Respiratory infections in cats and kittens are very common. The upper respiratory tract in the cat is made up of the nose, throat and sinus area. Viruses are the most common cause of respiratory disease in cats, with Feline Calicivirus and Feline Herpes virus causing 85 to 90% of all respiratory disease in cats.

Although cats do not get colds, they do suffer from upper respiratory infections. These kind of infections are seen mostly commonly in shelter cats, barn cats and outdoor stray cats. Although any cat can contract these diseases, kittens are at higher risk as their immune systems are not yet developed to fight off disease. Purebred cats such as Persians have a greater problem with chronic upper respiratory tract infections due to their pushed in faces and the fact that due to inbreeding they do not have great immune systems.