I'm interested in adopting a 5 yr old male siamese mix. The gentleman who is fostering him was supposed to bring him over today but called to reschedule because he wanted to take the cat to his own personal vet for what sounds like a respiratory illness. He has taken the cat to the vet's that are affiliated with the animal rescue but he doesn't feel certain that he's getting the best treatment.

Anyway, he told me the cat has been on 3 different antibiotics (seperately, not all at the same time) and the problem keeps returning. One vet said it could be viral respiratory infection and might not be able to be treated. Another one said it could be allergies. Unfortunately I don't know which antibiotics he has been on but I will find out Monday. I also asked him to get a chest x-ray because I'm worried about an enlarged heart. My first question is this: What is the length of time a cat should be on antibiotics for a URI??? He has not been on any antibiotic for more than a week. My second question is in regard to asthma. If the cat has asthma, would the symptoms go away and then come back a few weeks later???

He described the sound the cat makes to me and I will try to describe to you. If you have ever heard a flat nosed dog breath (like a Pug or Bulldog) that is what is sounds like, although I'm sure it can't possible be as loud as the dogs I've mentioned. He hasn't mentioned any eye discharges and he said the cat is not sickly, it eats, etc.

In case anyone is wondering, there is no medical history on the cat as this gentleman found him in June and was unable to find his owners. This gentleman also has a dog of his own, and 3 other cats he is trying to place. Does that make allergies more likely???

Any advice is greatly appreciated because my cat died unexpectedly on 11/29/04 and as much as I would like this cat, I cannot get emotionally invested in a cat with a chronic illness for 2 reasons: 1) I just lost a cat and I can't make that emotional commitment only to lose another cat within a year or two, and 2) I am not in a good financial position to be spending lots of money monthly on medications a cat will need for the rest of his life.

So if anyone knows how much asthma meds, etc. etc. cost please include that info as well.

Thank you all for your responses.

the cat seems a bit young for cardiomyopathy, but a chest xray or ultrasound might be worth the investment for you,
as moist lungs can be a sign of congestive heart failure. does the cat sneeze or cough or open mouth breath? does
it have discharge coming from its nose or eyes? typically upper respiratory goes away in about a week, so the course
of antibiotics seems reasonable. the viral URI could be a possibility. as with humans, asthma improves and worsens
depending on many variables. does the man smoke? does the house get cleaned regularly? if allergies are a concern,
switching environments could help overall.

im not a vet, mind you. my ex was and i learned a bunch from her. still, a good vet can help you get to the bottom
of the concern. if you have a cats only clinic in town, it might be a good idea to take the cat there prior to adopting.