The main viruses that cause URI in cats are highly contagious. An infected cat will shed contagious particles in saliva or secretions from the nose or eyes. Susceptible cats can get an infection by direct contact with another infected cat or by environmental exposure to objects that have been contaminated with infectious secretions. In the majority of cases, the cat gets an infection by direct contact since the viruses can only survive for a short period of time in the environment, and they are readily destroyed by proper disinfection procedures. Several of these diseases can cause a carrier state in cats that have apparently recovered from an infection and female cats that are carriers can pass the infection on to their newborn kittens.

Once a cat is exposed to an infectious agent, it will go through an incubation period of 2-10 days before developing symptoms. If the infection is uncomplicated, it will typically last for 7-21 days, depending on the particular disease agent. During this entire time, the cat will potentially be infectious to other cats.

With FVR, all cats that have been infected will become carriers of this virus; most carriers will be latent, meaning that the virus will survive in an inactive form within the cat's body. Stress will cause the virus to become reactivated, and if the virus becomes reactivated, the cat will again be infectious. In the majority of cases, the cat will show symptoms of a respiratory infection when the virus is reactivated. However, not all cats with a reactivated feline viral rhinotracheitis infection will show symptoms of disease. With calicivirus, about half of the cats that are infected will become carriers of disease. In some of these cats the carrier state may only last for a few months, but in a small percentage of cats the carrier tate may persist for life. These persistent carriers are usually free of symptoms but serve as a constant source of virus to susceptible cats.

When saliva or other discharges from an infected cat contaminate the environment, the viruses can survive in the material as long as it stays moist. Fortunately the secretions usually dry up in a fairly short period of time, and once the secretions dry up the viruses will die. Viral particles that get onto hands or other skin surfaces usually remain infective for about half an hour, while contaminated 'fomites' such as food or water bowls, kitty litter boxes, blankets, cleaning cloths, and cat toys will be infective as long as the secretions on them remain moist - under normal conditions, the secretions will dry up in a few hours.

The viruses are readily killed in the environment by disinfectants, as long as the disinfectant contacts all contaminated surfaces. A bleach solution (1 part regular bleach to 32 parts water) is an effective disinfectant for surface disinfection or for use on objects that can be bleached. Contaminated objects should be soaked in bleach solution for a minimum of 5 minutes. Blankets or toys can also be disinfected by regular machine washing using hot water and detergent. Objects that cannot be bleached may be decontaminated by thorough washing with plenty of soap and water. Upholstered furniture may be decontaminated with upholstery shampoo, although in most cases furniture only serves as a source of virus for a short period of time after being contaminated by an infected cat.

After touching an infected cat, hands can be sanitized by washing with soap and water (making sure to clean under the fingernails with a nail brush), followed by application of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

All cats can become infected, but infection tends to be more severe in young animals or animals that have another chronic disease. Kittens born to a cat that is carrying a latent FVR infection may become infected after birth. In these kittens, symptoms usually develop several weeks after birth, and the infection can be very serious.

In most cases, diagnosis of an upper respiratory infection is based on the characteristic clinical signs. Specific identification of the causative agent is not always necessary, but will be recommended for breeding animals or if an individual cat has an infection that is poorly responsive to treatment.

Most cats with an uncomplicated upper respiratory infection can be treated symptomatically at home. Your veterinarian may prescribe an eye medication to be applied topically if your cat has yellow or green eye discharge. It is extremely important to treat corneal ulcers aggressively in order to prevent permanent damage to the eyes.

Although viral infections do not respond to antibacterial drugs, broad spectrum antibacterial drugs may be prescribed in an effort to prevent secondary bacterial infections from complicating the disease, particularly in kittens.

Cats with nasal or airway congestion may benefit from increased environmental humidification such as being taken into a steamy bathroom for 10-15 minutes several times per day. To minimize irritation from discharges, it is often helpful to wipe them away from the cat's face or eyes with a moist tissue. Since cats with a respiratory infection will have a decreased sense of smell, they often have a decreased appetite - feeding a highly palatable canned food may help improve their appetite. In some cases, an appetite stimulant may be prescribed.

If a cat is dehydrated, depressed or has a severe case of illness, your veterinarian may recommend hospitalization for more intensive treatment including intravenous fluids and other supportive treatments.

A cat that has an infection will be infective to other cats during the incubation period and for up to 3 weeks after developing symptoms. A cat that is a carrier may always be infective to other cats. The risk of infection increases in cats that are unvaccinated, are young, or have chronic underlying problems. Adult cats that have been adequately vaccinated will likely only develop a mild case of illness, which may resolve without treatment.

