Feline Distemper

Feline distemper is a dangerous cat viral infection that is preventable. This condition is sometimes called feline panleukopenia or feline panleuk. The feline distemper virus is related to the virus that causes distemper in dogs.

People may mistakenly think that the name distemper means that the cat disease causes aggression or changes the cats temperament. Two common signs of feline distemper are vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms of feline distemper include abdominal pain and hunched posture.

The cats white blood cells typically decrease significantly due to feline distemper. The cat may develop a high fever.

Cats infected with feline distemper often become depressed and lose their appetites. They may stop grooming themselves. The third eyelid may become more noticeable in the corner of the eye.

Feline distemper is highly contagious. It is transmitted from cat to cat by shared litter boxes, fleas, shared food or water bowls, mutual grooming, or shared bedding.

If a person handles a cat with feline distemper and then handles a non-infected cat, the non-infected cat can become infected. Kittens can acquire feline distemper from their mothers before birth.

Though kittens born to mothers with the antibodies have a natural immunity to the virus that causes feline distemper, this immunity is temporary. The temporary immunity to feline distemper lasts about eight weeks. In order to be protected, the kitten needs to receive the appropriate vaccines.

There is no cure for feline distemper. Treatments for feline distemper help alleviate the diarrhea and other symptoms. If the cat is to survive, the cats immune system must fight the viral infection.

If a cat in the household or other living condition with other cats develops feline distemper, the entire area needs to be disinfected with bleach to reduce the risk of spreading the disease to the other cats. If the area is not thoroughly disinfected, unvaccinated cats are at risk for contracting the disease even if the infected cat has been removed from the environment years earlier.