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In the realm of feline health, panleukopenia, commonly known as panleuk, has long been a significant health challenge, especially for young kittens and unvaccinated cats. As a highly contagious and often fatal disease, panleuk can rapidly devastate entire cat shelters. Fortunately, here at Cat Care Society (CCS), we have a compassionate and innovative veterinary care team, including Dr. Cecily Palamara, our lead veterinarian. In this post, you’ll get to learn from her expertise, including the causes and symptoms of panleuk, as well as how CCS is giving cats a fighting chance to overcome a disease that traditionally carries a grave prognosis.
Panleuk is the cat counterpart of the parvovirus in dogs, targeting rapidly dividing cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Dr. Palamara emphasizes the destructive nature of the virus, causing massive and often bloody diarrhea, leading to dehydration, lethargy, vomiting, hypothermia (due to loss of fluids), and even sepsis. Notably, it also attacks white blood cells, resulting in leukopenia and a weakened immune system. Early symptoms include lack of appetite, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea, often with blood. (Fun fact: Leukopenia literally means low white blood cell count.)
Panleuk is a serious condition with a poor prognosis; typically, only 20% of cats with it survive three to five days after diagnosis. At CCS, our survival rate is much higher, thanks in part to our proactive approach and early intervention. More on that soon!
Learn more about panleukopenia in this video from Kitten Lady:
The transmission of panleuk in cats and kittens primarily occurs through fecal-oral contact, where they are exposed to infected feces. Contaminated items such as food, water bowls, toys and bedding can contribute to its spread. Additionally, people may inadvertently carry the disease on their clothing and shoes. Even after a cat is cleared of the virus, they can continue shedding it in their feces for an extended period.
Panleuk is more widespread in summer, due to kitten season, and in wetter months due to how the virus lives in the environment. However, panleuk poses a constant year-round threat as it can survive in most environments for an extended period, up to a year! It is even resistant to certain disinfectants, including alcohol and iodine.
“We have to be really careful about contagion control in the shelter,” said Dr. Palamara. “Because it survives in the environment for so long, it’s so important to be practicing good hygiene and good contagion control for anyone that is coming in. We can all work together to keep our shelter as disease free as possible.”
Prevention is always best; the FVRCP vaccine, included in routine vet and shelter care, is the most effective in providing protection. Early detection has also been key to Cat Care Society’s higher than average survival rate. Dr. Palamara and the medical team at CCS conduct panleuk tests on all kittens under a year, aiding in early detection of mild cases. They also treat all cases aggressively. Because panleuk is so contagious, CCS would need a dedicated ward for panleuk treatment, which is something being considered as a part of future building improvements. Currently, the team aims to move infected cats to one of our experienced fosters for personalized care within 24 hours of diagnosis, minimizing the risk of spreading the illness to other cats.
“In previous shelters that I’ve worked at, even a totally bright alert kitty that’s blowing diarrhea and has panleukopenia gets euthanized on the spot,” said Dr. Palamara. “So [at CCS] it’s a very different approach than I’ve ever worked with, and it’s been a great learning experience for me to see how these guys can succeed.”
Raechel, one of our experienced fosters, has helped treat several CCS kittens with panleuk. She emphasizes that subcutaneous fluids administered once or twice a day, along with antibiotics, anti-nausea medication, heat, nutritional supplements and probiotics, facilitate a kitten’s ability to continue eating and growing during recovery. While there’s no cure for panleuk, this supportive care alleviates the worst symptoms.
“Even in young kittens, symptoms start to improve in just a couple of days with supportive care,” Raechel said. “Before I started panleuk fostering, I heard about how scary and terrible this virus can be, especially for kittens. I’ve found that as long as they’re given these fluids once or twice a day during their worst symptoms, they’ll continue to eat, grow, and bounce back pretty quickly! It’s amazing to see how much better these kittos feel after getting a boost of hydration.”
Raechel, along with all our fosters, has access to CCS’ medical experts for assistance when needed.