Affected cats must be isolated from other cats to avoid further spread of disease. It is always prudent to isolate any new cat from the other cats in your household for at least 1-2 weeks to minimize transmission of any infectious diseases.

The upper respiratory infection that is caused by feline viral rhinotracheitis is species specific, and is only infectious to other cats. However, upper respiratory infections in cats can be caused by or complicated by bacterial infections, some of which might be zoonotic, or contagious to humans. If you follow good hygiene practices including proper hand washing after handling any cat, you will minimize the chance that you can get an illness from this or any other infectious disease. It would be prudent to consult your family physician if anyone in your family develops signs of a respiratory infection if your cat is ill.

Since upper respiratory infections can be caused by a variety of different disease agents, it is not always possible to prevent upper respiratory disease in cats. However, the standard 'core' vaccines that are given to cats provide protection against feline viral rhinotracheitis and feline calicivirus. There is also a vaccine that protects against feline chlamydiosis; this vaccine is considered to be 'non-core' and its use is recommended if your cat has a reasonable risk of exposure to this disease. None of these vaccines will completely prevent an infection from occurring if your cat is exposed to the disease, but they will significantly reduce the severity of the infection and shorten the length of the illness. All of these vaccines need to be boostered on a regular basis - your veterinarian will advise you on the recommended booster schedule for your individual cat.

Susceptible cats can get an infection by direct contact with another infected cat or by environmental exposure to objects such as brushes, food bowls, litter boxes, cat toys, or blankets that have been contaminated with infectious secretions. Boarding facilities, humane societies, animal shelters and cat shows are all places where susceptible cats can be readily exposed to these infectious diseases. Preventing direct contact between your cat and other cats will greatly minimize the chance that your cat will pick up an infection, while following good sanitation and hygiene practices, such as washing your hands thoroughly before and after petting another cat will further reduce the likelihood of disease spread between cats. If your cat has had an infection, you should keep the cat indoors to prevent spread of this infection to other cats in your neighborhood.

As with the human common cold, there is no cure for this infection. The therapeutic goal is to reduce the frequency and severity of recurrences. Most cats respond well to medical management of the condition and lead normal lives. Minimizing the chance of infection, feeding a premium diet, supplementing the diet with l-lysine daily, reducing stressful situations and following an appropriate vaccination schedule are your cat's best defense against this disease.

One of the tissues in which FIV lives is the salivary glands, so the most common route of infection is a deep bite wound from a FIV-positive cat to another cat. It can also be transmitted via blood, in utero and from milk from an infected mother cat. It is very rare for cats to get FIV from just being around infected cats, from sharing food bowls, or from a person touching a FIV-positive cat and then touching a FIV-negative cat.

There are no specific signs of FIV infection. FIV-positive cats have a weaker immune system so they are more prone to getting infections such as upper respiratory infections, ringworm and dental disease. Other than that, FIV-positive cats tend to live normal lives and have a normal length of life.

There are no obvious signs of FIV so the only way to know is to do a blood test. The most common screening test is an ELISA test (often called a SNAP test) done by your veterinarian, which looks for antibodies to FIV. An antibody is a protein made by the cat in response to FIV infection. A cat can test positive as soon as two to four weeks after exposure, but it can take up to eight weeks. Kittens under six months of age may test positive after having received antibodies from their mothers, either in utero or via milk. It can take up to six months for these antibodies to go away. Thus, it is a good idea to retest a kitten who tests positive after he or she has reached six months of age.

There are no proven treatments to rid a cat of FIV. Most FIV-positive cats handle the disease well, but it is important to concentrate on treating the secondary illnesses.

Cats should be kept indoors so they do not fight with a FIV-positive cat. Depending on where one lives, the rate of FIV-positive cats ranges from 4 to 24 percent. A FIV-positive cat can live with a FIV-negative cat as long as neither cat is a fighter, or the FIV-positive cat has no teeth. (FIV-positive cats commonly have severe dental disease, which often means it is necessary to remove all their teeth.)

There is a vaccine for FIV, but the vaccine does not have the best efficacy and, after a cat is vaccinated for FIV, the cat will test positive for the virus. At this point, no test can differentiate whether a cat tests positive for FIV from the vaccine or from having the infection. If a cat escapes and is picked up by local animal control and then tested, the cat may be killed because he or she tests positive.

