Veterinarians often
recommend vaccinations to prevent the following
infectious diseases in cats.
Feline
Panleukopenia:
All cats should be vaccinated
against the feline paneukopenia (FTP) (sometimes
called feline enteritis) can effect cats of any age,
causing fever, loss of appetite, vomiting,
diarrhoea, dehydration, weakness, tremors and
incoordination. The disease is usually severe with
deaths occurring especially in kittens.
Feline
Respiratory Disease:
Respiratory disease ('feline
snuffles') is easily passed from one cat to another
when an infected cat coughs or sneezes, releasing
droplets in the air. Kittens can die from
respiratory disease, especially if they get
pneumonia. Cats with respiratory disease have watery
eyes or sticky discharge from the nose and eyes,
nose/mouth sores, inflamed eyes and fever. Most
respiratory disease is caused by either feline
rhinotracheitis virus (FRV) or feline calicivirus.
FRV, which tends to be more severe, can cause
pregnant cats to abort.
An organism called
Chlamydophilla felis causes another respiratory
disease, once known as 'pneumonitis'. In fact this
disease primarily causes inflammation of the eyes.
Vaccination against respiratory disease will reduce
the chances of your cat developing snuffles and will
also reduce the severity of symptoms.
Feline Leukaemia:
Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)
suppresses a cat's immune system, leaving it unable
to fight other infections such as pneumonia. In a
small number of cats it also causes cancer.
While the incidence of the
disease is in New Zealand is relatively low, exact
figures are not known.
