Coping With Calicivirus

We have a multi-cat household - a 15yr Russian Blue, a 7yr Burmese Blue, a 3yr Black-Silver Abyssinian and we recently introduced a 4mth Maine Coon Blue. Whilst it was a bit stressful, we were pleased with how the adjustment process was going. All cats are totally indoor, and up-to-date in all vaccinations.

A week after the kitten came the tensions broke, and the cats were less stressed, but our Aby clearly had a sore throat. The vet treated it with antibiotics, but a few days later her breathing was laboured, her throat was clearly red, and she was running a fever (and miserable).

Both of the other big cats were off their food, and swallowing a lot. The house was silent bar the kitten, as everyone else seemed to have lost their voice. A return trip to the vet with the whole tribe saw the vet change the sore throat diagnosis to Calicivirus because of the visible mouth ulcers in the mouth and on the tongue of the Burmese.

The Aby was admitted because she was not eating or drinking at all, showing dehydration, was unable to swallow tablets without convulsively vomiting and running a fever of 40.5 deg. Celcius. She’s on a drip, with some Methadone for the pain, and due back home in a few days.

Our big boys are both home with normal temperatures, antibiotics for bacterial infections and some pain drops that fight the inflammation. They’re both eating and drinking.

Our little Typhoid Mary kitten is bouncing and well - no symptoms at all! I guess he’s a latent carrier… and that our stressful introduction combined with that manifested the symptoms.