Cat Flu – Feline Respiratory Disease

Cat flu is a disease found in cats that can cause a range of symptoms including runny eyes and nose, sneezing, dribbling, loss of voice and mouth ulcers.  Cat flu is a very serious condition in kittens but is not usually life threatening in healthy adult cats. 

The infection known as “cat flu” is caused by a number of viruses and other pathogens including viruses (Feline Calicivirus/FCV and Feline Herpesvirus/FHV-1), bacteria (including Chlamydophila or Chlamydia) and Mycoplasmas. 

The symptoms of infection can include sneezing, coughing, discharge from the eyes and nose, a loss of appetite and sometimes ulcers on the tongue and eyes. This can lead to severe dehydration and debilitation and in severe cases pneumonia and death. These viruses are easily spread through direct contact between cats, or through contaminated food bowls, bedding or a person’s hands. 

Diagnosis

A presumptive diagnosis may initially be made on the combination of typical clinical signs and a history of exposure to other infected cats however in cases that do not respond to standard treatment it is recommended they have further investigations to rule out other causes of respiratory disease. This may include blood tests, eye and throat swabs, x-rays and scoping the nose and throat under a general anaesthetic. 

Treatment

Cats are treated based on their clinical signs but treatment will at least involve antibiotics.  Other treatments include eye ointment, mucolytics and intravenous fluids.  Some cats need prolonged hospital stays due to reluctance to eat and dehydration. At the moment there is no effective anti-viral medication available so the aim of treatment is to support the patient until their immune system deals with the virus. 

Most cats respond very well to treatment for cat flu as long they are not elderly or suffering from another disease such as FIV or Feline Leukaemia.  A small proportion may become carriers of the virus, meaning that they may suffer recurrences during times of stress in the future or may be infectious to other cats. 

Prevention

Vaccination is recommended as the best way to try and prevent your cat becoming infected with cat flu.  However, as with the human flu there are many different strains of the virus so on rare occasions a vaccinated cat can still get cat flu. We recommend vaccination for cat flu for ALL cats, whether indoors or outdoors.

Our Midland & Drovers Vet Hospitals are both accredited ISFM Cat Friendly Clinics. 

The Cat Friendly Clinic programme is an internationally recognised assessment accreditation scheme which is open to any veterinary practice that cares for feline patients. There are certain requirements regarding design, equipment and facilities within the clinic, which must be met to achieve the standard. The clinic must also demonstrate that a high quality of care is provided to cats and that all staff understand cats and their needs in a clinic. 

The benefit to the clinic is that not only will the scheme help to improve the clinical care of feline patients but may also increase the number of clients who are actively seeking a cat friendly clinic for their pet.

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