What is Feline Panleukopenia (Cat Plague/Feline Enteritis)?
Feline panleukopenia (FP), commonly known as cat plague, is a highly contagious disease in cats caused by the feline parvovirus. This disease most severely affects kittens.
It is important to note that feline panleukopenia should not be confused with canine distemper. Although their names sound similar, they are caused by different viruses. Additionally, the feline parvovirus does not infect humans.
In the past, feline panleukopenia was one of the leading causes of death in cats. However, today it has become a rare disease, largely thanks to the availability and administration of very effective vaccines.
Which Cats Are Most Susceptible to Feline Panleukopenia?
Feline panleukopenia virus is ubiquitous in the environment, meaning that nearly all kittens and adult cats will be exposed to the virus at some point during their lives. While cats of any age can contract the parvovirus that causes feline panleukopenia, the most vulnerable groups are kittens, sick cats, and unvaccinated cats.
Infection is most commonly seen in cats aged 3 to 5 months; during this age range, the disease is also more often fatal. The virus has long since spread across the United States and most countries worldwide.
Places like dog kennels, pet stores, animal shelters, areas where unvaccinated feral cats gather, and other sites with groups of cats appear to be the primary locations for feline panleukopenia outbreaks. In warmer months, outbreaks in urban areas may increase because cats are more likely to come into contact with one another in favorable temperatures.
How Are Cats Infected?
Cats infected with the virus shed it through their urine, feces, and nasal secretions. When susceptible cats come into contact with these secretions, or when they are bitten by fleas from infected cats, they can become infected.
Typically, infected cats spread the virus within a short period of time—about 1 to 2 days. However, the virus can survive in the environment for up to a year. This means that cats may become infected without direct contact with a sick cat. Items such as bedding, cat carriers, food dishes, or even the hands and clothing of people who have handled infected cats may harbor the virus and transmit it to other cats.
For this reason, it is extremely important to isolate infected cats. Any materials used by infected cats must never be shared with or come into contact with other cats. Furthermore, caretakers should maintain proper hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infection.
The virus that causes feline panleukopenia is very difficult to destroy and shows resistance to many disinfectants. Ideally, unvaccinated cats should not be allowed in areas where infected cats have been present. Even after disinfection, it is inadvisable to take risks by exposing vulnerable cats to these environments.
How to Diagnose Feline Panleukopenia
The symptoms of feline panleukopenia (often called "cat plague") can vary and may resemble other illnesses such as infections caused by Salmonella or Campylobacter, pancreatitis, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection, or feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection. Infected cats may even show signs similar to poisoning or foreign body ingestion.
The feline panleukopenia virus damages cells lining the intestines. It also attacks the bone marrow and lymph nodes, resulting in a deficiency of all types of white blood cells (a condition known as panleukopenia) and red blood cells (anemia).
The first obvious signs noticed by owners often include depression, lethargy, loss of appetite, high fever, drowsiness, vomiting, severe diarrhea, nasal discharge, and dehydration. A sick cat may sit persistently by the water bowl but drink very little. Some cats may have intermittent fevers that suddenly drop to below normal shortly before death.
When kittens are infected with the virus, it can also damage the brain and eyesight. Pregnant queens infected with the virus—even if the symptoms appear mild—may miscarry or give birth to kittens with severe cerebellar damage. The cerebellum is the part of the brain responsible for coordinating nerves, muscles, and bones to produce body movement. Kittens born with this condition suffer from feline cerebellar hypoplasia, displaying severe tremors when trying to move.
A diagnosis of feline panleukopenia can be suspected based on the cat's history of exposure to infected cats, lack of vaccination, and presence of obvious clinical signs. If there is a known exposure, blood tests showing a marked decrease in all types of white blood cells strongly suggest feline panleukopenia as the cause.
Detection of feline parvovirus in the cat's feces confirms the diagnosis of feline panleukopenia. However, if the cat was vaccinated within 5 to 12 days before testing, the result may be a false positive.
How to Treat Feline Panleukopenia?
For kittens infected within the first 8 weeks of life, the chances of recovering from feline panleukopenia are very slim. However, if appropriate treatment is provided early, slightly older cats have a much higher chance of survival. Since there are no medications that can kill this virus, intensive care and supportive treatment are critical to the cat's health. This involves administering medications and fluid therapy until the cat's own bodily functions and immune system can fight off the virus.
Without this supportive care, up to 90% of cats affected by feline panleukopenia may die. The main focus of treatment is to address dehydration, provide adequate nutrition, and prevent secondary infections. Although antibiotics cannot kill the virus itself, they are essential because the infected cat's immune system is compromised (due to reduced white blood cells), which allows bacteria from the damaged intestines to enter the bloodstream, causing infections.
If the cat can survive the critical first five days, its chances of recovery improve significantly.
To prevent the spread of the virus, strict isolation from other cats is necessary. Cats that may have contacted the infected cat, or any objects or people involved with the infected cat, should be closely monitored for any signs of illness. In most cases, once the cat recovers, it will not infect others through direct contact. However, some recovered cats may continue to shed the virus in their feces and urine for up to six weeks.
How to Prevent Feline Panleukopenia (FP)?
Cats that survive infection with feline panleukopenia virus can develop immunity and are very likely to be protected for life from reinfection. Mild, unnoticed cases of the disease can also induce immunity, helping the cat resist future infections.
Kittens may gain temporary immunity through the transfer of antibodies in the colostrum, which is the first milk produced by the mother after giving birth. This phenomenon is called passive immunity. The duration of this protection depends on the level of protective antibodies produced by the mother and generally lasts no more than 12 weeks.
Early prevention is crucial for a cat's health. There are now effective vaccines available to prevent infection with feline panleukopenia virus. Vaccination is equally important for cats that live indoors only as well as those that have access to the outdoors, since this virus is widespread in the environment.
Most kittens should receive their first vaccination between six and eight weeks of age and continue to get booster shots until they reach sixteen weeks old. Vaccination schedules for adult cats vary depending on the cat's age, health status, and the local risk of feline panleukopenia. Please consult your veterinarian to determine the appropriate vaccination timing for your cat.
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