Cats disease
What is cat’s disease?
Cat’s disease is a virus infection of the gastrointestinal tract with felines. It also affects the resistance since most white blood cells die (panleucopénie). The symptoms are high fever (often 40-41 degrees), vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, dehydration and severe stomachache. Without treatment usually more than 90% of the infected animals will die. With kittens the mortality often is 100%.
Cat’s disease is a virus infection of the gastrointestinal tract with felines. It also affects the resistance since most white blood cells die (panleucopénie). The symptoms are high fever (often 40-41 degrees), vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, dehydration and severe stomachache. Without treatment usually more than 90% of the infected animals will die. With kittens the mortality often is 100%.
Is cat’s disease serious?
If a cat is brought to an animal clinic straight away, the mortality often is 50-70% despite of an optimal (long-lasting and expensive) treatment. Cat’s disease is the most deathly virus infection with cats. The treatment consists of anti-vomiting means and fluid drips because of the dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhoea. Besides, the animal is very susceptible to additional infections and pneumonia. Firstly, because the virus removes almost all white (resistance) blood cells and secondly since the intestine mucous membrane is affected in such a way that bacteriums out of the intestine can easily penetrate in the body.
If a cat is brought to an animal clinic straight away, the mortality often is 50-70% despite of an optimal (long-lasting and expensive) treatment. Cat’s disease is the most deathly virus infection with cats. The treatment consists of anti-vomiting means and fluid drips because of the dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhoea. Besides, the animal is very susceptible to additional infections and pneumonia. Firstly, because the virus removes almost all white (resistance) blood cells and secondly since the intestine mucous membrane is affected in such a way that bacteriums out of the intestine can easily penetrate in the body.
How do you make the definitive diagnosis?
By means of a dissection you can get the assumption that it concerns cat’s disease, if the middle third part of the small intestine turns into a crimson infection. However, other complaints might also show this. The diagnosis is made definitively by means of tissue examination (histology) of intestines and lymph glands or by tests which directly indicate the virus in diarrhoea or with the tissue examination. These direct tests are 100% reliable. The tissue examination can make the supposed diagnosis plausible.
By means of a dissection you can get the assumption that it concerns cat’s disease, if the middle third part of the small intestine turns into a crimson infection. However, other complaints might also show this. The diagnosis is made definitively by means of tissue examination (histology) of intestines and lymph glands or by tests which directly indicate the virus in diarrhoea or with the tissue examination. These direct tests are 100% reliable. The tissue examination can make the supposed diagnosis plausible.
How is the disease transferred?
The transfer of the virus takes place through vomit and diarrhoea. The virus can remain contagious in the outside world for a very long time. Sunlight will kill the virus. Especially if the weather is rainy and cold the virus can be spread very fast over large surfaces (lakes and fields). Other cats are infected since they walk through the infected spots and wash themselves afterwards or for example nibble on infected blades of grass or drink out of ponds.
The transfer of the virus takes place through vomit and diarrhoea. The virus can remain contagious in the outside world for a very long time. Sunlight will kill the virus. Especially if the weather is rainy and cold the virus can be spread very fast over large surfaces (lakes and fields). Other cats are infected since they walk through the infected spots and wash themselves afterwards or for example nibble on infected blades of grass or drink out of ponds.
Are cats which don’t come outside also in danger?
Inside cats can also get infected since the owner can take the virus home on his shoes. The chance of infection for inside cats however is smaller than for outside cats. In view of the high mortality of an infection it isn’t wise to run the risk consciously.
Inside cats can also get infected since the owner can take the virus home on his shoes. The chance of infection for inside cats however is smaller than for outside cats. In view of the high mortality of an infection it isn’t wise to run the risk consciously.
Does cat flu resemble the cat’s disease?
Cat flu causes serious cold symptoms but is rarely mortal. Only a small percentage keeps having a nasty chronic cold or sometimes gets pneumonia due to a complication. Cat flu is caused by viruses which usually don’t survive long in the outside world. The most occurring way of infection is through direct contact from one cat to the other or by sneezing within the same space.
Cat flu causes serious cold symptoms but is rarely mortal. Only a small percentage keeps having a nasty chronic cold or sometimes gets pneumonia due to a complication. Cat flu is caused by viruses which usually don’t survive long in the outside world. The most occurring way of infection is through direct contact from one cat to the other or by sneezing within the same space.
What about vaccinations against cat’s disease?
The cat must get a vaccination when he is 9 weeks old. Before this age the vaccination often isn’t successful because the antibodies which the kitten obtained from the mother are still functioning and “neutralize” the vaccine until the kitten is 6 weeks old. These antibodies slowly disappear afterwards. The second vaccination (booster) must take place 3-4 weeks later when the cat is 12-13 weeks old. The only well examined method to administer vaccines is through injections. With dead vaccines this is even the only method. Cat’s disease vaccinations induce a pretty long-lasting but not a lifelong protection.
