Do you think a cat could catch the flu?

Hi MM I think any animal can catch a cold or something from a human, they do suffer with the same things as humans so why not share the colds too! hugs LoLo

NORMALLY, a cat and a human can't share respiratory infections, UNLESS the cat or the human have impaired immune systems - and not always because of something like Aids or FIV - just having been sick with something else if a person (or a cat) can sometimes lead to a follow up infection. Generally its from cat to human rather than the other way around. I met a lady who had adopted a couple of cats who got an URI and she was also sick, and got sicker. She took the cats to the vet and the vet told her that because she had already been sick, she probably caught the URI from the cats. She went to her doc on the vet's recommendation and got an antibiotic and both she, and her cats, were better in a short time.

In theory it would be possible if the virus mutated in such a way that it can be caught by animals. I wouldn't really worry though. The chance this happens more often isn't too big and in case an animal would catch it the chance it survives the flu is pretty big.

normally no. normal colds and flu viruses are specific to humans - some illnesses can be passed between cats and humans but not these. in the unlikely event that you have a varient (including apparently from what you said swine flu) that can be then it is unlikely to be fatal anyway.