Sick Kitten had infected older cat

[bwebb0017]

I have 2 cats, one is an older cat that's been with me for a long time, and another is a sick kitten that was dumped on me by my neighbors. They moved away and just left this poor kitten running around outside, so I took her in. She was sick to begin with, and another neighbor took her to the vet, who said she had an upper respiritory infection and an eye infection. My older cat seems to have caught her illnesses. I believe the older cat's eyes have completely cleared up, but she's still wheezing and coughing.

Listen, I've noticed that 99 out of 100 of the answers on this board seem to be "You need to take your cat to the vet", but I'm telling you right up front that that cannot happen. I find myself in the situation of choosing to either pay rent or take my cat to the vet, and sorry kitty, but I'm not getting evicted. so is there anything anyone can think of that I should do, or any over the counter medications for humans that my older cat might benefit from? Please remember that not all of us are fortunate enough to afford running to the vet every time our pets get sick, and help me out with some "home remedies" or something.

[jawert1]

You are fortunate enough to have a voice, please use it to ask your vet to work with you regarding cost and your current situation. Respiratory infections in cats can be very quickly fatal, and while I applaud that you took in this homeless sick kitten, vet treatment is the only option to get them both healthy. You can also call the local animal shelter and find out if they have low cost vet care available. Nobody here would suggest you get evicted, but you do have options should you decide they're worthwhile pursuing. On a side note, never use over the counter meds on a pet, the dosages are meant for humans and are often not accurate even then. Good luck, I hope you can find adequate and affordable care for your cats.