Bobcat fever is fatal to cats. Most cat owners have never heard of it, but if you live in the southeastern or south central United States, you need to know about it.
Bobcat fever, also known as cytauxzoonosis, is a fatal disease that afflicts domestic cats. Most cat owners, and even many vets, are not familiar with this disease, but if you live in the southeastern or south central United States, you need to be aware of it.
What Is Bobcat Fever?
The name "bobcat fever" comes from the fact that the North American bobcat is the host for Cytauxzoon felis, the protozoa that causes it. Cytauxzoon felis usually stays dormant in bobcats, and doesn't cause any health problems for them. However, it's almost uniformly fatal for domestic cats unfortunate enough to be infected with it.
Cytauxzoonosis was first reported in Missouri and eastern Oklahoma about 1973. Since then, it has spread to Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, southern Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
How is Cytauxzoonosis Spread?
This disease is spread by ticks, specifically the American dog tick. A tick bites a bobcat and becomes infected with the cytauxzoonosis protozoa. This tick then goes on to lay eggs, and its offspring are also infected with the protozoa. Once they hatch out, they crawl up on grass or bushes and wait for a warm-blooded animal like a dog, a deer, a cat, or even a person to walk past. If it bites a cat, it injects the protozoa into the cat's system, which causes the disease.
Fortunately for humans, bobcat fever doesn't affect people, or dogs or birds or other animals. It only affects cats.
What Are The Symptoms Of Bobcat Fever?
At first your cat will become depressed and withdrawn. She won't eat or move around much. Your cat will run a high fever, up to 108 degrees farenheit, and may even radiate heat when you touch her. She'll be in extreme pain and will cry loudly.
Cytauxzoonosis has two phases, the tissue phase, and the terminal phase. In the tissue phase, the protozoa reproduces inside the cat's blood vessels, which blocks blood flow to organs in the body. The organs shut down, and the cat dies. In the terminal phase, the cat's red blood cells rupture, which release the protozoa throughout her bloodstream. A blood-smear sample shows the parasites on the blood cells, which is how this disease is diagnosed.
Is There Any Treatment For Bobcat Fever?
Veterinary science doesn't have a treatment for bobcat fever right now. This is an agonizing disease, and most cats with it are euthanized to spare them a terrible death.
Right now the best treatment is prevention. It's imperative to keep ticks off your cat. The best way to do this is to keep your cat indoors, if possible. However, there have been reports of indoor cats developing this disease. Apparently ticks come into the house on people or their clothing, or on dogs. Be sure to check yourself and your dog very carefully for ticks if you've been outside, before you come inside.
Be aware that tick preventatives and treatments for cats don't prevent all tick bites. Products that contain fipronil are most effective, but you still must check your cat carefully. Ticks like to attach themselves in between your cat's toes, on her gums, on her ears, and around her anal area, so keep an eye on these problem spots.
Protect Your Cat From Cytauxzoonosis
Many cat owners don't know anything about bobcat fever until their cat dies from it. Be informed, and take steps to protect your feline friend now.
Check these resources to learn more about bobcat fever:
The copyright of the article Bobcat Fever Is Spread By Ticks in Cat Care is owned by Darlene Norris. Permission to republish Bobcat Fever Is Spread By Ticks in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
I had a beloved cat who died from cytauxzoonosis (bobcat tick fever) before
I became aware that the herbal supplement monolaurin is effective against
it. I had several more cats who contracted the disease, and I used
monolaurin, one 300 milligram capsule dissolved in water or Just Born milk
given once an hour for eight hours using an eyedropper. If the disease is
not caught very early, the monolaurin treatment needs to be followed up
with antibiotics from your veterinarian. Doxycycline is effective, as is
Baytril.
Every one of my cats (eight) treated with monolaurin
survived and are now healthy. Two of my cats who were too wild to be caught
and treated died from the disease.
Monolaurin is derived from
coconut and is available from health food stores and online. Some health
food stores will overnight it at a low cost. Cost of the monolaurin for 90
capsules is $18.99 at the health food store I use.
The Just Born
milk is helpful for recovery from the disease. It contains colostrum, which
is the protective agent found in mother's milk. The cat does not eat during
the illness, so the Just Born is useful for nutrients needed to build the
cat back up until it is eating again. Monolaurin also contains colostrum in
a concentrated form.
A cat iron supplement such as Pet-Tinic
needs to be given for a month after the infection in order to build the
cat's red blood cells back up that have been destroyed by the disease.
If you live in a wooded area and your cat suddenly stops eating and
its ears are hot, take its temperature. I use a thermometer under the arm
for 3 minutes. Add one degree to the reading for the true temperature. If
the temperature is above 102.5 after adding a degree, the cat has a
fever.
In the early stage, blood tests done by the veterinarian
often do not show the disease. I would suggest asking for Baytril or
doxycycline or the antibiotic the veterinarian suggests for treatment of
cytauxzoonosis. First use the monolaurin treatment as suggested above, one
capsule opened into a few drops of water or Just Born milk (Wal-Mart) and
dissolved and administered to the cat with an eyedropper. Do this every
hour for eight hours, then start the antibiotic as suggested by the
veterinarian. Continue giving the Just Born milk every couple of hours
except during the night in order to keep the cat's strength up.
Monolaurin works by entering the envelope the protozoan is surrounded by.
It sees monolaurin as food and lets it in and is destroyed.
Jan 27, 2009 3:03 PM
Guest :
To the previous poster, Thank You! so much for giving me a glimmer of
hope regarding this horrific disease. I have lost 2 cats in the last 2 days
to Bobcat Fever. I have 2 remaining cats at the vet receiving intravenous
fluids and antibiotics. He is suppose to call me tomorrow to tell me if
they made it thru the night and if they are going to make it. He was very
grim and said to NOT get our hopes up that they'd make it.
Jun 22, 2009 10:58 AM
Guest :
That's not accurate. Bobcat Tick Fever is not a recoverable disease. I
have an amazing vet that is tops in research and there is no cure for this
disease. Tennessee sees a very high number of these cases.
Aug 16, 2009 3:12 PM
Guest :
I lost a stray cat to this about 2 months ago. Now, I have a new kitten
that I am certain has it. I can't keep going through this putting precious
kittens down. I am trying this lauric acid (AKA coconut oil) I pray and I
do mean pray that it works. If she appears to get worse I will take her
down to put her to sleep. Last time the vet seemed to think it was nearly
impossible to live through this disease. I really wish they had a vaccine
or something to put out that would kill the disease in the actual tick.
Something has to be done. I have one full grown cat and 1 kitten about 5
months (also a stray) that I have besides this precious 1 month-2 month old
kitten. I will not have ANY more cats after this as I live out in the
country and well it is nearly impossible to fight against this disease. I
am in the Nashville, Tennessee area. Say a prayer for my kitten
"Tempest"
Aug 26, 2009 3:33 PM
Guest :
I am also in the Nashville area. My cat has been released from the vet ans
is doing well. He says she will probably fully recover. They gave her an
anti-protazoan drug and she was in the hospital for 5 days. Ask your vet.
We used the Nolensville Veterinary Hospital and they were great.
