09/01/2026
If you have adopted a cat recently, you have probably heard the letters URI. Upper respiratory infection. It gets said like a diagnosis, but it is really a category.
URI tells you the area involved, the nose, eyes, and throat. It does not tell you what caused it. In cats, most cases trace back to one of two viruses, and they show up in different places. Feline Calicivirus (FCV) tends to affect the mouth, with ulcers on the tongue, red gums, drooling, and a cat that comes to the bowl and walks away from it. Feline Herpesvirus (FHV-1) tends to affect the eyes and nose, with repeated sneezing, watery eyes, squinting, and conjunctivitis that flares back up when your cat is stressed. One cat can carry both.
Knowing which one you are dealing with matters, because a few of the usual first moves do not touch a virus at all. Antibiotics only have a role when a secondary bacterial infection is present. Lysine supplements have been studied and a systematic review found no evidence they prevent or shorten flare-ups. And waiting it out is reasonable for a mild case, but not for a kitten, a senior cat, a cat that has stopped eating, or an eye that is held shut.
Swipe through, then bring the specifics to your vet. More at curefipusa.com.