Panleuk might be scary, but there are ways to minimize its spread. Here’s how you can be a part of the solution:
Despite its severity, cats can overcome panleuk when it’s found early and treated aggressively. The proactive measures we take at CCS and the dedication of our foster care volunteers showcase the transformative impact of compassionate care. We hope to continue to pave the way for success stories by spreading awareness and support.
For even more information about panleuk, please visit the panleuk shelter medicine page from UC Davis. Learn more about our CCS medical team and all the life-changing work they do on our meet our shelter medical team page.
If you’re interested in becoming a foster to help cats in need, please visit our foster page to learn more and apply!
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and served on the organization’s junior board. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, young daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
Looking for information on FIV? Read our companion blog post here!
A feline leukemia virus, also known as FeLV, diagnosis used to be a literal death sentence for a cat. Even just 10 years ago, many shelters required euthanasia for all cats that tested positive for it. Now, we know that cats can live with this condition, but there are still many nuances in the understanding and treatment of FeLV.
Despite its name, FeLV is not actually a form of cancer or leukemia. Instead, it is a retrovirus (in the same family as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus or FIV) present in approximately 2-3% of all cats in the United States. FeLV invades and replicates in cells of the cat’s immune system and tissues that create blood cells. Low white blood cells are a sign of a weakened immune system, and illnesses acquired from this virus are typically related to a weakened immune system.
FeLV is defined as one of the most common feline infectious diseases in the world, and complications or progression of the virus can cause cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, and other FeLV-associated diseases: neurologic, secondary infection, immune mediated disease, etc.
There are actually a few different subgroups of FeLV, as well as different stages and outcomes of the disease as it is a dynamic virus that can switch back and forth between infectious and non-infectious states, making testing pretty tricky.
Whereas FIV used to be thought of as the “fighting disease,” FeLV has been known as the “love virus” or “friendly disease,” due to its ability to be easily transmitted to other cats through mutual grooming. It can also be passed through shared food and water bowls or litter boxes, fighting, or from a pregnant or nursing mother cat to her kittens. The virus sheds in high quantities of saliva and nasal secretions, and can also be found in urine, feces and milk of infected cats.
Feline leukemia is passed only from cat to cat, meaning humans, dogs and other animals cannot contract it.
A blood test can confirm whether or not FeLV is present in your cat. If the initial test is positive, a second sample is sent to a lab to confirm diagnosis. Cats can test positive within a few weeks of exposure, and most cats who are positive were infected within 30 days. Younger cats are more susceptible, and sadly, infected kittens have an average life span of just two years. Most vets recommend retesting after six weeks if a test has questionable results.
While certain symptoms can be managed and supportive care can be offered, there is unfortunately no cure for feline leukemia. There are some expensive treatments available at some vets, but these are outside the scope of shelter use.
And while there is no commercially available vaccine for FIV, there is, however, a vaccine available for FeLV in negative cats. The Feline Leukemia vaccine is recommended as a core vaccine by the American Animal Hospital Association and American Association of Feline Practitioners.
Spaying and neutering your cats and vaccinating your FeLV negative cats is the best way to stop the spread of FeLV.
Although a diagnosis of FeLV can feel devastating, it is important to realize that cats with FeLV can live mostly normal lives for prolonged periods of time — though their lifespans will be shortened by several years. On average, most FeLV+ cats live about 2-5 years after diagnosis.
Because FeLV affects the immune system, like FIV, it means that your cat is more susceptible to other illnesses, and may not recover as quickly from common infections or after surgery. It’s important to note that FeLV itself does not cause death; rather, it is the subsequent diseases that often come up because of the weakened immune system.
Once a cat has been diagnosed, careful monitoring of weight, appetite, activity level, elimination habits, appearance of the mouth and eyes, and behavior is an important part of managing the disease. Maintaining dental care should be a priority, as infections of the mouth and gums can pass through the blood stream and cause more issues. Raw foods and unpasteurized dairy products should be avoided because of their high risk for food-borne bacterial and parasitic infections. A high-quality diet and low-stress environment will also be beneficial.
