“Update your cat’s vaccinations.” In Reunion, veterinarians are sounding the alert. An epidemic of cat typhus is currently raging on the island, where several cases of the disease have been detected in felines, both in the north and in the south.
Many identified cases of this virus, with a high mortality rate in cats. What are the symptoms of the illness ? Is it common? And how can we protect cats from this virus? 20 minutes explains to you.
A serious, potentially fatal virus
Cat typhus is a viral and infectious disease caused by a virus from the parvovirus family. It attacks cells in the bone marrow and intestinal wall, and can cause severe digestive bleeding in animals. Although it particularly affects kittens, it also affects adult cats.
After an incubation period of approximately 4 days, the cat develops symptoms: fever and loss of appetite affect the animal, which appears apathetic and dejected. Then, the cat suffers from diarrhea and vomiting. Symptoms which quickly lead to dehydration of the animal, which must be treated early, the disease being frequently fatal for cats.
A very contagious disease
Cat typhus, known as “FPV virus (Feline Panleucopenia Virus), or feline panleukopenia, is a fatal viral disease, very widespread in France”, we recall at emergencies-veterinaires.fr. During the summer of 2023, an epidemic of cat typhus raged in Angoulême (Charente), killing dozens of felines in a few weeks. If the virus affects kittens more severely, with a mortality rate of 80% in unvaccinated animals less than 6 months old, it reaches 40% in unvaccinated adult cats.
However, typhus in cats “is a very contagious disease, because the FPV virus is very resistant in the external environment, remind the veterinarians of the assistance network. Once excreted by the sick cat, the pathogen persists in the environment, favoring the contamination of other felines.” In practice, the virus is transmitted by the fecal-oral route: the cat licks the virus present in the droppings of a sick animal.
Indirect transmission
“Most often, transmission between cats is indirect, following the persistence of the virus in the environment and lack of hygiene,” they emphasize. Only cohabitation in the same litter can explain direct fecal-oral contamination.” Thus, “if your cat is affected by typhus, you must adopt strict hygiene measures to prevent the spread of the virus,” they insist. If you have other cats in your family, do not hesitate to isolate the sick cat while it recovers.
The sick cat can release the virus several weeks after clinical recovery. In addition, “this virus is extremely resistant in the external environment, up to 1 year, and any medium can potentially disseminate the virus: via our shoes for example (but also clothing, transport crates, bowls)”, we insist Alizés veterinary officelocated in the southern half of the island.
So, to eliminate the virus when you have a sick cat, and since “the virus is very resistant to detergent agents”, veterinarians recommend disinfecting your home with “bleach diluted between 0.2 and 0.5%.” Do not hesitate to thoroughly clean all floors and objects.” On the other hand, cat typhus is not transmissible to humans.
Vaccination strongly recommended
The only way to protect felines from disease: vaccination. This is why, on Reunion Island, veterinarians are calling on cat owners to have them vaccinated against this disease for which there is no treatment. It must be carried out “from the age of 8 weeks and is administered in two injections one month apart, with a first annual booster, then every 1 to 3 years depending on the way and place of life”, explains there Montagne-Luna Park Veterinary Cliniclocated in the north of the island, which launched a call for vaccination on Facebook.
“In a very high risk area such as Reunion Island has just become, the primary vaccination must be earlier,” emphasize the veterinarians of the clinic, who specify the vaccination schedule indicated for cats. It includes “a third injection around the age of 4-5 months, then a booster every year”.