This infection in cats confusingly goes by many different names. It is called panleukopenia because infected cats suffer a low white blood cell count (known as panleukopenia). It is also called Feline Infectious Enteritis (FIE), due to its highly infectious nature and effects on the gastrointestinal tract. It is often known simply by the virus that causes this infection, Feline Parvovirus (FPV).
How can my cat catch this infection?
Infection can be from direct contact, but this virus can live for months, even years in the environment. Anything a sick cat has been in contact with may be a source of infection – our clothes and shoes, for example. Infected cats can shed this virus for upto 6 weeks. If a pregnant cat is infected it can be spread across the placenta, to developing kittens, or to newborns directly. It is quite resistant to many disinfectants.
Cats can be susceptible to the dog version of this virus, canine parvovirus (CPV), but neither dogs, nor humans, can catch FPV from cats.
Since widespread vaccination, it is less frequently diagnosed. However rates can still be high in unvaccinated colonies, and as it persists in the environment it remains a constant risk. Infected cats have a high mortality rate, especially in young kittens. In multi-cat households, rescue centres, catteries or colonies, the virus can spread quickly.
What signs may my cat show?
The virus infects cells that are replicating quickly, such as the lining of the gut, lymph nodes, bone marrow, brain, and retinas. Cats often develop a very low white blood cell count, making them susceptible to other infections. After 5-7 days cats will develop a fever followed by vomiting, and diarrhoea, which may be bloody. Cats become dehydrated and depressed, refusing food or water. The most serious cases occur in cats under a year old, whereas adult cats may have more mild signs, depending on how effective their immune system is at fighting the infection.
In foetuses exposed to the virus in the womb, or in the first few weeks of life, the virus can affect the brain causing irreversible damage, leading to a condition called cerebellar hypoplasia. Kittens may initially seem OK, but as they develop and grow, they become un-coordinated, with jerky movements. The virus may also affect the developing eyes of unborn or newborn kittens.
How can panleukopenia be diagnosed?
If your cat is not vaccinated, has the symptoms discussed above, and a low white blood cell count, this may be enough to make an assumed diagnosis. Sometimes the faeces can be tested for the virus, but occasionally an infected cat will show negative. Our team may want to test for other diseases that can cause similar signs such as salmonellosis, feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukaemia virus. Sadly, as this infection can cause death quickly in young kittens, sometimes we can only confirm it using samples from a post mortem.
Can this infection be treated?
There is no cure for this virus, which is why prevention is best. However our team can start supportive treatment such as intravenous therapy to counter the dehydration, anti-vomiting medications, and easy to digest small meals. Antibiotics are often given as a damaged gut and weakened immune system make secondary bacterial infections a risk.
Interferons are chemicals in the body that can have an antiviral effect. A drug called “recombinant interferon omega” may be of help. It has been shown to help dogs with parvovirus, but in cats it is not yet approved for this use, and is costly.
What can I do to prevent my cat from becoming infected?
Given that there is no specific cure for this virus, it is
highly infectious, and has a high mortality rate, prevention is most certainly the best route.There are very effective vaccines against FPV. An initial course must be given as a kitten, then a booster 12 months later, with regular boosters every 3 years or so. Given the virus spreads so easily on shoes, coats etc, indoor cats should also be vaccinated. Please ask one of our team about how and when to book your kitten or cat in for vaccines. Given this virus can cause such devastation to unborn and very young kittens, if you are planning to breed from your cat it is extremely important these vaccines are carried out before pregnancy. Many of the vaccines are not licensed for use during pregnancy.
If your cat is showing signs of disease, then they must be isolated immediately and checked by one of our vets. The virus is highly contagious and one of our vets can advise you on barrier nursing, by isolating your sick cat, and disinfecting any areas of contact using bleach. Bleach can harm your pet, so take care to rinse areas well. If you have other unvaccinated cats they will be extremely susceptible.
If your cat died from this infection, then bringing a kitten into your house is very risky. Removal, or disinfection of anything your sick cat came into contact with is essential, as well as waiting for a period of time.
If you have a cattery, or rescue centre, an outbreak can be extremely serious. As each situation is unique, please contact our team as soon as possible and we can help put together a plan to try and prevent this infection from occuring, or limit its spread.
