URI or Feline leukemia?

Question
I have a cat (a year old or younger) that i rescued from our farm. She has earned the nickname of "honker" because her breathing sounds like she's honking. She eats ALL THE TIME and drinks and plays and goes to the bathroom and sleeps. However, she doesn't seem to be gaining any weight. Vet bills are pretty expensive and i only take my pets to the vet when it's ABSOLUTELY necessary. I've been told it's probably a URI or feline leukemia....any suggestions?

Answer
I think this is one of those absolutely necessary times unless you don't mind the thought of losing her over something that may be treatable.  I think a leukemia and AIDS test would be a wise investment.  If you have a Petco nearby, many of them offer leukemia and AIDS tests for $20 one weekend a month.  You can find out which locations near you offer this service by looking for stores that offer vaccinations, through their site, www.petco.com.  Most stores that offer vaccinations do leukemia/AIDS testing.  Otherwise, this can be done doing a routine vet visit.

I would encourage you to get her to the vet for a simple exam.  Could be she's suffering from an infection that will take all of a $10 antibiotic to clear up and help her thrive.  If nothing is apparent upon an exam, and antibiotics don't help, you can at least know you gave it a shot.

Beyond that, giving her 1000mg of l-lysine daily can help her if the URI she's suffering is the feline herpes virus.  You can grind up a tablet from any drugstore and mix it in her food, or you can purchase it in a gel for cats, called Viralys, available online and through vets.  

Also, running a humidifier and giving her saline-only nose drops can help clear stuffiness.  Two drops each nostril 3-4 times daily will help.