Infectious Diseases - Cats


1. Feline Panleucopenia (feline parvo, feline enteritis)

• caused by a contagious virus that is difficult to kill with disinfectants

• causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea

• often fatal in young kittens within a few days

• spread via faeces

• can be effectively vaccinated against, vaccine series should be started in kittenhood

2. Feline Respiratory Disease (snuffles, cat flu)

• caused by a variety of agents (bacteria and viruses) eg herpes virus, calci virus, chlamydia

• rarely fatal except in very young and very sick animals

• very contagious

• spread by coughing and sneezing, droplets can spread onto surfaces and remain infective

• carrier state common

• can be treated

• can vaccinate against 3 causative agents, vaccine series should be started in kittenhood

• a very common problem faced by shelters worldwide

3. Feline Leukaemia

• not very common in NZ

• depresses a cats immune system making them prone to infections and other diseases

• may also develop cancers

• usually fatal

• no specific treatment

• spread by saliva, blood, faeces, via placenta

• moderately contagious

• can be vaccinated against, vaccine series should be started in kittenhood

4. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

• feline AIDS

• more common in NZ

• depresses a cats immune system making them prone to infections and other diseases

• spread by saliva, blood, faeces

• often fatal

• no specific treatment

• no vaccine is available

Wellington SPCA routinely vaccinates against panleucopenia, and the herpes and calci viruses