Take home message…
FPV is a highly contagious, life-threatening infection that can linger for years in the environment. It is only due to vaccination that it is not seen at devastating levels. Vaccination and good hygiene are the cornerstones of prevention. If you have any further questions please contact your vet, or post a question under this blog. Tell your friends about this infection, and together we must continue to promote widespread vaccination, in order to prevent seeing more cases of this dreadful disease.
Discussion
Hii, I had two 10 months old outdoor cats and one of them caught Panleukopenia and died! He showed symptoms only for a day then fell really sick and died in 4 days! However, the other cat didn’t show any symptoms for a week so I got him vaccinated. His first dose is done and he’ll be receiving a booster in 4 days, the thing is he stays outdoors, for how long he can be in danger? How effective is first dose of RCP vaccine? I’m also giving him immunity booster syrup regularly!
The good news is that by 10 months of age, a single dose of a modern MLV vaccine is usually enough to generate a good immune response to panleukopenia (although the cat flu components really do need 2 doses). Protection generally kicks in after about 10-14 days
We have two cats (one fully vaccinated, one due second vaccine in April). Due to adopt a kitten but the litter contracted Panleukopenia after they got their first vaccine and all sadly passed away apart from the one we are due to adopt. Online it says cats who were infected need to be isolated for up to 6 weeks. Our second cat is due her second vaccine around the same time we are due to get new kitten. Should we wait to receive new kitten so the vaccine of our second cat has time to enter her system? Is it also suspicious or just a sad coincidence the new kitten contracted the disease after she got her vaccine and will that first dose be effective?
I would definitely wait until 2-3 weeks after the second dose before bringing in a possible virus shedder! It only takes 1 dose of the vaccine to generate a really good immune response that lasts at least 3 years (and often longer) BUT only if the kitten’s immune system recognises it. The reason for the double dose protocol is that most kittens are still covered by their mother’s immunity (Maternally Derived Antibody) up until roughly the time of the first vaccine; by the second, most kittens have lost those antibodies so the vaccine can work (as well as blocking infection, these antibodies block the vaccine). Personally, I would guess that less than half the kittens are actually vaccinated after only their first dose.
Hello! My other cat tested positive for feline parvo, I have another cat who is vaccinated but is almost a year over due for his booster, I still haven’t brought him for it. Does he still have a protection against it? Or if I get him boosted now that another cat was positive, will his immune system go down and could possibly be infected with parvo?
It is likely that he is still protected, but it depends how long ago his last vaccine was. If he was vaccinated with a modern MLV vaccine, there’s a 98+% chance he’ll be covered up to 3 years after the vaccination; after that period, immunity falls gradually but it’s not very predictable for any particular individual. A booster vaccine would certainly top up immunity within about 10 days, but I think you;’d need to talk to your vet, who has his full medical history, to decide the risks and benefits.
Hello! I’m wondering whether it’s okay to take our 7-month-old cat to the beach despite only having 1 dose of the 4-in-1 vaccine (felocel) given 10 days from the trip. We’ll be gone for 24hrs and he won’t have anyone at home to feed him. I can’t decide whether it’s safer at home or at the beach. We can try leaving dry food but he has no self-control and would finish that within 1-2hrs. I would really appreciate your advice, thank you!
It’s not a vaccine we have here, but it is likely that, given it’s a modified live vaccine, if given at that age there will be significant protection against panleukopenia starting from 10-14 days after the injection. The protection against the other components, however, is likely to be much less. I think you’d really need to check with a local vet who is more familiar with the specific product and the local risk factors!
We recently brought a kitten into the home it was under weight so it couldn’t get its second vaccines. My 1.5yr cat was supposed to be vaccine when sheltered but I was unaware they only did rabbies. They lady misinformed me. Anyways the older cat just got panluc. I can’t lose him. Right now he’s in the bathroom and the other one is in a bedroom. Os the bathroom a good wnoigh place. I cam bleach everythinf in ther when he’s beyter but we go in there a lot as a family of 7. And then walking on the carpet. Im wondering what can I do to not only save my cats life but prevent the ither from getting it. She can’t get her 3rd shots until 2 mlre weeks. I feel like it’s animal abuse to just leave my infected cat in the bathroom but it was his fav spot. I don’t want him to die alone or feel hes replaced because we just got this new cat. Also I out mew cat on bedroom because she would sit at the door and he sits at the door. They miss eachother. Please help with any info possible.
