Coronavirus in Cats: Transmission, Risks and Symptoms
Corona viruses are widely spread in cats. Especially in places where several cats live together, the occurrence of the pathogens is very likely. In many cases the infection with the coronavirus is largely harmless.
Under certain circumstances, however, it can also have serious consequences and be fatal for affected animals. When this is the case, we explain in the following.
What is the Feline Coronavirus?
The Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) is a virus from the Coronaviridae family. It is spread worldwide and is mainly transmitted to cats through contact with infected faeces.
Feline Coronaviruses colonise the intestines of the quadruped. There they penetrate the cells and multiply. The infected cell is destroyed and the viruses are released. These can then infect other cells in the cat's intestines or be excreted with the faeces.
Outside the body of the cat the Feline Coronavirus has a limited ability to survive. However, it can still be transmitted to other cats through the faeces for up to seven weeks after excretion.
Symptoms of coronavirus infection in cats
An infection with the Feline Coronavirus is relatively harmless for cats. In healthy adult animals there are often no noticeable symptoms.
If symptoms do occur, affected cats usually suffer from diarrhoea. Occasionally corona viruses can also cause fever in cats.
Why corona viruses are so dangerous for cats
Coronaviruses are mostly harmless to cats. Even if the virus itself is not very dangerous, the infection carries enormous risks for your cat.
This is because the coronaviruses can mutate in the body of the quadruped and develop into so-called FIP viruses. It is assumed that this is the case in about five to ten percent of infected cats.
The abbreviation FIP stands for Feline Infectious Peritonitis. This is a deadly viral disease in cats, which is currently incurable and against which no reliable vaccination protection is currently available.
Do coronaviruses mutate in all cats?
Whether an infection with coronaviruses is harmless or a mutation to life-threatening FIP viruses occurs depends on various factors.
Besides a genetic predisposition, the immune system of the cat plays an important role in this context. Young and weakened animals are generally particularly at risk.
However, the amount of coronaviruses in the body of the cat and the aggressiveness of the respective pathogen strain can also determine whether a mutation occurs.
Mutated coronaviruses are deadly for cats
It can take days or months, and in some cases even several years, for the corona viruses in the body of the cat to mutate into FIP viruses and thus cause Feline Infectious Peritonitis.
If this is the case, the mutated corona viruses attack the cat's macrophages, which are actually responsible for fighting pathogens as part of the immune defence.
After about two weeks the mutated corona viruses have spread in the cat's body and the immune system tries in vain to fight the invaders.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis causes massive damage and in many cases leads to fluid accumulation in the abdominal or chest cavity. Once the disease has broken out, the cat has at most a few weeks left.
Detect Feline Infectious Peritonitis in cats
If the corona viruses in your cat's body have mutated and caused Feliner Infectious Peritonitis, this will cause a number of symptoms.
However, the exact symptoms that occur in each individual case will depend on which organs are mainly affected by the FIP viruses.
Among other things Feline Infectious Peritonitis in cats can cause the following symptoms:
- Diarrhoea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Apathy
- Shortness of breath
- Yellow discolored mucous membranes
- Fever
- Disturbances of consciousness
- Frequent or rare urination
- Conjunctivitis
- Nictitating membrane prolapse
Diagnosis and treatment of Feline Infectious Peritonitis
Since the usual antibody detection for viruses is effective for both harmless corona viruses and FIP viruses, the diagnosis of Feline Infectious Peritonitis is associated with some difficulties.
The easiest way to diagnose the infection is still by taking fluid from the abdomen or chest cavity. However, as not all affected cats have fluid retention, this is not always possible.
In most cases, the veterinarian will make a diagnosis based on the symptoms and laboratory findings. However, reliable detection of mutated corona viruses is only possible by opening the stomach of the cat.
Since FIP is not curable and the mutated corona viruses cause enormous pain to the cat, most veterinarians recommend euthanizing sick animals. This is a great shock for owners, but at least it saves the cat unnecessary pain.
Corona viruses in cats - our conclusion
As harmless as corona viruses are for cats, they are also dangerous. The diagnosis Feline Infectious Peritonitis should be a big shock for every cat owner.
A reliable protection against the deadly cat disease is unfortunately not possible. Nevertheless, you should take care of sufficient hygiene measures, such as a clean litter box.
When feeding your, you should choose easily digestible cat food and, if necessary, support your cat with suitable food supplements to strengthen the immune system.
For this purpose you will find Shiimun Immun and I Love My Cat Immun in our range of products. Both products cannot prevent an infection with corona viruses in your cat. However, they can at least help to ensure that your four-legged friend's immune system functions well.
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