Yes, as long as the cats get along and do not fight. The risk that a FIV-positive cat could spread the virus to a FIV-negative cat can be minimized by having them live in separate rooms until you are confident that they will not fight with each other.

FIV-positive cats can live normal lives both in quality and duration. Frequent monitoring of their health for signs of infection, particularly dental disease, can ensure they have long and happy lives.

FeLV-infected cats are found worldwide, but the prevalence of infection varies greatly depending on their age, health, environment and lifestyle. In the United States, approximately 2 to 3% of all cats are infected with FeLV. Rates rise significantly - 13% or more - in cats who are ill, very young, or otherwise at high risk of infection.

Cats persistently infected with FeLV serve as sources of infection. Virus is shed in very high quantities in saliva and nasal secretions, but also in urine, feces and milk from infected cats. Cat-to-cat transfer of virus may occur from a bite wound, during mutual grooming, and (though rarely) through the shared use of litter boxes and feeding dishes. Transmission can also take place from an infected mother cat to her kittens, either before they are born or while they are nursing. FeLV doesn't survive long outside a cat's body - probably less than a few hours under normal household conditions.

Cats at greatest risk of infection are those who may be exposed to infected cats, either via prolonged close contact or through bite wounds. Such cats include:

• Cats living with infected cats or with cats of unknown infection status
• Cats allowed outdoors unsupervised, where they may be bitten by an infected cat
• Kittens born to infected mothers

Kittens are much more susceptible to infection than are adult cats and therefore are at the greatest risk of infection if exposed. But accompanying their progression to maturity is an increasing resistance to FeLV infection. For example, the degree of virus exposure sufficient to infect 100% of young kittens will infect only 30% or fewer adults. Nonetheless, even healthy adult cats can become infected if sufficiently exposed.

Feline leukemia virus adversely affects the cat's body in many ways. It is the most common cause of cancer in cats, it may cause various blood disorders and it may lead to a state of immune deficiency that hinders the cat's ability to protect itself against other infections. The same bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi that may be found in the everyday environment - where they usually do not affect healthy animals - can cause severe illness in those with weakened immune systems. These secondary infections are responsible for many of the diseases associated with FeLV.

During the early stages of infection, it is common for cats to exhibit no signs of disease at all. However, over time - weeks, months, or even years - the cat's health may progressively deteriorate or be characterized by recurrent illness interspersed with periods of relative health. Signs can include:

• Loss of appetite
• Slow but progressive weight loss, followed by severe wasting late in the disease process
• Poor coat condition
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Persistent fever
• Pale gums and other mucus membranes
• Inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and mouth (stomatitis)
• Infections of the skin, urinary bladder and upper respiratory tract
• Persistent diarrhea
• Seizures, behavior changes and other neurological disorders
• A variety of eye conditions
• In unspayed female cats, abortion of kittens or other reproductive failures

FeLV is present in the blood (a condition called viremia) during two different stages of infection:

• Primary viremia, an early stage of virus infection. During this stage some cats are able to mount an effective immune response, eliminate the virus from the bloodstream and halt progression to the secondary viremia stage.
• Secondary viremia, a later stage characterized by persistent infection of the bone marrow and other tissue. If FeLV infection progresses to this stage, it has passed a point of no return; the overwhelming majority of cats with secondary viremia will be infected for the remainder of their lives.

Two types of FeLV blood tests are in common use. Both detect a protein component of the virus as it circulates in the bloodstream.

• ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and similar tests can be performed in your veterinarian's office. ELISA-type tests detect both primary and secondary stages of viremia
• IFA (indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay) tests must be sent out to a diagnostic laboratory. IFA tests detect secondary viremia only, so the majority of positive-testing cats remain infected for life.

Each testing method has strengths and weaknesses. Your veterinarian will likely suggest an ELISA-type test first, but in some cases, both tests must be performed - and perhaps repeated - to clarify a cat's true infection status.

The only sure way to protect cats is to prevent their exposure to FeLV-infected cats.

• Keep cats indoors, away from potentially-infected cats who might bite them. If you do allow your cats outdoor access, provide supervision or place them in a secure enclosure to prevent wandering and fighting.
• Adopt only infection-free cats into households with uninfected cats.
• House infection-free cats separately from infected cats and don't allow infected cats to share food and water bowls or litter boxes with uninfected cats.
• Consider FeLV vaccination of uninfected cats. (FeLV vaccination of infected cats is not beneficial.) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of vaccination with your veterinarian. FeLV vaccines are widely available, but since not all vaccinated cats will be protected, preventing exposure remains important even for vaccinated pets. FeLV vaccines will not cause cats to receive false positive results on ELISA, IFA or any other available FeLV tests.

