreated, cause blindness. During viral infection the cat becomes lethargic, loses appetite and may even stop eating.

III. How to treat a Ragdoll cat cold

For a common cold, choose a mild, low-irritation medicine mainly to clear heat and detoxify. For a viral cold, use a corresponding antiviral cold medicine – GanNuoNing ShuangHuangLian tablets effectively treat respiratory symptoms from viral infection. Also clean the cat’s eye and nose discharge daily to keep them dry and comfortable. Keep the cat’s strength up so it can fight the virus: offer tasty food, and since smell-blocking illness may make it refuse food, you can force-feed with a tool.

Dear owners, do you now know the symptoms and treatment of a Ragdoll cat cold? When the cold is severe, take the cat to a veterinary clinic.