Expert: Jessica - 1/21/2010

Question
This is my first time having my cat pregnant, she's due like in 2weeks more less. what i'm worrying is she sneezes a lot and she snores during sleeps. and her breath sounds when she sleeps sounds like she was having trouble taking some air. like when people catch a cold. the snoring has began quite a while. i'd like to know if its harmless or not? and my other cat, his right eyes always wet.. and he often blinks his right eye more than his left.. and his apatite is kinda running low, and he's not as active as he usual is. and i'm really worried too.. please help me.. thanks a lot...

Answer
Hi Dasha.  It sounds like both of your cats may have upper respiratory infections, similar to human colds.  Do you have access to a veterinarian?  If so, both kitties need to see one.  The male will probably need an eye ointment and an oral antibiotic judging by his symptoms, if the vet feels an upper respiratory infection is to blame.  The female will need oral antibiotics.  It's possible that an upper respiratory infection could have led to some complications in her, such as pneumonia.  This is often deadly if not treated.

If you don't have any veterinarians around you, the best thing you might be able to do is give the cats a supplement called l-lysine.  I'm not sure what's available to you, but here, this is available at any pharmacy.  It's a supplement like a vitamin.  Each cat would need to take 500mg every day.  Most tablets are 1000mg, so you can cut one tablet in half for each daily dose.  The half tablets are too large for the cats to swallow, so you will need to crush it and mix it into wet food.  If possible, separate the food into two meals and feed one meal in the morning and one at night.  Lysine prevents one of the most common upper respiratory viruses, feline herpes, from multiplying.  If your cats' symptoms are coming from feline herpes, lysine should help lessen them, but it won't cure any bacterial infections the cats have.

Good luck with all!

Jessica