Upper Respiratory Infections in Cats: Causes & Treatment
- Upper respiratory infections in cats usually affect the nose, sinuses, throat, and eyes. Common signs include sneezing, nasal congestion, eye discharge, and reduced appetite.
- Most feline URIs are caused by viruses, especially feline herpesvirus-1 and feline calicivirus. Secondary bacterial infections can make discharge thicker, greener, or more persistent.
- Many mild cases improve with supportive care in 1-2 weeks, but kittens, senior cats, flat-faced breeds, and cats that stop eating can get sick faster.
- See your vet promptly if your cat has trouble breathing, open-mouth breathing, dehydration, fever, eye pain, severe lethargy, or has not eaten for 24 hours.
- Typical US veterinary cost range in 2026 is about $120-$350 for an exam and basic outpatient treatment, with higher costs if testing, eye medications, or hospitalization are needed.
What Is Upper Respiratory Infections?
Upper respiratory infection, often shortened to URI, is a common term for contagious infections that affect a cat's nose, sinuses, throat, and sometimes the eyes. In many cats, it looks a lot like a bad cold: sneezing, stuffy nose, watery or goopy eyes, and less interest in food because they cannot smell well.
In cats, most URIs are caused by viruses, especially feline herpesvirus-1 (also called feline viral rhinotracheitis) and feline calicivirus. These infections are especially common in kittens, shelters, multi-cat homes, and any setting where stress and close contact make spread easier. Even vaccinated cats can still get a URI, but vaccination often helps reduce how severe the illness becomes.
Some cats recover with time and supportive care, while others develop secondary bacterial infections, corneal ulcers, mouth ulcers, dehydration, or pneumonia. Cats with flat faces, very young kittens, seniors, and cats with other medical problems may need closer monitoring. If your cat seems congested but is still bright and eating, your vet may recommend home nursing care. If breathing, eating, or eye comfort are affected, your vet should guide the next steps.
Symptoms of Upper Respiratory Infections
- Sneezing
- Clear, white, yellow, or green nasal discharge
- Watery, red, squinting, or goopy eyes
- Nasal congestion or noisy breathing through the nose
- Reduced appetite or not eating
- Fever, lethargy, or hiding
- Drooling or mouth ulcers
- Coughing or gagging
- Open-mouth breathing, labored breathing, or blue gums
Mild URI signs can look manageable at first, but cats can decline quickly if they become dehydrated or stop eating. See your vet immediately if your cat has open-mouth breathing, obvious breathing effort, severe weakness, eye pain, or blue-tinged gums. You should also contact your vet promptly if your cat is a kitten, senior, immunocompromised, or has gone 24 hours without eating.
Even when symptoms seem mild, a veterinary exam can help sort out whether this is a routine viral URI, a bacterial complication, an eye problem, a flare of chronic herpesvirus, or something more serious such as pneumonia or nasal disease.
What Causes Upper Respiratory Infections?
Most feline upper respiratory infections are caused by feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) and feline calicivirus (FCV). Together, these viruses account for the large majority of contagious feline URI cases. They spread through sneezing, eye and nose secretions, grooming, shared bowls, bedding, and close contact, and they are especially common where cats live closely together.
Other infectious causes include Chlamydia felis, Bordetella bronchiseptica, and Mycoplasma species. These may act as primary pathogens or complicate a viral infection that has already irritated the airways and eyes. In shelters and catteries, stress, crowding, poor ventilation, and frequent new arrivals can all increase transmission.
Some cats become long-term carriers, especially with herpesvirus. That means a cat may seem well for weeks or months, then develop flare-ups during times of stress, illness, boarding, surgery, or household change. Vaccination helps reduce severity and spread, but it does not always prevent infection completely.
Not every sneezing cat has a routine URI. Chronic or recurring signs can also be linked to dental disease, nasal polyps, foreign material in the nose, fungal disease, allergies, cancer, or structural problems in brachycephalic cats. That is one reason your vet may recommend more testing if symptoms are severe, unusual, or keep coming back.
How Is Upper Respiratory Infections Diagnosed?