Many FeLV-infected cats are not diagnosed until after they have lived with other cats. In such cases, all other cats in the household should be tested for FeLV. Ideally, infected and non-infected cats should then be separated to eliminate the potential for FeLV transmission. FeLV-positive cats may live together for many happy and healthy years!

It is important to remember that cats who have tested positive for FeLV may live long and normal lives. Many shelters or rescues do not test for these diseases. DunRoamin' tests our cats because we are unaware of the majority of their backgrounds and wish our adopters to have 100% of all information regarding a cat they wish to join their family. We have had many FeLV cats adopted to families who have lived/are living long and happy lives - just ask Tyrion, Cathay, Charity, Kuwertz, ChitChat and Willikers, all of whom were fortunate to join wonderful families who have loved them for years! If you are hoping to adopt only one cat to join your family, please consider adopting a FeLV+ cat (or two) - they have every bit as much life and love to give!!

Oocysts or immature coccidia are passed in the stool of an infected cat. They lie in the environment and eventually sporulate and mature into a more developed oocyst that can re-infect the cat. Other cats, dogs or mice may also become infected. This process can occur in as little as six hours, but it usually takes seven to ten days. If the sporulated oocysts are swallowed, they mature in the cat’s intestine to complete the life cycle. If a mouse should swallow the oocysts, a cat may become infected by eating the infected mouse.

Kittens are commonly diagnosed with coccidiosis. A kitten is not born with coccidia. After birth, kittens are frequently exposed to the mother’s feces. If the mother is shedding the infective cysts in her feces, her babies can ingest them during nursing. Since young kittens (less than six months of age) have no immunity to coccidia, the organisms reproduce in great numbers and may cause serious consequences.

It takes about thirteen days for illness to develop after the kitten first ingests coccidia. Consequently, kittens that become sick from a coccidial infection are at least two weeks old. Although most cases are the result of infection from the mother, this is not always the case. Any infected kitten or puppy is contagious to other kittens or puppies. In breeding facilities, animal shelters, kennels and other areas where numerous pets may come into close proximity with one another, it is wise to isolate infected animals from those that are not.

Most cats that are infected with coccidia do not have diarrhea or any other clinical signs. When the eggs or oocysts are found in the stool of a cat without diarrhea, they are generally considered a transient, insignificant finding. However, in kittens and debilitated adult cats, coccidiosis may cause severe watery diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal distress and vomiting. In severe cases, death may occur.

Coccidiosis is diagnosed by performing a microscopic examination of a stool sample. Since the oocysts are much smaller than the eggs of the intestinal worms, a very thorough evaluation must be performed. Infection with some of the less common coccidial parasites may be diagnosed with a special blood test.

The most common drug used to treat coccidiosis is a sulfa-class antibiotic. It is typically administered for six to fourteen days. Some formulations of this medication are pleasant-tasting and most cats will readily accept it. If the sulfa drug is not effective, other treatments are available. Additional supportive treatments may be needed if diarrhea and dehydration occur. Cats are frequently re-infected from the environment so disinfection is important. The use of diluted chlorine bleach (one cup [250 ml] of bleach mixed in one gallon [3.8 L] of water) is effective. Be sure to test clean a small area of any affected materials since bleach can damage many surfaces.

The most common species of coccidia found in cats do not infect humans. Some of the less common types of coccidia are potentially infectious to humans. One of these less common species, Cryptosporidium, may be transmitted by cats or dogs to people, especially those with compromised immune systems. Cryptosporidium has also been found in public water supplies in some major cities. Another coccidial organism, Toxoplasma, is of particular concern to pregnant women because of the potential to cause birth defects in newborns. However, most human cases of Toxoplasmosis occur from eating contaminated meal as opposed to contact with a cat’s feces. These two coccidial parasites pose an increased health risk for immuno-suppressed humans (ie: AIDS patients, those taking immune suppressant drugs, cancer patients, etc). Good hygiene and proper disposal of cat feces are important in minimizing risk of transmission of all feline parasites to humans. Although there is risk of the cat transmitting these two particular parasites to humans, it does not warrant removing the cat from a home except in very rare instances, since transmission can be prevented by practising good hygiene.