When do URI's in cats stop being contagious to other cats?

Question

I just adopted a cat this weekend. She came with a URI. I have another cat in the home and I have been keeping them separated. She has had the URI for at least 5 days (Since she was in a shelter I don't know when she exactly got it). She is going stir crazy locked up in our bathroom and wants OUT! Is there a point when a URI is no longer contagious even if all the symptoms aren't gone? I want to let her out. She is on antibiotics.

Answer 1

Once there are no symptoms.



You going from cat to cat can give it to the healthy cat.

Answer 2

I was told by a vet that if a cat has a very healthy system it can fight and win the battle of URI and several other deadly diseases. I know this can happen because I lived in a Southern state that had so many horrible diseases till you just about HAD to immunize your pets or suffer the consequences. And my babies did suffer at times. Usually if one cat develops a problem that can be spread, the other one(s) are sure to come down with it too. Perhaps the first cat was weaker. Maybe the other will be able to fight the disease. You really need to watch the second one closely since he could be slow to show symptoms and you don't want him to end up worse than he looks. I know vet visits rival what humans go through expense wise, but aren't they worth it?!! Just make sure they both are treated to good food, LOTS of fresh water and very clean litter boxes. They trade viruses, diseases and worms back and forth so easily when their litter box isn't kept clean!! Poor babies!! You'll get'em through this...hopefully without a visit to the doc!!

Answer 3

Let your other cat out. STRESS (such as being locked up in a room) can bring on URIs as well.



I just nursed a sick kitten through 3 months of URIs and every other thing you can think of; the only one who got sick was my other kitten because they play together. I have 5 other cats, and they all share bowls & water dishes etc.



She did't get nearly as sick as the first kitten.



All you'd have to do is get another bottle of Amoxidrops (antibiotic) from the vet's for the other cat if she gets it.



Right now you're just stressin' everybody out.



A treated URI won't cause any dire problems.

Answer 4

This is a good question for your vet because how contageous the URI is depends on the URI itself, which one it is, and whether or not your cats are "virus shedders" and/or have good immunity, either naturally or from vaccines.



Your cat probably got the virus at the shelter and the stress of the move to your home brought it on as a URI.



Stress will usually make symptoms worse.



If you are dealing with feline herpes virus, which is very common in shelter and cattery cats, then giving both of your cats 1000 mg of l-lysine amino acid (pull apart a capsule and mix it into soft food) daily during this time of stress will, in time, slow down the replication of the virus. In a multi-cat home, my vet and I recommend 250--500 mg of l-lysine (250 for kittens, 500 for adults) every day for every cat, even if none are sick. It boosts immunity and prevents the spread of herpes virus, especially if there is a chance that one or more cats are symptom-free "virus shedders".

Answer 5

uricats stop contagious cats