At Cat Care Society, once we see a positive FeLV test, we have a few possible courses of action. After another test, we can find out whether the disease is present in their bone marrow or blood. If it’s in only in their blood, the disease hasn’t progressed yet, and the cat actually has a chance of kicking the virus out through his or her immune response. If it’s already made it to their bone marrow, the bad news is that they will have FeLV for the rest of their life. It may lay dormant for awhile and the cat appears to be doing fine, but FeLV could rear its ugly head years down the road and cause the immune system to wreak havoc, progressively deteriorating a cat’s health. If this confirmatory test is negative, it might mean the disease is “floating around” and hasn’t made it to the marrow yet, and we test again in a month, explained CCS’ chief veterinarian Dr. Cecily Palamara.
If a FeLV positive cat is asymptomatic, this is good news for his or her quality of life! However, if the disease is progressive, the cat may display symptoms of anemia, lethargy, malaise and weakness. Because their immune system is suppressed, it may develop into leukemia or lymphoma. These cats often die young, and it can be upsetting to navigate.
Because of the severity of this disease, FeLV cats should be the only cat in a home or paired with another FeLV+ cat, and should be kept indoors.
If you want to add an FeLV cat to a household of negative cats, the safest option is to make sure that the other cats are adults and fully vaccinated against FeLV, Dr. Palamara advises. There is still a small risk of transmission, but the risk is low with immunocompetent, vaccinated adults.
Cat Care Society provides a safe haven for many special needs cats because we believe that all cats deserve a chance at a loving home, regardless of medical diagnosis. Therefore, we take in many FIV and FeLV cats that wouldn’t have a chance at other shelters.
When we receive new adult cats at the shelter, we screen for both FIV and FeLV so we know what we’re up against.
Many shelters don’t adopt out a cat with FeLV because they don’t want to put that burden on adopters, although some cities and states across the U.S. are becoming more progressive in the way they view this condition.
“I think, culturally the shelter sheltering and adoptive community have really evolved,” Dr. Palamara said. “Right now, we are not having a lot of trouble adopting out feline leukemia cats, which just speaks to Colorado’s unique adoptive community. These cats wouldn’t have this opportunity in other communities.”
Instead, we aim to be transparent with all potential adopters about a cat’s condition and his or her medical needs so that they can make an informed condition about what they’re willing to take on and manage their expectations. We’re so lucky that many CCS adopters are willing to give these cats the best life possible for however long they have left, which we think is a beautiful act of love.
Take it from Emma, a CCS adopter who brought home a FeLV cat named Maximus (pictured at top) back in 2020. She wasn’t planning on adopting a cat with FeLV, but Maximus caught her eye and stole her heart right away.
“When we adopted Maximus, he had FeLV and was diagnosed with a chronic upper respiratory illness,” Emma said. “He wheezed heavily and sometimes it seemed like he could barely breathe through the congestion. In the three years since, his nose has cleared up and his breathing is much better. He has very occasional FeLV-related issues like seizures, but they are rare. Overall he’s a happy cat, who loves playing games, following his humans around, staring out windows, and zooming up and down the stairs.”
If you’re thinking of adopting a cat with FeLV, we recommend talking with your veterinarian first as they will be the ones to help you navigate managing this disease. FeLV cats should not live with another cat unless he or she also has FeLV.
They may have a shorter life span and require more attentive care, but FeLV cats can be wonderful companions and deserve the chance to live happy lives filled with love.
Looking for more info on FeLV? Check out these recommended sources and resources!
September 28 is World Rabies Day, serving as an important reminder that although rabies is 100% fatal, it is also 100% preventable through proper administration of the rabies vaccine.
Rabies is a viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and eventual death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predominantly receives reports of rabies cases in wild animals, including bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. However, it is essential to note that any mammal, including both cats and humans, is susceptible to rabies.
The short answer is yes! Not only do many counties and states mandate rabies vaccines, but there are also scenarios where your indoor cat could be exposed to rabies. For example, your cat may accidentally escape outside or an animal carrying rabies may unintentionally get inside your home.