OK, the infected cat needs veterinary attention ASAP to give him the best chance of survival. This probably means he needs hospitalisation; you can then disinfect everything at home once that’s sorted.
The 1 month old kitten i was fostering suspecting ly died from panleukopenia. My 1.5 year old vaccinated cat was trying to find the kitten and went to sit in the cage i used to keep the kitten in. I shampoo and washed him can he get the virus?
If he’s fully vaccinated, it’s unlikely: the vaccine gives very solid protection. I think you did the right thing in cleaning everything, though – make sure you use a disinfectant which is rated for killing parvoviruses; your vet will be able to recommend one.
Hello, my 7-year-old cat has been vaccinated regularly until this age. He has 3 years of antibodies. Is there any need for vaccination from now on? Will his antibodies be enough to protect him from panleukopenia for the rest of his life?
This simple answer is “maybe” for SOME of the diseases!
There’s no really solid evidence for duration of immunity in cats. We know that panleukopenia vaccines give 98% up to 3 years post-vaccine; and in dogs, about 60% of dogs vaccinated against parvo (same type of virus) are still immune up to 9 years later – but that doesn’t tell us which 60%, unfortunately. However, you can do titre testing if you choose to check he still has a high enough antibody count (it’s not perfect, but a useful measure).
For calicivirus and herpesvirus, however, we can be more confident, that he won’t remain immune for life. In fact, for these viruses, immunity starts to drop off after just one year, reaching effectively no protection after 3 years. And sadly, titre testing is ineffective for these vaccines, because the antibodies need to be in the nose and throat, not in the bloodstream – so a high titre in the blood doesn’t guarantee a high IgA titre in the nose.
Hey, do you think 10% Hydrochloric acid will kill panleuk? I was using Activated hydrogen peroxide to disinfect my previous kittens litterbox ( she had panleuk) but I think that the litterbox might need something stronger. Also would it be safe to bring a kitten recovered from panleuk and a kitten vaccinated against panleuk to a previously infected(roughly 2 months ago) but now disinfected (as thoroughly as possible) household? Both of them would be aged between 110 to 120 days approx.
I really wouldn’t recommend it! Get a suitable parvocide disinfectant that’s designed NOT to burn holes in your floor or our skin!
My 3-month-old kitten died from (suspected) parvo. It happened fast and didn’t have the time to go to the vet for confirmation. I already cleaned the house, every place, and everything my kitten had contact with. But the mother of my cat and my other cat are showing symptoms. The mother cat had foaming saliva and tge other one was tearing. Night before the kitten died, I think she still drank from her mama for milk. Tye other cat slept with her. My third cat has no symptoms. So, it’s three of them. I don’t know if my kitten had one so I didn’t isolate her. She showed few symptoms not until she died. Now, my three other cats, especially the Mama cat—is it possible they’re infected too? But I cleaned everything and gave them a bath. What should I do?
Get them checked by a vet ASAP if there is a suspicion they are infected, especially if they aren’t vaccinated.
Hi, my cat completed all the her vaccine, but one of my cat that didnt get the vaccine positif with panleuk. My question, can my vaccinated cat also infected with the viruses? Since they played together before i knew my other cat positif.
A vaccinated cat can develop panleukopenia, but it’s unlikely – if they are exposed more than 2 weeks after their last injection, the risk of getting infected is reduced by 98%, and even then it’s likely to be milder.
Hi! I lost my 4 month old kitten to parvo 2 weeks ago. A stray cat in at my friend’s place gave birth to 2 kitten sometime back. Their mother died 15 days after their birth. They are 2 month old now but unfortunately my friend can’t keep them. They will be starting their first vaccine now. Would it be safe for them to come to my place after 45 days( 2 shots of the vaccine+ 20 days)? Also if their mother died 15 days after their birth, would they have antibodies at 2 months. Theh weren’t drinking their mother’s milk.
The risks are quite high until they have completed their vaccine series, because any immunity they had from their mother has probably worn off by 8-10 weeks of age. The virus can survive in the environment for 6 months or longer, so if you do get them you must clean EVERYTHING with a suitable parvocide (your vet will be able to advise): but personally, I think you’re taking a chance.
