[Pedwardine]

Our lovely tatty old cat, Maddie (she's 19) has a stinking cold. Her breathing has never been easy since we got her from a friend of a friend two year ago. She's always been prone to a wheezey chest. Now, our poor lovely is utterly bunged up and because she can't smell (and presumably taste) her food she's not eating much either. She's gone without two breakfasts and a dinner so far. She usually yowls for food constantly. She loves warmth and sits unnervingly close to our woodburner to have a nap. I keep nudging her to check she's still alive! I can see she's looking weak (she never was a full figured girl) and I'm giving her a long acting antibiotic to clear the infection (discharge from her nose is opaque) but how can I ease the congestion? Obviously can't help her blow her nose or give her a hot lemon. What do you do for cats? I fear she'll be finished by this. I don't have a problem with the old girl drifting off in her sleep but I can't bear the thought of her dying from a blasted cold, snuffly and uncomfortable and hungry.

[doganjo]

Vet?  Old cat + runny nose isn't just a cold.

[Pedwardine]

Really? You think it may be cat flu?

[doganjo]

Might be, one of Rosemary's cats snuffles a lot, she might know.  If Maddie is that age I wouldn't take the risk, maybe phone your vet for advice?

[Mammyshaz]

 At 19years it could be some sort of chest or upper airway infection. Keep her nose area clean and pick the crusts from her nose. Cleaning the area with warm water and cotton wool will help soften the crusting. A bowl of hot water and a tiny pinhead of Vicks or olbas oil in it for an inhalant ( don't make it too strong as cats nasal passages are delicate ) place it under her so she inhales it for 10-15 minutes every hour

Tempt her to ear by warming her food slightly which makes the smell stronger to get past the blockages. Cats won't eat something untill they've checked the smell of it. A good food is sardines in tomato sauce slightly warmed.

I think she could do with a vet visit but I'd wait until tomorrow. Hope she feels better soon 

[SallyintNorth]

Wishing you and Maddie all the best 

[Pedwardine]

Thankyou lovely people. Always can rely on you 
I've been to the vets. It just so happened that the on-call vet was in the surgery at the time so I've come back with a course of injections and some Royal Canin 'recovery' food for her. First jab had some steroid and vits in it to give her a boost. She's had that and we'll try her with some food now. I'll report back. May be my imagination but she seems ever so slightly more with it. She's yowled which is an encouraging sound.

[doganjo]

Glad to hear that, hope she continues to improve.

[Mammyshaz]

That's good, steroid always gives that extra boost to the oldies  hope she keeps improving 

[Bionic]

Awww poor Maddie. Lets hope she gets better soon 

[Pedwardine]

She's yowled. Hurrah    And she's eaten some of her smelly paste food. C'mon Maddie, you can do it 

[doganjo]

Brilliant! 

[Rosemary]

Our Felix has chronic cat flu and a slightly cleft palatte so, as Annie says, he snuffles a lot. But other than that, he's quite healthy. His original owners omitted to have his flu vac done 

We've tried Vick inhalations and the helped a wee bit but he usually manages with a really, REALLY good sneeze now and again.

Hope Maddie is on the mend.

[happygolucky]

Pedwardine, thats an old lady, we all get grumpy some time but she also is feeling unwell so hopefuly she is now on the way to being a bit happier old lady, bless her, 1 is a great age so she must be a very strong and loved cat!

[jaykay]

Hope Maddie is continuing to improve