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Cat flu is the common name for a feline upper respiratory disease, which can be caused by one or more possible pathogens:
Cat flu is spread much the same way as "human flu": direct contact with others who are infected, generally through saliva, tears, or discharge from the eyes or nose. There is also the possibility of indirect spreading though contamination of food bowls, bedding, litter, or human hands. Even after recovery, many cats will remain carriers of the virus and have the potential to spread it to other cats.
To reduce the spread, veterinarians recommend vaccination of kittens. [1] Already-infected cats must usually be isolated from all other cats for at least two weeks, and all objects touched by the cat must usually be decontaminated afterwards, including litter boxes, food bowls, and human hands.
Cat flu is typically diagnosed by a professional recognizing the common symptoms. Despite the variety of pathogens that may be responsible, some symptoms are generally considered to be shared,[ by whom? ] including sneezing, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, and discharge from the nose or eyes. [2] More rare symptoms, meanwhile, include: a loss of appetite, lethargy, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, and blepharospasm (squinting).
In extreme cases where symptoms do not subside, veterinarians may run additional tests including chest x-rays, blood tests, or bacterial cultures.
Cat flu is typically treated at home and generally focuses on the animal's symptoms. Currently, there are no antiviral drugs to treat cat flu, but antibacterial (antibiotic) drugs can be prescribed if symptoms are long-lasting or severe. Veterinarians may also prescribe eye drops or pain medication to aid the healing process.
Other common home remedies include exposing the cat to warm, humid air (such as through a humidifier); gentle face washing to remove nasal discharge; and feeding the cat strong-smelling foods (due to the respiratory infections often impacting a cat's sense of smell, and by extension its appetite). [3]
If a cat is suffering from excessive lethargy or dehydration, veterinarians may recommend hospital stays and, in extreme cases, appetite stimulants or the use of intravenous catheters or feeding tubes.
In South Africa, the term cat flu is also used to refer to canine parvovirus; however, that illness primarily affects dogs, though at times also mammals such as cats, skunks, and foxes. [4]
In the 2013 psychological horror film Escape from Tomorrow , there is a fictional strain of cat flu surrounding the Disneyland parks, which a Disneyland nurse claims one "could be a host [of] and not even know it". The main protagonist Jim later experiences these symptoms in the end of the film, such as constipation, vomiting up massive hairballs and blood, and gradual weakening of his body, before his wife discovers his corpse the next morning with cat eyes and a grinning face.
Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a viral disease that affects a wide variety of mammal families, including domestic and wild species of dogs, coyotes, foxes, pandas, wolves, ferrets, skunks, raccoons, and felines, as well as pinnipeds, some primates, and a variety of other species. CDV does not affect humans.
Kennel cough is an upper respiratory infection affecting dogs. There are multiple causative agents, the most common being the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica, followed by canine parainfluenza virus, and to a lesser extent canine coronavirus. It is highly contagious; however, adult dogs may display immunity to reinfection even under constant exposure. Kennel cough is so named because the infection can spread quickly among dogs in the close quarters of a kennel or animal shelter.
Swine influenza is an infection caused by any of several types of swine influenza viruses. Swine influenza virus (SIV) or swine-origin influenza virus (S-OIV) refers to any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. As of 2009, identified SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H2N1, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.
Canine parvovirus is a contagious virus mainly affecting dogs. CPV is highly contagious and is spread from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their feces. Vaccines can prevent this infection, but mortality can reach 91% in untreated cases. Treatment often involves veterinary hospitalization. Canine parvovirus often infects other mammals including foxes, wolves, cats, and skunks. Felines (cats) are also susceptible to panleukopenia, a different strain of parvovirus.
Canine influenza is influenza occurring in canine animals. Canine influenza is caused by varieties of influenzavirus A, such as equine influenza virus H3N8, which was discovered to cause disease in canines in 2004. Because of the lack of previous exposure to this virus, dogs have no natural immunity to it. Therefore, the disease is rapidly transmitted between individual dogs. Canine influenza may be endemic in some regional dog populations of the United States. It is a disease with a high morbidity but a low incidence of death.
Pneumonia is an irritation of the lungs caused by different sources. It is characterized by an inflammation of the deep lung tissues and the bronchi. Pneumonia can be acute or chronic. This life-threatening illness is more common in cats than in dogs and the complication “Kennel Cough” can occur in young pets.
Feline asthma is a common allergic respiratory disease in cats, affecting at least one percent of all adult cats worldwide. It is a chronic progressive disease for which there is no cure. Common symptoms include wheezing, coughing, labored breathing and potentially life-threatening bronchoconstriction. There is conjecture that the disease has become more common due to increased exposure to industrial pollutants. Feline asthma can also be attributed to lung damage caused by long-term exposure to second-hand smoke.
Influenza A virus subtype H7N2 (A/H7N2) is a subtype of the species Influenza A virus. This subtype is one of several sometimes called bird flu virus. H7N2 is considered a low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) virus. With this in mind, H5 & H7 influenza viruses can re-assort into the Highly Pathogenic variant if conditions are favorable.
