Kittens with sneezies

I'm fostering 4 kittens with URIs, and they're totally isolated from
my other cats - but when I go in to feed/socialize, they sneeze all
over me. Do I HAVE to change clothes & shower every time, or does it
stop being contagious once it's dry? or overnight? (I'm allergic
enough that there're no cats in my bedroom.)
Doesn't seem a very bad case ... they don't even all have drippy eyes,
they're all still eating and they're not sneezing out globs, just sort
of a mist.

I found this on sheltermedicine.com:

Most URI pathogens survive in the environment no more than a few hours
(FHV-1) to a few weeks (Bordetella) and are inactivated by routinely
used disinfectants. Feline calicivirus is a notable exception, and may
survive for up to a month or even longer in dried discharge. FCV is
inactivated by household bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) diluted at
1:32, or by potassium peroxymonosulfate (Virkon® or Trifectant®).[6,
7] Calicivirus is NOT reliably inactivated by alcohols, and hand
sanitizers commonly used in shelters may not be completely effective.
Sanitizers containing 60-90% ethanol and propanol are more effective
than other alcohols.[8] As noted above, the stress and fomite
transmission associated with cleaning a typical box style single cat
cage may outweigh the benefit of thorough disinfection. If possible,
cages should be spot-cleaned while cats are in residence, and
thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and dried between residents.

At the very least, I would personally change clothes and wash my face
and hands thoroughly after each interaction.

mskitty834 wrote:
I'm fostering 4 kittens with URIs, and they're totally isolated from
my other cats - but when I go in to feed/socialize, they sneeze all
over me. Do I HAVE to change clothes & shower every time, or does it
stop being contagious once it's dry? or overnight? (I'm allergic
enough that there're no cats in my bedroom.)

ALWAYS change your clothing and wash your hands after being with cats with
URI's before touching your own cats. You could also leave a jacket or coat
in the room and put it on over your clothes and you could also put a hand
sanitizer (Purell, etc) in the room to use when you are done.



Riannon

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mskitty834 wrote:
I'm fostering 4 kittens with URIs, and they're totally isolated from
my other cats - but when I go in to feed/socialize, they sneeze all
over me. Do I HAVE to change clothes & shower every time, or does it
stop being contagious once it's dry? or overnight? (I'm allergic
enough that there're no cats in my bedroom.)
Doesn't seem a very bad case ... they don't even all have drippy eyes,
they're all still eating and they're not sneezing out globs, just sort
of a mist.

I should have mentioned too - use the sanitizer before you leave the room but
still wash your hands with soap and water too later as Rene S. said.


Riannon

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