This leads me to a brief personal story: One morning, I awoke to my two cats cornering a bat on the floor. I quickly got the bat outside, but I had no idea what sort of interactions my cats had with the bat while I was asleep. Being uninformed, I had let their booster shots lapse since they were strictly indoor cats, so I promptly took them in that day for their shots. The next several weeks were stressful as we continued to observe them for any signs of illness. I’ll never let their boosters lapse again!
It’s also worth noting that if your cat is unvaccinated and bites another person, there are serious risks to the animal and human — especially if there is any concern of potential rabies infection.
Kittens receive their first shot around three to four months of age. Booster shots are generally administered every year up to every three years based on veterinarian guidance and/or legal requirements.
You can check current requirements in your state online. The AVMA also has a chart by state for 2023.
In some areas where rabies vaccines are mandated, the cat’s veterinarian can document the need for an exemption if the vaccine would compromise the cat’s health. In some locations, the exemption request may require approval by the local public health authority.
Even if your cat’s rabies vaccine status is current, the CDC still recommends they get an additional booster immediately after potential rabies exposure. You’ll need to monitor them for up to 45 days for any signs or symptoms.
The first symptoms of rabies may include low energy, fever, vomiting and low appetite. Within days of exposure, weakness, paralysis, seizures, difficulty breathing, excessive salivation and aggression may occur.
Becoming informed about rabies is the first step. The next step is to take action, if needed. Please use our Resources & Info page to find emergency cat care and low-cost clinics. The page also provides contact details for various local animal control centers. These centers can be contacted if you spot wild animals displaying rabies symptoms. Finally, explore our other blog posts and sign up for our Mewsletter at the bottom of this page to stay informed on all the best ways to care for your cat companion(s)!
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and served on the organization’s junior board. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, young daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
This post was authored and edited according to Cat Care Society’s editorial standards and style. Opinions expressed may not necessarily reflect that of CCS.
By Amanda Huggett and Jillian Rosile, junior board members
Many families looking to adopt a new cat often pick young, healthy companions. While some may worry about the cost, time commitment, or prognosis of a cat with a chronic health condition, we’re here to tell you to think twice. Cat Care Society’s diabetic cats are often in our care the longest and can be the hardest to adopt out.
While these cats can be just as sweet and cuddly as any other cat, we don’t want to sugarcoat it: Diabetic cats do need daily care, but managing it is probably easier than you think. Danielle Swain, CCS’ adoption assistant manager, says it’s one of the easier conditions to care for! “As long as you can handle a needle, you can handle a diabetic cat,” she says.
Generally, with vet care following AAHA guidelines and a caregiver willing to test glucose at home, it is no more costly or difficult than managing any other condition that requires daily medication. While treatment plans vary depending on the severity of symptoms at diagnosis, age, lab values and concurrent conditions, typically the cat will need an appropriate low-carb canned food diet given at set times, glucose tests and insulin injections. Doses are adjusted up or down depending on values reported to the vet. In the long run, many cats go into diet-controlled remission, but for those who don’t, once they reach the right dose, it quickly becomes routine, often taking no more than 10 minutes per day.
If you already have a cat and suspect they may be developing diabetes, watch for weight loss, ravenous appetite or loss of appetite, increased drinking and urinating, and weakness in the hind legs. These are typically the first symptoms of diabetes mellitus in cats. However, it can’t be diagnosed on symptoms alone. Many cats with hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney disease or even a particularly rampant UTI can have similar symptoms. It’s important to get a full senior blood and urine panel, including a thyroid panel, done at the time of diagnosis, along with a fructosamine test to confirm diabetes if their blood glucose is elevated. The latter will help determine if it’s truly diabetes versus a spike in blood glucose due to stress, infection, or pain.
There is actually a hidden benefit to doing regular glucose tests at home, too. High numbers can be an early warning sign that something else is going on before symptoms show up. If you see a spike in their numbers, take a trip to the vet; it could be a sneaky UTI or toothache that the cat is hiding!
