Tony's Practice
Corner Wood & Brooke Streets, Woodend
Phone: 5427 4344
Fax: 5427 4355
Email: info@tonyspractice.com.au
Client Information: Cat Flu
What Is Cat Flu?
Cat flu is an infection in cats which can affect the upper respiratory tract, mouth, and eyes. It
can cause sneezing, nasal discharge, mouth ulcers, mucky eyes, and corneal ulcers. This can
often make your cat feel unwell or temporarily impair its sense of smell, so affected cats can
stop eating. In severe cases (particularly in young kittens) this disease can be life-threatening
or cause permanent vision loss.
What causes Cat Flu?
Cat Flu can be caused by several bugs, including feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, and
chlamydia. These are spread between cats via their nasal discharge, and it is a highly
contagious disease.
Feline herpesvirus also acts like a cold-sore virus does in people, and can stay dormant in your
cat once it is infected, and then reoccur in times of stress. This means that some cats that
recover from cat flu will be healthy but carry the virus in their system, and may become ill with
cat flu later in life.
How is Cat Flu treated?
Cats affected by cat flu need veterinary attention to ensure they recover quickly and to avoid
long-term problems. Cat flu is usually treated with antibiotics, to kill off the bacteria involved the initial cause is sometimes a virus, but bacteria quickly jump on board and recovery is slower
without treatment. Some cats may also need eye ointment or anti-inflammatories to help them
recover.
Nursing care is also an important part of treating a cat with cat flu, although not a substitute for
veterinary attention. Sick cats may benefit from having their airways steamed the bathroom
while you're having a shower, and having their food warmed up so it is easier for them to smell
while their nose is blocked.
How is Cat Flu prevented?
Cat flu can be prevented by having your kitten vaccinated, and continuing its protection with the
annual F4 vaccination (routinely used at Tony's Practice). Vaccinated cats can still become ill
with cat flu but they tend to be less likely to become infected, and less severely affected than
unvaccinated cats.
If you have a cat with cat flu, it is important to keep it isolated from other cats, as the disease
can easily be spread from cat to cat. This means keeping the sick cat confined, and ensuring
that you wash your hands well and change your clothes before handling other cats.