My Cat - cold symtoms or other issue?

Question
Hi! I have a 2.5 year old cat(Hypnotic) who has a teary left eye. I just called and I'm a few weeks overdue on his distemper shot, which I have set up to go tomorrow.  His eye has been teary for about 3days now. He is still eating, drinking and using the bathroom - I just didn't know if he had a slight cold or if it was bc he didn't have his distemper shot yet. He is still pretty active. I walk him and the weather here in colorado has been back n forth. 60's, then 20's at night, sunny then snowy the next. He is constantly at the door to go out, which I will put him on his leash and get some fresh air but not for long. Could this be the problem? I know I get the sniffles if I am constantly hot then cold. He has sneezed a couple of times but not a lot. I just wonder if he has a cold or allergies or is it his shot? Should he get the shot if he's not feeling well? If so I will not take him to his appt tomorrow.
I appreciate your time & response!  Thank you!! Rachel & Hypnotic

Answer
Hi Rachel,

It sounds to me like allergies are the most likely culprit, especially if you're taking him outside.  For a mostly indoor cat who is not exposed to other outdoor cats, it is highly unlikely that being a few weeks being out of date on his FVRCP shot would have anything to do with it.  Actually, to the contrary.  I have six strictly indoor cats, and I chose to keep them on a recessed vaccination protocol because overvaccination is a dangerous thing.  Mine only get the FVRCP shot every two years, the Rabies every three, and the FeLV not at all, because they have no exposure to the outdoors, and because the FeLV shot has been proven to cause sarcomas at the injection site that lead to cancer.

My recommendation is to keep your cat indoors for at least a week.  I would also call and reschedule his annual vaccination until he feels better, unless of course other more serious symptoms arise.  It is never advisable to administer vaccines to any animal feeling ill.  I would advise visiting your local pharmacy for some Lysine.  Lysine is the most commonly deficient amino acid, and supplementing it helps strengthen their immune system.  You can use 250 mg a day, crushed up into a fine powder and mixed in well with wet food.  I purchased mine from the local Walgreens pharmacy.  

Also, what are you currently feeding (dry, wet, what brands and type, and how much?)  It also can happen that cats develop allergies to foods they have been eating for years, especially commercial diets.  Proper nutrition plays such a vital role in our pets health and well-being.  Well, I hope this helps, and please keep me apprised on his progress.  Good luck!

P.S. On a side note, my oldest cat Indy has had a randomly watery left eye since she was a kitten.  This is usually due to an weakened immune system caused my her malnutrition in her first few weeks (I got her from an irresponsible pet owner when she was 5 weeks old).  It would randomly water once every month or two, I'd wipe it for her, and the next day it would be fine.  After I learned about the variety of ways commercial diets are killing out pets and discovered holistic and organic foods, I switched her to HALO dry and wet, and she has not had a watery eye since.  Please read, I do not think this is necessarily an immune problem since your cat has not had a watery eye from an early age, which is why it seems likely that allergies are the most likely culprit, but whether it be to outdoor contaminants, indoor pollutants, or a food allergy remains to be seen.  The first step is to try to rule out outdoor allergies.  Ways to minimize indoor pollutants are to remove any cleaners and chemicals from the house and put them in the garage or a high, well-ventilated corner that your pets don't have access to, use air purifiers, open windows with screens on nice, cool days to air out the house, always ensure your appliances and furnace and checked out regularly.  For more information on this and other holistic approaches to care and nutrition, please see Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to the Natural Health of Dogs and Cats.  I got mine at Half Price Books for $8, and it's the most informative book I ever have purchased.