They will be vaccinated. Both shots + 20 days period to build immunity. We were thinking to get them 2 months after the incident when they will be 4 month old. I was asking about antibodies because they recieved their vaccine at 2 months and i have heard that they interfere with vaccine at 2 months. But thank you, I will reconsider getting them.
OK, yes, maternally derived antibodies cause problems and may block the vaccine antigen; these antibodies wane usually by 10 weeks (hence the second dose).
I wanted to reply to my last comment but I don’t see it anymore. I just wanted to add that my four resident cats are all vaccinated, but I had a vaccinated resident cat have a break through calici infection from another foster litter so I’m pretty paranoid about that now.
I understand perfectly! The good news is that the FPV vaccine is much more effective at preventing infection than the calicivirus one.
Hi, I foster for a local animal rescue. I fostered a litter of eight kittens. Two died (not from FPV) but one was tested to be safe and the FPV test was positive so the rest of the kittens were treated like they were infected as well. I returned them to the rescue because I didn’t want to put my resident cats at risk, disinfected the room, and haven’t fostered since to be safe. However, the other six kittens in the litter seemed perfectly fine so the rescue had one tested and the test was negative for FPV. They’re saying it was likely a false positive (that kitten was really sick with congenital issues) and asking if I’ll take the kittens back. It’s been almost three months and the kittens haven’t been adopted yet (they’re now 4 months and supposedly perfectly healthy). I feel bad because the rescue is in a lurch and doesn’t have the space for them, but I’m worried. I’m pretty sure they only tested one kitten one time about two weeks after the “false” positive because they don’t have the funds to do extensive testing. Has it been enough time to be sure these kittens are healthy? What sort of testing would I have to insist they do to be sure they’re healthy? I wouldn’t want to take them in if I’m worried about exposing my resident cats or couldn’t encourage friends to adopt them as I feel I wouldn’t truly be doing my job as a foster parent.
False positives definitely are a possibility – if the others never showed any signs, then it does seem quite likely. 3 month after supposedly having FPV, even if they had genuinely been infected, they should be fully recovered and fully immune, and very little risk to anyone. Shedding of FPV has very rarely been detected up to 6 weeks post-infection, but not after that in healthy cats according to the literature. Also, have they been vaccinated? If so, I don’t think the risk is any higher than any other litter of rescue cats!
Hi recently (22Aug) my 2 month old kitten (female) died from FPV. How long we should wait before bringing another kitten and how should we disinfect the house ? Also should we bring a vaccinated kitten or 1 year old cat?
Disinfect with a product that is an effective parvocide – your vet will be able to recommend a suitable one. Once that’s done, I’d definitely recommend a fully vaccinated cat, ideally a younger adult rather than a kitten on his or her first vaccines.
One of my unvaccinated kitten got the virus and died The day he was diagnosed I isolated all my cats but before all of them were living together
Other 3 of my cats are vaccinated
Is it possible that they get this virus??
If they are vaccinated, and their vaccines are up to date (over 2 weeks and less then 3 years since last adult vaccination with a modern vaccine) then they should have 98% protection.
So it’s possible that they will contract it – but it’s unlikely!
my kitten is almost 4 months old. She got vaccinated 9 days ago but caught FPV after that. we are treating her with the advice of a vet, she has survived 3 days already and is quite playful. but she has diarrhea, she stopped vomiting yesterday and didn’t vomit after that. How likely of she to survive?
If she’s 3 days in and has atopped vomiting, and is still lively, the chances are pretty good – just keep on as your vet advises, as she’s still in danger from secondary infections. Hopefully, though, she’s turned the corner now – good luck!
Hello! My kitten was less than 2 months old (not vaccinated) when he got FPV. It has been 3 weeks since he was diagnosed. He’s now doing pretty fine, eating and drinking normally, quite active. He stopped having diarrhea last week. Is it safe to say that he no longer has FPV? The vets at my place say if he doesn’t have diarrhea the FPV test wouldn’t be correct. Is it correct? And the vets here also said he can get his first vaccination shot next week if he’s healthy, so he can get protected from the other diseases. But my studies say it’s best to wait 2 months after he recovers from FPV for the first vaccination shot, so I’m quite confused. When should it be the best time for him to get his first vaccination shot? And when should the booster be? Thank you so much for your time!