Aujeszky's disease, usually called pseudorabies in the United States, is a viral disease in swine that is endemic in most parts of the world. It is caused by Suid herpesvirus 1 (SuHV-1). Aujeszky's disease is considered to be the most economically important viral disease of swine in areas where classical swine fever has been eradicated. Other mammals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, cats, dogs, and raccoons, are also susceptible. The disease is usually fatal in these animal species.
Equid alphaherpesvirus 4, formerly Equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) is a virus of the family Herpesviridae that cause rhinopneumonitis in horses. It is the most important viral cause of respiratory infection in foals. Like other herpes viruses, EHV-4 causes a lifelong latent infection in affected animals. These horses are usually the source for new infection for foals over two months old, weanlings, and yearlings. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, and discharge from the nose. Most infected animals recover in one to three weeks, but death can occur in environments with overcrowding and other stress factors. There are several vaccines available.
Feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR) is an upper respiratory or pulmonary infection of cats caused by Felid alphaherpesvirus 1 (FeHV-1), of the family Herpesviridae. It is also commonly referred to as feline influenza, feline coryza, and feline pneumonia but, as these terms describe other very distinct collections of respiratory symptoms, they are misnomers for the condition. Viral respiratory diseases in cats can be serious, especially in catteries and kennels. Causing one-half of the respiratory diseases in cats, FVR is the most important of these diseases and is found worldwide. The other important cause of feline respiratory disease is feline calicivirus.
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a virus of the family Caliciviridae that causes disease in cats. It is one of the two important viral causes of respiratory infection in cats, the other being Felid alphaherpesvirus 1. FCV can be isolated from about 50% of cats with upper respiratory infections. Cheetahs are the other species of the family Felidae known to become infected naturally.
Chlamydia felis is a Gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen that infects cats. It is endemic among domestic cats worldwide, primarily causing inflammation of feline conjunctiva, rhinitis and respiratory problems. C. felis can be recovered from the stomach and reproductive tract. Zoonotic infection of humans with C. felis has been reported. Strains FP Pring and FP Cello have an extrachromosomal plasmid, whereas the FP Baker strain does not. FP Cello produces lethal disease in mice, whereas the FP Baker does not. An attenuated FP Baker strain, and an attenuated 905 strain, are used as live vaccines for cats.
Cancer in cats is the leading cause of death among cats. It is caused by uncontrolled cell growth, and affects a wide range of cell types and organs in the body. Feline cancer initially manifests as a lump or bump on any parts of the body. It rapidly grows in the affected cell, attaches itself to the tissue under the skin in that area, and, depending on the tumour, it can spread to other parts of the body. Although cancer accounts for approximately 32% of deaths in cats over ten years old, it can be successfully treated if diagnosed early.
Lungworms are parasitic nematode worms of the order Strongylida that infest the lungs of vertebrates. The name is used for a variety of different groups of nematodes, some of which also have other common names; what they have in common is that they migrate to their hosts' lungs or respiratory tracts, and cause bronchitis or pneumonia. The lungworm will gradually damage the airways or lung tissue by inciting an inflammatory reaction inside the tissue. Ultimately, the parasites survive and reproduce in the respiratory tissues. The category is thus more a descriptive than a precisely taxonomic one.
The health of domestic cats is a well studied area in veterinary medicine.
Feline vaccination is animal vaccination applied to cats. Vaccination plays a vital role in protecting cats from infectious diseases, some of which are potentially fatal. They can be exposed to these diseases from their environment, other pets, or even humans.
Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms begin from one to four days after exposure to the virus and last for about 2–8 days. Diarrhea and vomiting can occur, particularly in children. Influenza may progress to pneumonia, which can be caused by the virus or by a subsequent bacterial infection. Other complications of infection include acute respiratory distress syndrome, meningitis, encephalitis, and worsening of pre-existing health problems such as asthma and cardiovascular disease.
DA2PP is a multivalent vaccine for dogs that protects against the viruses indicated by the alphanumeric characters forming the abbreviation: D for canine distemper, A2 for canine adenovirus type 2, which offers cross-protection to canine adenovirus type 1, the first P for canine parvovirus, and the second P for parainfluenza. Because infectious canine hepatitis is another name for canine adenovirus type 1, an H is sometimes used instead of A. In DA2PPC, the C indicates canine coronavirus. This is not considered a core vaccination and is therefore often excluded from the abbreviation.
A feline zoonosis is a viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoan, nematode or arthropod infection that can be transmitted to humans from the domesticated cat, Felis catus. Some of these diseases are reemerging and newly emerging infections or infestations caused by zoonotic pathogens transmitted by cats. In some instances, the cat can display symptoms of infection and sometimes the cat remains asymptomatic. There can be serious illnesses and clinical manifestations in people who become infected. This is dependent on the immune status and age of the person. Those who live in close association with cats are more prone to these infections. But those that do not keep cats as pets are also able to acquire these infections because of the transmission can be from cat feces and the parasites that leave their bodies.
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