Feline URI- Upper Respiratory Infection
A feline upper respiratory infection (URI) is a common and annoying issue facing shelters, vets and owners. Many cats have been in contact with URI and some can even become chronically infected. URI is very easily transmitted by any fomite- this is any object or living thing that has come in contact with the virus.

Factors such as overcrowding, poor air quality, poor sanitation, stress, concurrent illness, parasitism, poor nutrition, and other causes of immunosuppression predispose to disease, and many of these factors are difficult or impossible to completely eliminate in a typical shelter, cattery or rescue home.

Crowding and the attendant stress is undoubtedly the single greatest risk factor for severe respiratory (and other) disease outbreaks in populations. Increased population density leads to a greater risk of disease introduction, higher contact rate, reduced air quality, and often, compromises in housing and husbandry. Unfortunately, crowding in shelters is not uncommon, either due to insufficient facilities to provide even minimal care for the stray population, or (as is increasingly common) a well-intended attempt to decrease euthanasia by housing more animals.

The worst of all this is that our intention to not euthanize actually causes more deaths as cats contract severe URIs and cannot recover. Kennels and boarding facilities are not immune to breakouts either. During the peak seasons when there are again many pets in a small area the risk is greatly increased.

All of the following are signs of URI. Any cat showing any one of these signs should be suspected of having URI, and should at minimum be isolated from the general population. These symptoms can also indicate a vaccine reaction; however any cat showing these signs, whether due to a vaccine or genuine disease, is potentially infective to other cats:
Clear or colored nasal discharge
Sneezing
Red/inflamed conjunctiva
Ulcers/sores on the nose, lips, tongue or gums
Fever/lethargy/loss of appetite (these may be signs of many other diseases as well)

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