How long do cats with calicivirus live?
Inhalation of sneeze droplets. Sharing or food bowls and litter trays. A contaminated environment (including bedding and grooming aids) – FCV can potentially survive up to a month in the environment, although probably often does not survive more than 7-14 days.
Is calicivirus in cats fatal?
A severe form called virulent systemic feline calicivirus (VS-FCV) has been found in shelters or in environments where many cats are housed together. This form is very contagious and can be fatal.
What do I do if my cat has calicivirus?
"Most cats with an uncomplicated calicivirus infection can be treated symptomatically at home." Anti-inflammatory medication may be administered by your veterinarian (a one-time injection) to relieve symptoms of lameness. Cats that have persistent ulcers may benefit from treatments that support the immune system.
How do you get rid of calicivirus?
Feline Calicivirus Treatment There is no cure for feline calicivirus, nor is there a specific treatment for this common disease. However, supportive treatment can help keep your cat more comfortable while it recovers, as well as prevent secondary bacterial infections, such as pneumonia.
Can a cat with calicivirus live with other cats?
Cats with FCV can shed virus and infect other cats for years after showing clinical signs, however the risk of transmitting FCV to another cat is much lower if your cat is not currently showing signs of infection (such as sneezing, drooling, or ocular or nasal discharge).
How do you treat calicivirus at home?
Home Treatment for Calicivirus A damp towel works just fine. We also recommend keeping the stress in your cat's life to a minimum while he gets better. You may have to coax him to eat since the virus affects his sense of smell and cats don't like eating anything they can't smell.
Is calicivirus contagious to humans?
Calicivirus is highly contagious among cats but is not contagious to humans. There are several types of FCV, and the severity of illness they cause can vary.
Other animals
Prevention
- Vaccination against the calicivirus is strongly advised. This infection can occur in cats of any age, but young kittens older than six weeks have been found to be most susceptible. Lack of vaccination or improper vaccination is thought to be an important risk factor, as well as lowered immune response due to pre-existing infections or diseases. While there is no specific medicati…
Cause
- Cats typically acquire feline calicivirus (FCV) after coming into contact with other infected cats, such as in a cattery, boarding facility or shelter. But because FCV disinfectants are not very effective against FCV, the virus may persist in the environment, which means that cats may come into contact with it without known exposure to other cats.
Diagnosis
- You will need to give your veterinarian a thorough history of your cat's health, onset of symptoms, and possible incidents or conditions that might have led to their current illness. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam to evaluate all body systems along with the overall health of your cat. Depending on the conclusions of the physical exam, your veterinarian may recomme…
Treatment
- Your cat will need to be hospitalized for intensive care and treatment if it has developed pneumonia, is experiencing severe life-threatening hemorrhages, or is not eating and drinking. Oxygen will be given if your cat is unable to breathe comfortably due to pneumonia. Ophthalmic antibiotics are prescribed for use in the affected eyes, and veterinary prescription pain medicatio…
Prognosis
- Your cat's overall prognosis depends on the severity of the symptoms. Cats with uncomplicated cases of pneumonia, for example, typically recover within three to four days. However, severe pneumonia may be life-threatening. Oral ulcers and arthritis symptoms, on the other hand, generally resolve without complications.
Cause
Symptoms and Complications
- A cat’s symptoms will depend on the strain of FCV it contracts. At first the cat will have symptoms that look like a cold, with sneezing, nasal congestion, fever and sometimes drooling. Large amounts of discharge can come from the eyes and nose. In more severe cases, cats can also develop inflammation and ulcers on the tongue, and the lining of the mouth. Lethargy, mild lame…
Tests and Diagnosis
- How will my vet diagnose calicivirus?
Pet owners should always bring their cat to see the veterinarian if it shows signs of respiratory disease. FCV causes about half of the respiratory infections that occur in cats, but feline alphaherpesvirus1 (sometimes called feline rhinotracheitis virus) is another common cause and …
Treatment
- What are the treatment options for cats with calicivirus?
Currently there is no treatment to stop the virus, but pet owners can offer supportive care for their cat while its immune system fights the infection. Most cats can recover at home, but severely affected cats may need intensive nursing care. Keep the nose and eyes of the cat clean and use …
Prevention
- How do I vaccinate my pet against calicivirus?
Vaccines do not protect against FCV entirely, but they can greatly reduce the severity of the infection if your cat is exposed. Several combination vaccines against FCV, feline herpesvirus type 1 and feline panleukopenia virus (the cause of feline distemper) are available, which can be give… - How else can I help prevent the disease?
If you have multiple cats and one or more are being treated for FCV, then you should quarantine the infected animals and clean food and water bowls, the litter box and other items that may be contaminated with the virus. A dilute bleach solution made up of one half cup of bleach per gallo…
Additional Resources
- For veterinarians, the Merck Veterinary Manual provides information on calicivirus and other feline respiratory infections. The American Association of Feline Practitioners publishes a detailed fact sheetfrom their advisory panel.
Baker Institute and Calicivirus
- Dr. John S.L. Parker, associate professor of virology at the Baker Institute for Animal Health has worked with calicivirus for 15 years. He wants to know why some cats experience a short flu-like illness, while others develop a chronic gingivitis or the more severe life-threatening form of the disease. Parker’s research group has investigated different strains of the virus that cause outbre…