While technically, it would be best to wait, it’s not because the vaccine will be dangerous (he’s already thoroughly immune from fighting it off!), it’s more that his immune system might have taken a big hit and he might not respond normally to the vaccine. However, leaving him unprotected against cat flu, especially FHV, is also risky., so I’d strongly advise talking it over with your vet and working with them to make.a decision based on his specific condition and risk factors!
Thank you for your answer! I consulted with the vet that I planned to get the vaccination from, and they recommended that I get the cat a blood test next week to see if his stats are normal. And if everything is fine he can get his first vaccine shot in 1.5 or 2 months. I have another question though! I’m afraid the cat would feel lonely when he first returns to my house, so I’m thinking of adopting another one as a playmate for him after he gets the first vaccine shot in 2 months. Is that too early? Or should I wait out for a longer period? The playmate would be around 5 months old at that time, and he’s already got 2 vaccine shots. Is it safe enough to adopt him? My vet recommended that I get an fpv survivor cat as his playmate instead since it’d be safer? Can I know your opinion on this? Thank you for your time!
If he’s had 2 shots at least 2 weeks after the last one, it should fine – and you could always get a titre test to make sure he’s responded to the vaccine and has sufficient antibody levels.
However, do have a think about whether your cat needs a companion – most cats are solitary creatures and thrive best in their own company; if you are going to get a friend for him, make sure you follow all the procedures for introducing two unknown cats, and expect squabbles and storms along the way!
Can a survived male for over a year transmit the disease to vaccinated cat?
Very, very unlikely. I’d never say never (because with animals and viruses, all sorts of weird things can happen), but I’d expect the survivor to be really strongly immune and to have cleared the virus by that age. the only exception would be if the cat was severely immunocompromised, or infected as an unborn kitten from his mum.
Hi, I have 2 regularly FPV vaccinated, healthy, 100% indoor, adult pedigree cats. My male got his annual booster FPV shot 2 weeks before my female gave birth. Of the four kittens born, two were born dead and the other two died after a couple of days. In the postmortem examination of the kittens, FPV virus was detected. How is this possible? Both cats are healthy, they never had any symptoms and we haven’t had any contacts with outdoor/rescue cats. When searching for answers, I found studies stating that approximately one third of cats shed the virus in their feces and urine after the FPV vaccination. Did my female get infected from the male shedding after his FPV booster shot as they used the same litter boxes and then passed the virus to her unborn kittens? Also, after we found out about the FPV, we disinfected everything that could be disinfected with Virkon S. Is it safe to mate the cats again soon or is there a possibility that the kittens will be infected after their birth?
It’s not impossible, I suppose, but I’ve never seen it happen before – the reason is that while weakened vaccine strain virus may indeed sometimes be shed, I would have expected her immune system to block it well before it got anywhere near her unborn kittens.
Was it possible to do a virus typing from the post mortem samples? Because the lab would be able to compare the virus detected with the vaccine strain (the vaccine manufacturer will usually pay for this!). In any case, I would STRONGLY advise reporting this as an adverse reaction to the manufacturer and to the medicine regulators wherever you are, because this isn’t a recognised problem on the datasheets. I think the most likely cause is failure of the vaccine in the female; but even then, it needs reporting, as it may suggest a problem with one batch of the vaccine – or it may just be bad luck and she didn’t respond as expected.
Regarding the house, if everything has been disinfected with a suitable parvocide, it should be OK. I would suggest talking to your vets about getting an FPV titre test done on the female, though, to ensure she does actually have protective antibodies on board.
Hi! my two kittens were tested positive to FPV 2.5 months ago,one unfortunately died but the other lived now lam thinking about getting a new one so they can play together and so she doesn’t feel lonely any more and right now I want to adopt a 10 weeks old kitten who just got her first dose but my question is will she be protected with only one dose and if I cleaned the house with bleach very carefully? If not should I wait for the second dose or still it won’t be useful?
After one dose, not all cats will be protected – 2 weeks after the second dose, there is 98-99% protection from infection.
Thorough cleaning with a suitable disinfectant will reduce the risk further – but if the new kitten isn’t fully vaccinated, there is still a very small risk.
