Cats

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Important Infectious Diseases of Cats

FELINE ENERITIS

Feline enteritis is caused by a corona virus. It is not transmittable to humans. The virus is very hardy and disinfecting contaminated places is very difficult. Recovered cats can shed the virus for other cats to catch.

  Symptoms

Since the virus attacks cells in the cat's body which are actively dividing, the disease affects the bowel, the body's defence systems (white blood cells) and unborn kittens. The virus is responsible for 3 different disease syndromes depending on the age of the cat.

In newborn kittens the virus cause panleukapaenia. This means the kittens have no white cells and no immune defences. These kittens die from bacterial infections that would not normally be harmful.

Older kittens develop enteritis. The virus strips the lining off the bowel causing severe vomiting and diarrhoea that becomes bloody. The cat has a fever, is very depressed and will rapidly dehydrate without treatment.

In pregnant cats the kittens may be aborted, or stillborn, or die soon after death. They may be seriously deformed.

Treatment

Treatment consists of intravenous fluids, antibiotics and general nursing support while the kittens fight the virus. Young kittens often die from this disease. Adults may not show clinical signs.

Prevention

Vaccination will prevent this disease. Kittens should be vaccinated initially at 6 - 8 weeks. Adults require yearly boosters. Queens provide maternal antibodies (immunity) to their kittens that wears off over time. Panleukapaenia is only seen in kittens where their mother has low immunity to feline enteritis. It is therefore very important to keep the queen fully vaccinated.

CAT FLU

Two virus, feline rhinotrachitis (herpes) virus and feline calici virus cause "feline upper respiratory disease" or "cat flu". These viruses are not related to human influenza and are not transmittable to humans. Like human flu these viruses cause symptoms from mild to extremely serious and sometimes death.

Cat flu is extremely common, especially in kittens and old or debilitated cats. Just as you can catch a cold when you're feeling run down, cats can catch flu when their resistance is low. It is very contagious and spread by aerosol. When a cat catches herpes flu that cat will carry the virus for life. Some cats become constant shedders while others can shed the virus when under stress even though they show no symptoms. Some cats will show disease signs all the time. When a cat is under stress, or ill, herpes can again cause disease. (Feline rhinotrachitis is in the same family group as the human cold sore virus and behaves in the same way.) Clinically feline calici virus appears to also have a chronic disease state but is not carried like rhinotrachitis virus. There are multiple strains of calici and the vaccine does not appear to be cross-protective to all strains.

Symptoms

Much like our common cold "cat flu" causes sneezing, runny eyes, runny nose and coughing. There may be mouth ulcers. In mild cases of flu the symptoms are limited, but in young kittens, old, weak or unvaccinated cats of any age, the disease can become much more severe. Kittens, in particular can die from the complications. More severe signs are very sore eyes, severe mouth ulcers, pneumonia and even nervous signs or abortion.

Treatment

General nursing as for cat flu is used in conjunction with a 3 - 4 week course of antibiotics suitable for chlamydia. All cats in the household must be treated at the same time to prevent them reinfecting each other.

Prevention

This disease is spread by aerosol and on food bowls, bedding and brushes etc. Sick cats should be keep away from healthy cats and anything the sick cat has had contact with should be kept separate.

Vaccines for chlamydia became available in Australia from early 2001(combined with enteritis and cat flu +/- leukaemia). Vaccination does not prevent this disease (simply because even recovery from this illness will not prevent your cat getting it again) however vaccination will decrease the length and severity of the illness. Vaccinations for chlamydia are recommended in cats where Chlamydial infections have been a problem and a new kitten should be vaccinated 10 days before it is introduced to a cat that may be infected.

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