Companion Animals

Cat Feline Calicivirus Welfare

Feline calicivirus (FCV) causes upper respiratory disease and oral ulceration in cats, with virulent systemic forms causing severe welfare emergencies in multi-cat settings.

Key Facts

FCV is the second most common cause of upper respiratory disease in cats after herpesvirus
Vaccination reduces severity but does not prevent infection due to viral strain diversity
Virulent systemic FCV (VS-FCV) causes facial and limb oedema, jaundice and high mortality
VS-FCV outbreaks in boarding catteries and shelters require immediate quarantine response
Cats with oral ulcers from FCV require pain management and assisted feeding in severe cases

Welfare Considerations

FCV causes significant suffering from oral ulceration and respiratory disease. Vaccination, isolation protocols and pain management reduce welfare impacts both in individual cats and multi-cat environments.

What You Can Do

Maintain FCV vaccination as part of your cat's core vaccination schedule
Ensure boarding catteries require up-to-date vaccination certificates before accepting cats
Provide pain management and assisted feeding for cats with severe FCV oral ulceration