# How did my indoor cat catch a cold? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 29, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056 "2007-04-29T17:03:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/1 "2007-04-29T17:03:37Z")
Nomar is strictly an inside cat, and the other night he started sneezing. He’s been sneezing a lot since, but otherwise seems like his usual self. His nose is not runny and his eyes are clear. Has he somehow caught a cold? If so, how? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/2 "2007-04-29T17:16:52Z")
Not a cold–possibly allergies. Cats can be allergic to things, too. [Link.](http://www.nhahonline.com/f_allergies.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/3 "2007-04-29T17:39:13Z")
I second what **DDG** said…I don’t think cats are susceptible to colds, but they do sneeze from dust & that kind of thing. Did you name your cat after Nomar Garciaparra? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/4 "2007-04-29T17:49:19Z")
[QUOTE=Stainz] Nomar is strictly an inside cat, and the other night he started sneezing. He’s been sneezing a lot since, but otherwise seems like his usual self. His nose is not runny and his eyes are clear. Has he somehow caught a cold? If so, how? [/QUOTE] Apparently one family of viruses that causes upper respiratory issues in cats are the herpesviruses. And like herpes generally, apparently they are permanent infection and have recurring outbreaks. So if your cat was exposed as a kitten in a shelter or something, it could have periodic outbreaks for the rest of its life. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/5 "2007-04-29T18:47:09Z")
From time to time, one or another of my (indoor) cats have had upper respiratory problems. I’ve never taken them to the vet, and they’ve all gotten better on their own, even the 19-y.o. ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/6 "2007-04-29T20:49:34Z")
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena] Did you name your cat after Nomar Garciaparra? [/QUOTE] Yes, my husband is a Red Sox fan, and Nomar was still with the team at the time. Now we have a silly cat with a silly name that confuses the heck out of our dog and our 18 month old (they always think we’re saying “No!” when really we’re just nagging the cat). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/7 "2007-04-29T20:51:58Z")
Hmmm, we’ve had him for 2 1/2 years (got him when he was about 5 months old) and he’s never shown any sign of allergies. He DID have a runny nose & sneezes when we first brought him home, so maybe **Tamerlane** is on the right track. I just hope it’s nothing that needs to be treated because getting him into his cat carrier is basically impossible. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/8 "2007-04-29T21:01:14Z")
[QUOTE=Stainz] Hmmm, we’ve had him for 2 1/2 years (got him when he was about 5 months old) and he’s never shown any sign of allergies. . [/QUOTE] Let’s hope he is not allergic to people (you). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/9 "2007-04-30T03:48:24Z")
Whichever cat sleeps on my bed usually gets a cold if I have one. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/10 "2007-04-30T05:28:08Z")
My cat is just getting over the sniffles. He doesn’t get out often, but the neighbor’s cats come into our yard. He could have gotten it through the screen. I’m glad he’s over it because he has a talent for sneezing right in my face as I’m dropping off to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/11 "2007-04-30T06:29:00Z")
Someone asked a while ago here in GQ if her cats could catch upper resp infections from her. I did lots of research and came up with “maybe”. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-my-indoor-cat-catch-a-cold/402056/12 "2007-04-30T13:45:11Z")
[QUOTE=Tamerlane] Apparently one family of viruses that causes upper respiratory issues in cats are the herpesviruses. And like herpes generally, apparently they are permanent infection and have recurring outbreaks. So if your cat was exposed as a kitten in a shelter or something, it could have periodic outbreaks for the rest of its life. - Tamerlane [/QUOTE] Excellent answer. Cats with recurrent herpesviral URIs can have the frequency/severity of these episodes minimized by giving them daily doses of l-Lysine which is antagonistic to arginine and appears to halt viral replication.