Your vet usually starts with a history and physical exam. They will ask about your cat's age, vaccine status, exposure to other cats, appetite, breathing, eye changes, and how long symptoms have been present. In many straightforward cases, a presumptive diagnosis is made based on classic signs like sneezing, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, and congestion.
If your cat is more severely affected, your vet may check for fever, dehydration, mouth ulcers, corneal ulcers, or lung involvement. Fluorescein eye stain may be used if there is squinting or concern for a corneal ulcer. Kittens, seniors, and cats with recurring infections may need a broader workup.
When signs are severe, persistent, or not responding as expected, your vet may recommend PCR respiratory testing, culture in selected cases, bloodwork, FeLV/FIV testing, or imaging such as skull or chest radiographs. These tests can help identify specific pathogens, rule out pneumonia, and look for other causes of chronic nasal disease.
Diagnosis is not only about naming the germ. It is also about deciding how sick your cat is, whether supportive care is enough, and whether isolation, eye treatment, antibiotics, or hospitalization should be considered.
Treatment Options for Upper Respiratory Infections
Spectrum of Care means you have options. Here are treatment tiers at different price points.
Budget-Conscious Care
- Office exam and temperature check
- Assessment of hydration, appetite, breathing, and eye comfort
- Home supportive care plan
- Cleaning nasal and eye discharge with warm damp cloth
- Short-term appetite support guidance and warming aromatic food
- Isolation from other cats for about 2-3 weeks when appropriate
- Follow-up instructions for red-flag symptoms
Recommended Standard Treatment
- Exam plus targeted outpatient treatment plan
- Eye stain if squinting or eye ulcer is suspected
- Prescription eye medication when indicated
- Antibiotic therapy when secondary bacterial infection is suspected
- Anti-nausea or appetite-support medications when appropriate
- Subcutaneous fluids for mild dehydration when needed
- PCR respiratory testing in selected cases
- Recheck visit if symptoms persist or worsen
Advanced / Critical Care
- Hospitalization for monitoring
- Oxygen therapy if breathing is affected
- Intravenous or injectable fluids
- Nebulization and airway support as directed by your vet
- Injectable medications and nutritional support
- Bloodwork and chest radiographs
- Expanded infectious disease testing
- Management of pneumonia, severe dehydration, corneal ulcers, or neonatal illness
Cost estimates as of 2026-03. Actual costs vary by location, clinic, and individual case.
Questions to Ask Your Vet About Upper Respiratory Infections
Bring these questions to your vet appointment to get the most out of your visit.
- Does my cat seem to have a mild viral URI, or do you suspect a bacterial complication too?
- Are my cat's eyes involved, and do we need an eye stain to check for a corneal ulcer?
- What signs would mean this has become an emergency, especially overnight or over the weekend?
- Is my cat dehydrated or at risk because they are eating less?
- Would supportive care alone be reasonable, or do you recommend prescription medication at this stage?
- Should we isolate my cat from other cats in the home, and for how long?
- If this keeps coming back, when would PCR testing, FeLV/FIV testing, or imaging make sense?
- What is the most practical treatment plan if I need to balance medical needs with a specific cost range?
How to Prevent Upper Respiratory Infections
Prevention starts with vaccination and reducing exposure. Core feline vaccines commonly include protection against feline herpesvirus-1 and feline calicivirus, two of the biggest URI causes. Vaccines do not always prevent infection, but they often reduce how severe the illness becomes and may lower complications.
Good daily management matters too. Keep food and water bowls clean, avoid overcrowding, and separate any cat with sneezing or eye discharge from other cats until your vet says it is safe. In multi-cat homes, shelters, and foster settings, stress reduction, ventilation, sanitation, and careful quarantine of new arrivals can make a real difference.
Because herpesvirus can flare during stress, routines help. Gradual introductions, predictable feeding times, and minimizing major environmental changes may reduce recurrences in some cats. Boarding, adoption transitions, and illness in the household can all trigger flare-ups.
If your cat has repeated URI signs, do not assume it is always the same old cold. Recurring congestion, chronic discharge, or repeated eye issues deserve a conversation with your vet so you can build a prevention plan that fits your cat's risks, home environment, and budget.