My Own Experience Of Calicivirus
Important Information For All Cat Owners

by Toni 
(United States)

My own experience of calicivirus - I have been devouring the net for articles, information and personal experiences people have had with Feline Calicivirus. I came across the story of Byron and Shelley and wanted to thank you for posting it. 

I have had two cats for the last 11 years, Grendel and Gretchen. We lost Grendel suddenly to cancer in June. Gretchen and I were both devastated. After two months she still wasn't coping well, so I decided to adopt another cat as a companion. 

I met a beautiful tabby that I thought would be a great match for Gretchen. I brought him home, named him Sully and kept him isolated. He went to the vet within 24 hours and aside from some sneezing, flea bite dermatitis and gingivits, was deemed healthy. I dutifully took him back for dental cleaning a few days later and bloodwork confirmed he was negative for FeLV and FIV. He had one more follow up appointment and the vet mentioned his gums were inflamed, which surprised me as they had just been cleaned. He ruled it as chronic gingivits, nothing more. He said the sneezing was probably seasonal allergies, as he also had itchy skin. He exhibited no other symptoms...no eye discharge, lesions, nose discharge, lameness...nothing. So, I let him mingle in the house... 

My fully vaccinated since she was a baby senior cat suddenly fell ill. When she would meow, no sound was coming out and so I frantically called a new vet and rushed her in. He opened her mouth and immediately diagnosed calici. He asked about Sully's appointments and I mentioned his gingivitis and sneezing. He said she definitely contracted it from Sully, as those are classic signs of a cat that is carrying calici. 

I am now giving Gretchen antibioitcs & eye ointment 2x a day and she is getting fluids at the vet office every other day. I have to force feed her baby food twice per day as she has stopped eating. 

What's done is done and I will keep both cats as healthy as I can moving forward. Had I known he was infected, I never would've brought him home. 

It is heartbreaking to watch her suffer, especially knowing I exposed her to this awful virus. 

I'm happy to hear your two boys recovered and are on the road to being healthy again. I hope my Gretchen has the same outcome. 

Thank you for sharing, 

Toni

https://www.our-happy-cat.com/calicivirus.html

Comments 

cat flu 
by: Shelleykong 

So what is the use of vaccination if a vaccinated cat can catch calicivirus? 
I brought home a kitten who was dying of coryza. I am now worried about my two fully vaccinated adult cats. 

Reply 
hi 
no vaccine is a 100% affective but it does give your cat a better chance of surviving the illness as t the cat will have built up antibodies against the virus. Also the virus mutates and changes all the time so the vaccine that was give may not be the exact match to the virus now, but as I say it does give your cat a better chance of recovering if they are unlucky enough to catch it. 

Kate

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