Kitten Diseases
Feral cat mothers are more likely than domestic cats to have kittens with health problems. There are many reasons for this:
Feral cats are likely to have more kittens than they can care for
Ferals are more prone to have parasites that can cause disease
Ferals are often undernourished and unable to provide proper nutrition for kittens
Panleukopenia (Feline Distemper) Panleuk, as it is commonly called, is a particularly virulent virus in the parvovirus group, and it is often found in feral cat colonies, or any other areas where large groups of cats gather. It can cause destruction of the bone marrow as well as of the cells that outline the intestine, which can lead to life -threatening dehydration and sepsis.
Upper Respiratory Infections Upper respiratory infections include Rhinotracheitis, a.k.a. Feline Herpes virus and Feline Calicivirus . There are core vaccines for both of these viruses. These viruses can cause sneezing, nasal discharge, and conjunctivitis (commonly known as pink-eye).
Feline Calicivirus (FCV) is a highly contagious virus that causes a mild to severe respiratory infection and oral disease in cats. The virus spreads through direct contact with the salva, nasal mucus and eye discharge of infected cats and through aerosol droplets that spread when cats sneeze.
Chlamydia Which is bacterial and can be treated with antibiotics, such as tetracycline. Chlamydia can cause conjunctivitis, which can be spread to humans.
Fading Kitten Syndrome
FKS, which is a group of symptoms rather than a single disease, is another name for death of neonatal kittens. Fosters of pregnant cats and their kittens are well familiar with the symptoms, which may appear shortly after birth, or as late as several weeks old. There is known known single cause. However, the compromise health of the mother cat undoubtedly weighs heavily.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) FIV is transmitted by deep bite wounds (saliva to blood), or during gestation or birth (blood to blood). Cats are more likely to die of secondary infection or other causes because of their compromised immune systems. Surviving kittens may be hard to place in permanent homes because of humans misunderstanding of this disease. However, many cats may live normally for years before they become ill.
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) FeLV is extremely infectious and can spread through casual contacts, such as shared food dishes, as well as from the mother cat. FeLV can be prevented with vaccines. However, once it appears, it can’t be cured, and in some cases it may become latent and cause a test to become negative. Kittens with latent infections will not become ill; however, the infection can be reactivated. FeLV suppresses the immune system so that cats die of diseases that they would otherwise be able to fight off.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) While FIP Can often be found in areas with large number of cats, it can also be found in kittens with a genetic predisposition. Wild exposure to the coronavirus that causes it is widespread, few of the infected cats actually get FIP, as the virus needs to mutate to cause illness. The downside is that once contracted, the disease is fatal.
Feline Cerebellar Hypoplasia (FCH) FCH Is commonly caused by feline distemper, contracted either immediately (one or two weeks) after birth or during gestation. As it centers in the cerebrum, CH is a neurological disease, which usually affects motor skills, including the ability to walk and control of the head.
Flea-Transmitted Diseases Several parasites are carriers of dangerous diseases to kittens. The common flea, as well as ticks and mosquitoes, can transmit a number of diseases:
Hemobartella a.k.a hemobartonellosis, is a parasite of red blood cells that can cause anemia. It is potentially deadly (particularly in kittens), and infected cats may even need blood transfusions as part of the treatment.
Anemia Even if a kitten doesn’t get hemobartonella from fleas, the mere act of the fleas dining in the kitten’s blood over a period of time can cause a different type of serious anemia.
Ringworm (feline dermatophytosis) is a highly contagious fungal infection of the skin.
Tapeworms Veterinarians will almost always treat flea-infested kittens for tapeworms. However, you may be asked to bring a fecal sample from the kitten with you at the appointment time, as they are also susceptible to other parasites, such as roundworms.
Giardia & Coccidia Coccidia and Giardia are both intestinal protozoan parasites that are common in kittens.
Giardia is a protozoan parasite that is acquired through fecal-oral transmission and develops in the intestinal tract.
Coccidia are one-celled organisms that cause a gastrointestinal infection known as coccidiosis. The microscopic parasites, which live inside the gastrointestinal tract, can cause gastrointestinal distress