IACUC Learning Module - Cats

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IMPORTANT DISEASES of CATS

Toxoplasmosis - Caused by toxoplasma gondii a coccidian parasite. Pulmonary disease and coughing occur during the initial infection. Clinical signs include anorexia, depression, enlarged lymph nodes, central nervous system involvement and anemia. This disease is important because it can affect pregnant women. The symptoms are a slight fever, swollen lymph glands-like the flu. The female passes it on during 5-6 months of pregnancy and it causes severe birth defects.

Feline chlamydiosis - This disease is caused by the bacteria Chlamydia psittaci. This infection is common in kittens between five weeks and 9 months old. Commonly a healthy cat will get the disease through direct contact with a discharge from the eyes or nose of the infected cat. Incubation period is 14 days. The treatment for this disease is oral antibiotics and frequent use of antibiotic eye ointments. Vaccination against this disease is available.

Feline panleucopenia - this was the first feline disease to be shown it was caused by a virus. It is a highly contagious disease that can affect any kind of cat including lions, tigers and leopards as well as other animals such as mink, ferrets and raccoons. This virus can exist in the environment for months and is resistant to many disinfectants and also heat. Usually it is a disease of young kittens, but a cat of any age may be infected. Usually a cat becomes infected through direct contact with a cat that is infected or through exposure from contaminated objects or environments. Infected cats usually pass the virus through their feces, but can also pass it through their saliva, urine, vomit, and blood. A pregnant female can also pass it to her kittens. The incubation period is normally two to ten days and the first symptoms are fever, reduced appetite, vomiting, and lethargy. If a cat survives this stage he may get a watery diarrhea within two to three days. Unborn kittens may develop brain damage such as a lack of coordination that shows up at a few weeks old. There is no extensive treatment and infected cats must be isolated from any other cats and receive intensive nursing care. Some cats survive infection, but their recovery usually takes several weeks and they are susceptible to other infections because their immune defenses are compromised. The prevention for this disease is to vaccinate against it.

Feline leukemia virus - Seven out of ten cats are likely to come into contact with this disease at sometime in their life. It is responsible for more deaths in cats than any other single cause. This is a highly infectious viral disease which is present in the saliva, urine, blood, milk, mucus and feces of permanently infected cats. Saliva is the most common route of infection and can be passed on in regular close contact or bite wounds. Kittens can pick up FeLV infections from their mothers either before they are born or from her milk. There are three outcomes for an infected cat depending on his age, response of his immune system and on the dose of virus that he has received. 1.) A cat may successfully fight off the disease and become immune to re-infection. 2.) The cat may be overcome by the disease and because his immune system cannot fight it off a permanent infection with FeLV is the result. The cat becomes a factory for the virus. This happens to three out of ten cats exposed to the virus. The majority of these infected cats die within three and a half years. The most common causes of death from the virus is reduced immunity to other diseases, cancer and anemia. 3.) The cat’s immune system may attack the virus, but cannot completely beat it. Some virus may remain within his body and he may manage to eliminate eventually, if not he will develop FeLV related tumors. There are no specific symptoms for this disease. Generally one of the effects of this disease is immunosuppression and the symptoms that occur are from other diseases and infections that FeLV has made the cat prone to. The most common symptoms that are associated with permanent FeLV infection is weight loss , fever, conjunctivitis, mouth ulcers and gingivitis, vomiting, diarrhea and anemia. There are no specific drugs available to treat FeLV, but permanently infected cats can be treated symptomatically to make them feel more comfortable. Vaccines are available for this disease, but only if the cat hasn’t been permanently infected first.

Feline immunodeficiency virus infection (FIV) - Belongs to a group of viruses called retroviruses. FIV is related to HIV, but appears to be able to infect only wild or pet cats. The belief the disease is spread by the injection of FIV in saliva when a cat is bitten by another infected cat. For the virus to be passed on substantial quantities of the virus need to be injected in this way. Outside of the body, the virus is quickly destroyed. About 5 weeks after infection cats may have a raised temperature. They develop swollen glands over their bodies. Sometimes this is all that occurs until several months or even years later. When further symptoms develop, they are usually the result of other recurrent infections Or diseases such as gingivitis-stomatitis or rhinitis that become permanent because FIV has suppressed the affected cat’s normal immune response to them. The individual cat’s symptoms may vary to a degree, but usually these include: lethargy, weight loss, conjunctivitis, gingivitis-stomatitis, diarrhea, skin disorders and anemia.

These symptoms are more common in male, non-pedigree cats, those who roam freely outdoors and between 6 to 10 years old. Currently there is no specific treatment available.

Feline infectious peritonitis - This is caused by a coronavirus. The disease is spread through the feces or saliva of an infected cat before it shows symptoms of the disease. The outcome of the infection depends upon the cat’s age, the precise strain and dose of the virus and the cat’s immune system. The strength of the cat’s immune system response may determine whether he suffers from "wet" or "dry" FIP. A reduced appetite and lethargy are included in both as initial symptoms. "Wet" FIP symptoms will include abdominal swelling, fever, depression, weight loss and anemia . The chest may also fill with fluid making breathing difficult. These symptoms develop quickly over a few weeks. "Dry" FIP symptoms take longer to develop and cause inflammatory growths in the liver, kidneys, brain and eyes. They also include weight loss, depression and fever. Currently there is no specific treatment or vaccine. Most cats usually die as a result of infection.