If a cat had a herpes infection of the eye, can this cat be introduced to other animals without infecting them

Question

Details: We have 3 adult cats whom we believe do not have feline herpes. Through a family emergency, a fourth adult older cat may have to join the mix. This fourth cat had a violent reaction when she was first infected with herpes through an unrelated kitten. Her eye developed a deep ulcer that took a year to heal. Will this fourth cat, if introduced to our current flock of adult cats, spread the disease and could our cats have the same reaction?

Answer 1

I wouldn't suggest it, eye infections, URI etc are all contagious to other animals.  Once you get the medicine from the vet it should start to clear up.

Answer 2

yes, it is best to treat all your cats with l-lysine

Answer 3

Noooooooo, Adam, don't do it!  (I'm trying to sound ghostly here.)

Here's the deal: say you have a kitten who gets a herpes infection in his cute little eye. The eye gets all goopy and disgusting, but it's not just an eye infection.  The actual herpes infection is in the respiratory system.  By treating the eye, you're treating the entire infection. Sometimes the vet will give you additional meds, sometimes just the eye meds, depending on the severity of the infection. But herpes most definitely IS contagious to other cats, although the infection risk does decline as treatment is administered, provided it is received well.  But the herpes contagion risk is much higher with kittens because they are SUPER GOOFY and wrestle and rub their faces all over each other, so the chance of eye-to-eye transfer is increased.  As a matter of caution, it's usually best to keep the kitten (with cooties) away from other cats until the vet tells you contact is safe.  

By the way, I'm not just being a smarty-pants.  We just went through this whole song-and-dance last year with two litters of kittens, in which a couple of them had the herpes eye curse, while the rest were fine.  Whew.  Good luck.

  

Answer 4

It sort of becomes a question of not whether, but if it causes it to flare up.  Most cats harbor a herpes virus, and normally it is under control. Giving lysine will go a long way in controlling the flare up, as you are actually seeing an outbreak.  The herpes virus takes up the lysine, and it inhibits its growth.

If an active outbreak, probably is best to keep the cat isolated during the flare up.