Just like us, cats can catch the flu too. One of the most common culprits is the feline calicivirus (FCV), a contagious virus with signs including sneezing, runny eyes, mouth ulcers and general tiredness and irritability.
Feline calicivirus can make your feline buddy feel pretty miserable, however with the right care most cats recover quickly.
What is feline calicivirus and how is it spread?
Feline calicivirus is a common virus that affects the lining of the mouth, nose, throat and lungs of adult cats and kittens. It’s highly infectious disease and found throughout Australia, with kittens, unvaccinated cats, shelter cats and those from multi-cat homes most at risk. FCV can affect any breed of cat, but don’t worry, it can’t spread to humans.
The virus spreads in three main ways:
- Direct contact with spit, nose or eye discharge from infected cats
- Indirect contact with contaminated food bowls, bedding and even human hands
- Air-borne droplets from coughing or sneezing from an infected cat
Maintaining high levels of hygiene is really important as the disease can survive in the environment for up to a week or more. Cats can still spread the disease even after they have recovered.
“Cats that have been infected with FCV can also shed the virus in respiratory secretions for months or even a lifetime after symptoms have cleared,” says Vetpartners Vet Manager Dr Deepa Gopinath. “Other cats can become infected from seemingly healthy cats who are carriers.”
What are the signs of feline calicivirus?
The signs to look out for can vary, depending on the strain of the virus and the cat, but they may include:
- Mouth ulcers and drooling,
- Sneezing and nasal/eye discharge
- Fever, loss of appetite and low energy
- Watery eyes and conjunctivitis
- Occasional limping (due to joint inflammation)
“In some cats, the virus can cause eye damage, oral ulceration or ongoing gingivitis,” explains Dr Gopinath.
In some rare cases, FCV can cause a more severe version of the virus, known as virulent systemic FCV which can lead to inflammation, skin ulcers and organ damage.
Even once your cat seems on the mend from FCV, with little or no signs of the disease, the virus can resurface again.
“After initial infection, the virus usually persists in the cat without causing illness, until the immune system is suppressed due to physical or psychological stress,” she explains.
This physical stress can be caused by illness, injury or surgery, while the psychological stress can be from triggers like a new pet or person in the household, renovations, house move, boarding, grooming, for example.
How is feline calicivirus diagnosed?
If you or your vet suspects your feline friend has feline calicivirus, they will first do a physical exam, look at your cat’s vaccination history, their recent activities (contact with other cats, travel or boarding) and may possibly do a PCR test (polymerase chain reaction) to detect the virus in swaps from the mouth, nose or eyes.
Your vet may also check for other diseases which can show similar signs, such as feline herpesvirus (FHV-1), chlamydia felis and virulent systemic FCV.
What is the treatment for feline calicivirus?
While there is no cure for feline calicivirus, supportive care can help your cat recover more comfortably (more purring and less grr-ing). This could include giving fluids and nutritional support, pain relief and medication to prevent further infections, says Dr Gopinath.
“Antibiotics can be useful against secondary bacterial infections that ‘join the party’ once the viral infection has taken hold,” she says. “Anti-viral eye drops may be prescribed in eye ulcers develop, and an oral anti-viral has been used in affected kittens with promising results.”
Giving your furry friend a safe, quiet and warm place to recover with lots of water and soft food can help recovery, too.
How to protect your cat from feline calicivirus
As with other feline viruses, vaccination is the best protection. However, Dr Gopinath stresses that the vaccine can’t stop every infection, but it can make the signs milder if your cat is exposed.
“There are multiple strains of FCV and the virus is genetically diverse, with the potential to mutate quickly into vaccine-resistant strains. Vaccines generally cross protect against the established strains, but the expectation should be on reducing severity of disease, not complete protection,” she explains.
As well as the vaccine and booster shots, it can help to keep your cat away from sick cats (even keeping them indoors), use good hygiene habits in your home, avoid using shared water and food bowls, and keep up with vet check-ups.
When to see your vet
If you notice your cat avoiding eating or drinking, having trouble breathing or mouth ulcers, appearing unusually weak, or having any eye issues, see your vet. If you have more than one cat at home, it’s a good idea to keep them separated until your vet has confirmed what’s wrong.
If you think your cat might be overdue for a booster, speak to your vet as soon as possible. With up-to-date vaccinations, good hygiene and regular vet care, your cat can stay happy and flu-free.
