Feline Distemper: A Contagious Cat Virus

Feline distemper is a contagious paravirus. It is also known as Feline Infectious Enteritis and Feline Panleukopaenia. It has a high mortality rate among kittens because their immune systems are weak. Adult cats least likely are sicken by feline distemper because the immune systems are stronger. Cats that live together in large groups, such as in households with more than one cat, animal shelters, and colonies of stray cats. The virus can be transmitted by cat to cat contact and human to cat contact by the following ways:

sharing food, water bowls, litter pans, and bedding
mutual grooming(licking each other)
flees
human handling (hugging and patting, allowing cats and kitten to play with clothes and shoes)

Feline Distemper Systems
According to Pawprints & Purrs, INC, at www.sniksnak.com, following are the symptoms of feline distemper:
vomiting
diarrhea
depression
disinterest in food and water
lack of grooming dull rough coat
abdominal pain
hunched over posture appearance

It can take 10 days before symptoms develop.

Preventing Feline Distemper
Feline distemper can be easily prevented by vaccination. Make sure kittens are immediately vaccinated after birth. Also vaccinate adult cats if they have not been vaccinated.

As stated earlier kittens are more at risk of catching feline distemper than adult cats because their immune systems are weak. So if a person owns kittens he/ she should keep his/her home clean. Frequently clean baskets in which the kittens sleep by changing the towels and pillows coverings. When cleaning the linen used by the kittens, use germ killing disinfectants such as bleach or pine sol and wash them using hot water. Also frequently disinfect toys used by the kittens.

Be sure to keep the floors clean. Several times a week, at least two or three times, mop floors using disinfecting cleaners. As for carpets and rugs, there are special made sprays for pet owners.

According to Mordecei Siegal in "Cornell Book of Cats", the virus the causes feline distemper can survive for up to 10 days on surfaces on clothes and shoes. It can get on a person from other people, or when sitting and walking on the ground. So when returning home from outdoors remove your shoes and leave them at the door, preferably on a shoe shelf out of the reach of kittens. Also change your clothes and put the dirty clothes out of the reach of kittens.

Feline distemper can be very serious. A cat owner should take steps to protect his or her cat(s) and be sure to have them vaccinated.

Mordecei Siegal, "Cornell Book of Cats" January 1997, Random House Publishing Group