Treatment

Owners of cats with 'flu should always seek veterinary advice, as many cats will require antibiotics to control secondary bacterial infections. The cat should be tempted to eat with small but frequent portions of aromatic foods such as sardines, roast chicken or liver. In order to clear the nasal passages it is beneficial to the cat if he can be confined to a steamy bathroom for an hour each day. Vick Vaporub can be applied to the chin or a few drops of eucalyptus oil put on the cat's bedding. The cat should be cleaned gently with a cloth and warm water, especially if he can no longer groom himself, and kept warm until dry.

Cats with eye discharges should have their eyes bathed three or four times a day with a warm solution of salt and water, using one teaspoonful of ordinary table salt (sodium chloride) in one pint (half a litre) of water. Veterinary surgeons may prescribe antibiotic eye ointments for cats with secondary bacterial conjunctivitis. Cats with FHV eye ulceration can sometimes be treated under general anaesthetic, the edge of the ulcer is lightly removed with a dry cotton wool bud. However, if the eyeball bursts, the eye may have to be removed.

Cats with chronic rhinitis are notoriously difficult to treat. Many have to take antibiotics all their lives. Some veterinarians offer radical surgery removing the small bones inside the nose, in really severe cases. In the USA, some cats with chronic rhinitis have been successfully treated using the intranasal vaccine. Cats with chronic rhinitis should be tested for FeLV and FIV. If feline herpesvirus is involved, the amino acid lysine can be added to their food.