Cat plague, a hateful infectious disease, is probably familiar to all shit collectors. It is highly contagious and has a high fatality rate, which makes both cats and their owners "disturbed".

For most novice poop removers, they have only heard that cat plague is very scary, but they do not understand how cats are infected with feline plague virus and what symptoms they have after being infected. Especially older uncles and aunts do not have much awareness of pet disease prevention when raising pets. They think that as long as the cat does not go out, it is safe. As a result, the cat will be infected with some serious diseases. Only then will the cat be infected. Go blame yourself for not taking good care of the cat.

　

In today’s article, we will talk in detail about the cat distemper virus, the prevention and control measures of cat distemper, and the treatment methods after being infected with cat distemper (the picture and text are long, it is recommended to save them).

　Part.1

What is cat plague?

Feline distemper, also known as feline infectious enteritis, is an infectious disease caused by feline panleukopenia virus. The pathogen is a virus in the family Parvoviridae and the genus Parvovirus. After the virus enters the body, it can survive in the kidneys for more than 1 year.

It can occur throughout the year, but is more common in spring and winter.

Route of infection: contact with virus-containing urine and feces or blood-sucking insects and fleas (common: lice, fleas). Infected cats excrete a large amount of virus from their feces, urine, vomitus and various secretions, and the virus can survive in the environment for a long time. After recovery, cats will still have viruses in their feces, which can last for more than a year.

Targets of transmission: Cats of all ages can be infected. Kittens aged 3-5 months who are not fully vaccinated or have not been vaccinated are more likely to get this disease. In most cases, cats under 1 year old are susceptible, with an infection rate of up to 70% and a mortality rate of 50% to 60%. Kittens under 5 months old have a mortality rate of up to 80% to 90%. As age increases, The incidence rate gradually decreases, and cats raised in groups may have an outbreak in the entire group or the entire litter.

In addition to infecting domestic cats, cat distemper virus can also infect other cats (such as tigers and leopards), mustelids (minks) and raccoons of the bear family.

　

　Part.2

What are the symptoms of cat plague?

The incubation period of feline plague is 2-9 days, and the clinical symptoms are related to the age of the cat and the virulence of the virus. Most kittens have acute symptoms, with body temperatures rising above 40°C; cats over 6 months old mostly show subacute symptoms, with fever first reaching around 40°C, then returning to normal temperature after 1-2 days, and then rising again after 3-4 days. High, that is, biphasic thermal type.

Can cat plague be transmitted to cats (can cat plague be transmitted to other cats through human contact)

1. There are no obvious symptoms in the early stage of the disease. The main symptoms include poor mental health, long sleep time, loss of appetite, etc. The owner may ignore these symptoms of the cat due to busy work or insufficient understanding of the cat.

2. In addition to the aggravation of initial symptoms, cats in the middle stage of the disease may also refuse to eat, do not respond to the owner’s calls, and lose weight rapidly.

3. Frequent vomiting. At first, the vomited food is food. As the condition worsens, the vomitus will show yellow-green gastric juice.

4. In the later stages of being infected with feline plague, cats will have diarrhea, with brown excrement, severe dehydration and secondary bacterial infection, leading to sudden death.

5. If a female cat is infected during pregnancy, it will cause stillbirth and miscarriage. Neurological symptoms can also occur in newborn kittens. The disease is not easy to detect in the early stages. Owners should carefully observe the cat's condition. Early detection is more helpful for treatment.

　

　Part.3

How are cats infected with feline distemper virus?

Can cats who never go out also be infected?

There are some people who have a sense of luck: "Anyway, if my cat doesn't go out, what diseases can it get?"

"Isn't it said that cats have nine lives? It doesn't matter if they have strong physical fitness and don't get vaccinated."

Can cat plague be transmitted to cats (can cat plague be transmitted to other cats through human contact)

This idea is really wrong. Although the cat doesn't go out, the owner does. Every day when we squeeze into buses and subways, and go to places with a large flow of people, our clothes and shoes already carry a lot of viruses. If the cat happens to have not been vaccinated, or the kitten is not fully vaccinated, it is easy to be infected with feline distemper.

In addition, if a healthy cat has not been vaccinated, it can contract the disease once it comes into contact with food, water, utensils, etc. contaminated by the virus. External parasites such as lice and fleas can also spread the disease. Pregnant female cats can transmit the disease to their fetuses. Kittens under 1 year old with poor immunity and cats that have never been immune are susceptible to infection.

The feline distemper virus is extremely tenacious and can survive for a long time at low temperatures. Feline distemper virus can still be detected in the feces of cats that have recovered for more than a year. At the same time, the vomit, excrement, and secretions of sick cats will also contain a large amount of feline distemper virus.

　

　Part.4

Cats infected with feline plague shouldHow to treat?

1. When a cat shows symptoms such as vomiting, fever, diarrhea, etc., it needs to avoid water and food and seek medical treatment in time;

2. After diagnosing feline plague, inject serum as soon as possible for treatment;

3. The combined use of antiemetics, antibiotics, and infusions can prevent complications from secondary infections;

4. If there are other cats at home, the sick cat needs to be isolated and the environment disinfected (84 disinfectant is enough);

5. Female cats are infected with feline distemper during pregnancy and need to be induced.

When the cat stops vomiting, try to feed the cat easily digestible semi-liquid food, while isolating the sick cat and taking disinfection measures.

1. When the condition tends to be relieved, as long as the cat no longer vomits, the owner can try force-feeding. This is to avoid damage to the cat’s digestive system (especially liver function) caused by long-term deprivation of food. Don't be too rough in force-feeding, and start from less to more. The cat's body is still very weak at this time and cannot be allowed to collapse due to excessive struggle.

2. Cats will use a large amount of antibiotics during treatment, causing intestinal flora disorder in cats. Therefore, owners need to provide cats with medicines or health care products that are beneficial to intestinal health in a timely manner. Such medicines need to be taken at least half an hour apart from antibiotics.

3. During the recovery period, do not feed high-protein foods, milk, eggs, and chicken livers. Instead, you can feed your cat nutritional paste or prescription food.

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　Part.5

How to prevent the occurrence of cat plague?

Preventing cat plague is actually not difficult: regular immunization, not letting cats roam free, and regularly disinfecting the environment.

Although it is simple, there are still many owners who cannot do it.

Cats can be injected with the triple cat vaccine (herpes virus, feline parvovirus, and Carisi virus, which we often call rhinocele, feline distemper, and feline cupping) after 8 weeks of birth. Cats that are immunized for the first time need to be injected three times, once every three weeks, with a booster after one year and another booster after three years.

Can cat plague be transmitted to cats (can cat plague be transmitted to other cats through human contact)

For cats that have been infected with cat plague, owners should not blame themselves too much. There are many cases of kittens that have just been purchased and suddenly die from cat plague. This situation is unpredictable for novice poop owners. If you have requirements for a certain breed of cat but are unable to judge whether the pet shop is ethical, you can take the cat for a physical examination first. Healthy cats should be vaccinated in time to avoid tragedies.