Infectious Disease in Cat Populations and Welfare

Infectious diseases including cat flu, FIV, FeLV, and panleucopenia cause significant welfare harm across domestic and feral cat populations.

Key Facts

Feline herpesvirus and calicivirus cause cat flu complex affecting the majority of cat populations
FIV is transmitted through bite wounds and causes progressive immune failure
FeLV is transmitted through close contact and causes anaemia and immune suppression
Panleucopenia causes severe gastroenteritis and is often fatal especially in kittens
Vaccination protects against all major infectious diseases in cats and is cost-effective welfare prevention

Welfare Considerations

Cats with severe infectious disease experience significant suffering from fever, respiratory distress, ulceration, and systemic illness. In shelter environments disease spreads rapidly causing welfare crises across entire cat populations. Vaccination is the most cost-effective welfare intervention available for companion cats, preventing conditions that cause significant suffering. Neutering and vaccination of feral cat colonies reduces disease prevalence and improves individual welfare across managed populations.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate all owned cats annually against cat flu, FeLV, and panleucopenia as a minimum
Keep vaccination certificates up to date for cats travelling or entering boarding
Support TNR programmes that include vaccination of feral cat colonies
Report suspected highly contagious disease to veterinarians for isolation and treatment
Quarantine new cats before introducing them to resident cats to prevent disease spread