The cat must get a vaccination when he is 9 weeks old. Before this age the vaccination often isn’t successful because the antibodies which the kitten obtained from the mother are still functioning and “neutralize” the vaccine until the kitten is 6 weeks old. These antibodies slowly disappear afterwards. The second vaccination (booster) must take place 3-4 weeks later when the cat is 12-13 weeks old. The only well examined method to administer vaccines is through injections. With dead vaccines this is even the only method. Cat’s disease vaccinations induce a pretty long-lasting but not a lifelong protection.
Do I need to have my cat vaccinated against cat’s disease yearly?
Revaccination is absolutely necessary but is only required every 2-3 years. Cat flu must take place for the first time when the kitten is 9 and 12-13 weeks old. Since the cat flu vaccination functions much shorter (9-12 months) this cat flu vaccination must be repeated yearly. In practice this means that the cats usually get a cocktail vaccination of cat’s disease and cat flu every 2-3 years, and in between a vaccination only for cat flu yearly. Giving a cocktail vaccination every year is unnecessary. Inside cats only need a cat’s disease vaccination every 2-3 years.
Revaccination is absolutely necessary but is only required every 2-3 years. Cat flu must take place for the first time when the kitten is 9 and 12-13 weeks old. Since the cat flu vaccination functions much shorter (9-12 months) this cat flu vaccination must be repeated yearly. In practice this means that the cats usually get a cocktail vaccination of cat’s disease and cat flu every 2-3 years, and in between a vaccination only for cat flu yearly. Giving a cocktail vaccination every year is unnecessary. Inside cats only need a cat’s disease vaccination every 2-3 years.
Cats used to be vaccinated once, weren’t they?
The cats used to be vaccinated only when they were young. Since cat’s disease occurred a lot, the kittens got in contact with the “wild” cat’s disease that often that they kept revaccinating (so-called booster) themselves continuously. Despite of the fact that no further vaccinations took place at the veterinarian, the cats stayed healthy and fully protected.
The cats used to be vaccinated only when they were young. Since cat’s disease occurred a lot, the kittens got in contact with the “wild” cat’s disease that often that they kept revaccinating (so-called booster) themselves continuously. Despite of the fact that no further vaccinations took place at the veterinarian, the cats stayed healthy and fully protected.
Are repetitions of the cat’s disease vaccination still necessary?
Nowadays the cat’s disease virus is that rare that there is only a small chance that a cat gets in contact with it while it is still protected by the first vaccination(s). Revaccination (booster) by means of the “street” cat’s disease virus doesn’t take place anymore. That is why the cats need to be vaccinated by the veterinarian every 2-3 years. If this doesn’t take place and the cat will unexpectedly get in contact with the pathogenic cat’s disease virus, it will be 100% susceptible again. The animal will have 90% chance that he will die due to the virus. Vaccinated cats are protected for 100%.
Nowadays the cat’s disease virus is that rare that there is only a small chance that a cat gets in contact with it while it is still protected by the first vaccination(s). Revaccination (booster) by means of the “street” cat’s disease virus doesn’t take place anymore. That is why the cats need to be vaccinated by the veterinarian every 2-3 years. If this doesn’t take place and the cat will unexpectedly get in contact with the pathogenic cat’s disease virus, it will be 100% susceptible again. The animal will have 90% chance that he will die due to the virus. Vaccinated cats are protected for 100%.
What about cat flu vaccinations?
This protection percentage is lower for cat flu. Besides, much more variants of this virus occur which aren’t all in the vaccine. Cat flu vaccination functions about a year (9-12 months). The nose drop vaccination which we used to use gave only 6 months protection. This vaccination method functions faster and better, but also gave more side-effects and has been withdrawn from the market.
This protection percentage is lower for cat flu. Besides, much more variants of this virus occur which aren’t all in the vaccine. Cat flu vaccination functions about a year (9-12 months). The nose drop vaccination which we used to use gave only 6 months protection. This vaccination method functions faster and better, but also gave more side-effects and has been withdrawn from the market.
Cat’s disease breaks?
Most cat’s disease breaks occur in the late spring and winter amongst stray cats and kittens (not vaccinated, bad and very wet weather conditions and little food, often a lot of cats together). Also, infections break out in districts where the owners out of financial reasons don’t or hardly have their cats vaccinated. Since almost all cats are vaccinated in the Netherlands, the disease has become rather rare. These wild cats however form so-called reservoirs where epidemics might break out. Besides, there are import cats (pitiful holiday cats and the “bird” markets (Antwerp) and the continuous threat for new breaks. Unfortunately, there isn’t any oral (through the beak) vaccine available which also makes wild cats immune.
Most cat’s disease breaks occur in the late spring and winter amongst stray cats and kittens (not vaccinated, bad and very wet weather conditions and little food, often a lot of cats together). Also, infections break out in districts where the owners out of financial reasons don’t or hardly have their cats vaccinated. Since almost all cats are vaccinated in the Netherlands, the disease has become rather rare. These wild cats however form so-called reservoirs where epidemics might break out. Besides, there are import cats (pitiful holiday cats and the “bird” markets (Antwerp) and the continuous threat for new breaks. Unfortunately, there isn’t any oral (through the beak) vaccine available which also makes wild cats immune.
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