Kitten Diseases
#1 Feline Infectious Peritonitis
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is an infrequent, severe, viral disease of domestic cats. It is caused by a coronavirus. It does not affect non-feline species, such as dogs. This is a contagious disease seen mainly in young or incredibly old cats and can be a problem in some catteries.
FIP is a chronic, wasting disease that results in poor appetite, fever, and weight loss over several weeks before it is fatal. Various organs may be affected (i.e., liver, kidneys, brain, the eye, etc.) that will influence the clinical signs. Blindness may occur in one cat, seizures in another, and jaundice in still another. In the “wet” form of FIP a clear, straw-colored fluid often fills the abdominal or chest cavities. Diagnosis of FIP may be difficult and frustrating.
The coronavirus antibody may be present in some cats that have been exposed to a more benign coronavirus called feline enteric coronavirus. It is impossible to distinguish between the enteric and the FIP forms of this virus. There are no specific tests, except organ biopsy, that are reliable in all cases. New evidence indicates that even cats not exposed to FIP carriers can still suffer from the disease when the enteric form of the coronavirus converts to the FIP form!
The prognosis of FIP is always extremely poor. It is fatal in all but a few exceptional cases. Vaccination is not reliable and may obscure test results. For further information visit https://web.vet.cornell.edu/public/fhc/fip.html.
#2 Feline Leukemia
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is usually transmitted by other cats through bodily secretions such as urine, saliva, and fecal material. Cats can be also contracting the disease from their mother through the placenta. This disease affects a cat by suppressing its immune system, leaving it unable to fight off other infections, such as pneumonia.
Some cats can acquire the virus and keep it contained in the bloodstream until their immune system fights it off. In others, the virus passes from the bloodstream to the bone marrow where it will permanently affect the cat.
We have a test in our clinic to diagnose this disease and it requires only a few drops of blood. The test checks for pieces of the virus in the bloodstream. Sometimes the test will be positive for the virus and later the animal’s immune system will fight it off. For this reason, we will retest in 2 months and if it is still positive, we will send off an IFA blood test that checks for the presence of the virus in the bone marrow. In other cases, your cat might be infected, but there is not enough virus in the bloodstream to show on a test. We may choose to retest 8 to 12 weeks later if there is any suspicion for the disease.
There are many immune-boosting treatments we can offer if your cat tests positive. They may help to prolong life for a matter of months, but death eventually occurs. If your cat has the feline leukemia virus, it is advisable to keep him indoors since this will decrease the chance he will contract a disease he will be unable to fight off. It will also keep him from spreading the disease. Dogs cannot contract the disease.
Feline leukemia vaccination is now a common part of cat preventive health programs. At our clinic, we advise the vaccine for outdoor cats only as there has been a correlation, although rare, with vaccine-associated sarcomas. Two initial doses are given three weeks apart, followed by a yearly booster. Vaccines will not cause a positive FeLV test result. Since no vaccines are 100% effective, the best prevention is to keep your cat indoors and to test and quarantine all cats introduced to your household.
#3 Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
The Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is also called the Feline AIDS Virus. It is likened to the AIDS virus that affects humans because once infected, both the human and feline AIDS serve to immunosuppress the individual. You cannot catch FIV from your cat.
FIV is almost always contracted from the bite of an infected cat. It is rare for a kitten to contract the disease from its mother, but a kitten can receive antibodies for the disease while nursing from its mother. Usually, these antibodies disappear after several months.
We usually see the disease in outdoor male cats that fight. It can take up to 2 – 3 months for antibodies to show up on a test after your cat has been bitten. The presence of the FIV can be detected by a simple blood test. Unlike the feline leukemia disease, a cat that contracts FIV usually cannot fight off the disease. Therefore, a positive test result means the cat is infected with the virus and likely will be infected for the remainder of its life.
Since this is an antibody test and does not test for pieces of the virus, if a kitten tests positive, we will wait until he is at least 7 months of age to retest. A negative result may mean the cat is not infected, or it is too early to build up antibodies, or rarely that the cat is so immunosuppressed that he is not making enough antibodies to test positive.
There is a new vaccine for FIV. Unfortunately, it does not affect the strain we usually see, and vaccination will cause tests to be positive even though your cat does not have the disease. For this reason, we do not vaccinate for FIV at Stonebrook Family Pet Clinic. If you have a cat that tests FIV positive but is not ill, it is not necessary to immediately euthanize it. If it does not fight with your other cats, transmission is not likely to occur.
Many cats live for years with this disease. If your cat is used to living outdoors, the responsible thing to do is to help prevent the spread of this disease and keep the cat indoors.
#4 Feline Panleukopenia
Also known as feline distemper and is highly contagious, easily transmitted through bodily secretions, and can be fatal especially among kittens. It is related to the parvovirus in dogs although it is not transmittable to dogs.
This virus attacks the white blood cell line, which helps to fight infection and ward off disease. It is almost impossible to prevent exposure so; all cats should be vaccinated. We vaccinate at 8, 11, and 14 weeks and future vaccines will be determined on an individual basis.
Symptoms of this disease include depression, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. We offer fluid therapy and antibiotics to fight off the dehydration and secondary infections that can accompany the disease. Cats that recover from Panleukopenia may never totally regain their health.
#5 Feline Respiratory Diseases
Rhinotracheitis, Calici, and Chlamydia. These are highly contagious and widespread diseases.
Rhinotracheitis is also known as the feline herpes virus. Respiratory infections are easily spread from one cat to another by droplets in the air from coughing or sneezing. Often it is kittens from catteries or pet stores that contract this disease. Although they almost always overcome the symptoms, stresses such as weaning, and boarding can precipitate an attack. Herpes viruses are especially known to be recurrent. In some cases, eye and lung infections can occur. Even a cat that seems healthy can infect your pet.
Vaccination is your cat’s only protection and again, is not 100% effective. We vaccinate at 8, 11, and 14 weeks and yearly boosters are planned on an individual basis. If your cat is coughing or sneezing and you are planning a trip, please let us know and we can arrange individual accommodations to prevent the spread of infection.
#6 Rabies
All warm-blooded animals can become infected with the rabies virus. We see rabies in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats. It is one of the world’s most publicized and feared diseases and is almost always fatal.
The rabies virus attacks the brain and central nervous system and is transmitted to humans chiefly through the bite of an infected animal. Clinical signs may vary. Some animals may stagger, seem vicious, or even overly friendly. Since feline rabies has increased since 1981, it is recommended that all cats be vaccinated for rabies. Usually, this is done at 4 months with yearly boosters.
If your pet is vaccinated and gets bit by another animal, it is recommended that it get revaccinated immediately and be quarantined in your home for 45 days. If the pet has not been vaccinated, officials recommend euthanizing and submitting tissue for rabies testing. If the owner is unwilling to euthanize the pet, it should be strictly quarantined for six months with vaccination one month prior to release.
