Companion Animals

Infectious Disease and Cat Welfare

Infectious diseases cause significant welfare harm in cats, both in shelters and in the general companion animal population.

Key Facts

Feline panleukopenia, herpesvirus, and calicivirus are common and preventable
Cat flu viruses cause painful oral ulceration and respiratory signs
Feline immunodeficiency virus leads to chronic immune compromise
Vaccination dramatically reduces the burden of preventable infectious disease
Shelter environments pose elevated infection risk requiring careful management

Welfare Considerations

Infectious diseases cause pain, respiratory distress, and immune compromise in affected cats. Many conditions are preventable through vaccination, yet remain common in unvaccinated populations and shelter settings. Robust vaccination programmes, infection control in shelters, and responsible ownership including regular booster vaccination are essential for reducing disease-related suffering in cats.

What You Can Do

Keep your cat up to date with core vaccinations
Vaccinate before any boarding, shelter stay, or cat show
Support trap-neuter-vaccinate-return programs for community cats
Donate to shelters that maintain high vaccination and hygiene standards
Raise awareness about the preventable nature of common feline infectious diseases