One other thing to be aware of is that some other conditions are more common in diabetic cats, including pancreatitis, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and chronic kidney disease, so it’s helpful to learn about these to be on the lookout for symptoms. Additionally, some cats may be diagnosed with diabetes and not responsive to insulin until it gets to extremely high doses; often these cats have insulin resistance or one of several rare endocrine disorders including feline acromegaly. These have varying treatment options including long-term high insulin dosing. If your cat’s doses are getting higher without getting into target glucose ranges, be sure to ask your vet about testing for these other conditions.
Diabetic cats can live healthy, happy lives for years after diagnosis. Come see us at the shelter to visit some of the current diabetic cats up for adoption!
With Halloween approaching, it’s the perfect time to spotlight a particular type of cat—and no, we’re not talking about black cats! Instead, we’re focusing on tri-color cats, whose coats feature a mix of black, orange, and white in varying patterns and ratios. While “tri-color” and “calico” are often used interchangeably, calico cats have a distinct coat pattern. Tortoiseshell cats are also considered tri-color, even though they usually lack white and have their own unique pattern. It’s important to remember that “calico” and “tortoiseshell” refer to coat patterns, not breeds. These color combinations are the result of genetics and can appear in any breed, though they are more commonly found in breeds like American Shorthair, British Shorthair, Japanese Bobtail, Maine Coon, and Persian.
There are also diluted and tabby variations of tortoiseshell and calico cats—so many colorful kitties to love! In the rest of this article, we’ll explore the different markings and patterns that define each type of tri-color coat. By the end, you’ll be able to recognize the unique beauty of every tri-color cat you encounter.
Tri-color cats are almost always female, with approximately one in 3,000 being male. This is because two X chromosomes are needed to have a distinctive tri-color coat. Typically, if a cat has an XX pair, she will be female. Male cats have an XY chromosome pair, so they’re not tri-color unless they have at least one extra chromosome (XXY). Unfortunately, these males often suffer from Klinefelter’s Syndrome, a condition that can negatively affect their health and longevity.
Calico cat coats feature patches of solid orange, black, and white. The white color is a result of a genetic condition called piebalding, which occurs in a range of other domestic and farm animals. In a diluted calico, the colors are more muted to cream, gray, and white, due to a gene inherited from one of the parents that diminishes color intensity.
“Tabico” is a term for cats that have a combination of tabby and calico markings. These cats have large patches of orange and black on a white background, with tabby stripes overlaying some of the black and orange areas. When tabby stripes cover the forehead, they form the distinctive “tabby M.” A diluted tabico’s coat features cream, gray, and white fur.
Tortoiseshell, or “tortie,” cats have brindle patterns (irregular stripes or streaks) of orange and black with little to no white. A diluted tortie has gray and cream colors and is a result of both parents carrying a recessive gene that impacts the intensity of the colors.
A torbie cat exhibits both the multi-colored brindle pattern of a tortoiseshell cat and the characteristic stripes or spots of a tabby. Like the tabico, if there are tabby stripes on the cat’s forehead, they will display the “tabby M.” Diluted torbies usually have a cream, gray and white coat.
A “tortico” is a combination of classic tortie and calico markings, featuring large patches of orange and black brindling on a white background. A diluted tortico is relatively rare, and will be gray and cream, and white.
As you can see, there are many variations of tri-color cats but you can still count yourself lucky if you run into one! In many cultures tri-color cats are connected with good luck and good fortune, and in the U.S., they are sometimes called “money cats.”
People who have tri-color cats often report that they’re equally sweet and sassy and tortoiseshell cat owners often refer to their feisty side as having “tortitude.” However, since tri-color cats aren’t a breed, research hasn’t been able to confirm that this extra feistiness is a distinct trait related to their coat pattern. That said, if you haven’t taken our “Whats Your Cat Purrsonality” quiz on our Just Fur Fun page, now’s your chance! Discover which cat breed or color pattern best represents you—maybe even find out if you have a bit of tortitude!”
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and serves on the Board of Directors. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
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