Cat flu

Home Persians Medisch Cats Facts Shows About Us Contact

Cat flu (Upper respiratory infection)

Cat flu is a kind of flu in cats. It is mainly caused by herpes and calicivirus but also by various bacteria, including the most important Bordetella. First your cat

will start sneezing. Then a lot of fluid comes from the nose, and the eyes may start to water. The conjunctiva can become inflamed, can be red and swell.

The body temperature is elevated.

If due to decreased resistance bacteria also take hold, pus from the nose (snot) will be observed. After 3-5 days the disease is at its peak. It takes about 10-14

days for them to heal. As a complication we sometimes see that cats that can no longer smell (blocked nose), no longer want to eat and drink.

They can then quickly dehydrate and ulcers on the oral mucosa occur. Especially with an infection with calicivirus which is an extra reason not to want to eat.

Treatment:

If the cat gets sick then you must pay close attention; if the discharge from eyes and nose is still clear and the cat still eats well, then it can probably overcome

the disease well by itself, provided it is well vaccinated. If your animal stops eating or you see pus, then it is advisable to administer medicines. Initially with a

broad-spectrum antibiotic which penetrates well into the lungs and the upper airways. These are tablets (or a liquid) that you can give yourself.

In addition, nose drops can provide space and air in the upper airways. Your cat will usually recover quickly, and only become sick again if it is not vaccinated in

time, the resistance suddenly decreases (stress), or is not in good condition. It is important that an antibiotic course is completed fully!

Why do healthy and even vaccinated cats get sick?

In the past, feline calicivirus, feline herpes virus and to a lesser extent Chlamydophila (formerly called chlamydia) were considered the primary pathogens

responsible for cat flu. Despite the widespread use of vaccines against these pathogens, cat flu in cats still occurs a lot.

One of the causes of this is that until recently, the role of the bacterium "Bordetella bronchiseptica" (Bb) was underestimated.

When you look at how many cats have been in contact with this bacterium, the percentages go up to 50%. Therefore this bacterium is now seen as one of the

more important co-causes of cat flu. In addition, it was discovered that this bacterium can easily go from cat to dog (it is the same bacterium that causes kennel

cough in dogs). In kittens the bacterium can cause a fatal pneumonia. Because of the discovery of this bacterium a vaccine was sought. Recently it is available in the form of a nasal drop vaccine.

The vaccination can already be given from 4 weeks of age and protects the cat for 1 year. The vaccination is advised for the following risk groups:

- Cats that live in a house with more than 3 cats.

- Cats that go to a boarding cattery

- Cats in catteries or in a shelter

- Cats that visit cat shows

- Cats that have contact with a dog that has recently had a respiratory disease.

Because the disease can have such serious consequences in young kittens, it is recommended in particular to consider vaccinating these young kittens from the

above groups! The vaccine has proven to be completely safe in research and administration in the form of a nasal drop is painless.