I’d also point out that most cats don’t get lonely for other cats – they’re usually very happy with human company alone, and adding a new cat can cause some behavioural problems!
Hi again! Tsm for answering but i have some more questions. From what I’ve heard i know that we give a second dose of MLV cause there’s a chance that the first one didn’t work because of the MDA in the kitten’s body so is that true? or a second dose is required for the vaccine to actually work?(she got her first dose when she was 10 weeks old) and if i did get her after the second dose immediately will her immune system be distracted by the vaccine if she came in contact with FPV and wouldn’t work properly? Can i give her the second dose after 2 weeks only? last question wich one is a better disinfectant bleach or verkon s? And i’m afraid that i wouldn’t be able to disinfect properly like how should i disinfect books for example?
You said kittens so I gave a kitten answer!
OK, yes – post-MDA, only a single dose of an MLV is needed for a strong response (although there is some evidence suggesting that a booster 6 months later might mature and improve the response, it’s not really that solid). However, the time of MDA waning is pretty variable, and can be any time up to about 16 weeks – or even longer in kittens born to queens who have recently recovered from infection. So we tend to say that up to 6 months, a second dose is needed.
Now, we don’t like to give 2 doses too close together, as this can disrupt the generation of immunity, but in terms of FPV, a longer interval is no problem at all – it does depend what the licensed interval is for the vaccine your vet is using, but it’s usually minimum 3 weeks. Vaccination takes approximately 10-14 days to generate reasonable immunity, but the incubation of FPV is usually 2-9 days, so this is actually one of the most common reasons for vaccine “failure” over 16 weeks of age – the cat was sadly infected and developed disease before the vaccine-induced immunity was strong enough to block it. I definitely wouldn’t suggest reducing the interval without talking to your vet, as this is off-license, and the impact on immunity is unpredictable.
Regarding disinfection, either will work – bleach at 1:10 or Virkon at the recommended dilution for the specific form you have.
Most viruses do not survive that long on paper, but I would advise not letting kitten climb around on anything that hasn’t been fully disinfected!
I recently lost my cat to FPV. Can I bring another kitten to my home after getting him 2 shots of vaccinations (Feligen CRP)?? The kitten has already received 1st shot at 9 weeks of age and will get another after completing 12 weeks of age. Will the new kitten be safe from the virus after the vaccination? She’ll be coming in after 5 weeks of the original incident.
It takes 10-14 days after vaccination to mount a full immune response, so until then, he won’t have proper protection.
However, if you disinfect everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) in the house that he might come into contact with with a suitable parvocidal disinfectant, and then wait until he has maximum immunity, the risk is as low as you can reasonably get it.
Hi! I am kind of late to this, but I am just wanting to make sure my cat is okay! We took in a stray cat last year who was sent to the shelter ended up getting sick and passing away in November 2022. Our vet tested her blood and it wasn’t specifically tested but he thinks it was either panleuk or feline leuk. We cleaned everything the best we could and just not got a new cat. Our new cat lived with a previous owner and just recently turned 1 yrs old and is up to date on all of his shots, including those two viruses, which he just got the 1 yr vaccines for a couple weeks ago. He should be safe and okay right?
Yes, I;’d say he should be fine: the vaccine is over 98% effective, and if you’ve thoroughly cleaned with a parvocide (like bleach), the risk should be really low anyway!
I brought home a rescue kitten. Soon after, 3 of my vaccinated cats became infected with fpv. Kitten was vaccinated about the time they all became sick. After vet treatment and a booster, my adult cats are fine now.
The kitten never had any symptoms. Do you think he was born with it? He was 5 weeks when brought home, 11 weeks now. He’s bow legged with his front legs and the joints above both front feet stick out, but he functions fine. Seems normal otherwise. Should I expect issues with him as he ages?
It is a possibility, these cats usually have brain lesions and an abnormal gait – but as far as I know they don’t usually shed. More likely, he was infected while very, very young and although most of the symptoms had resolved, he was still shedding virus in the faeces (this can continue for up to 6 weeks in some cases), and the virus has caused developmental issues.
I think a full vet exam would be a good idea, though, as there’s clearly something unusual going on here!
Hello, I have a cat that tested positive for panleukopenia. I also have other 2 year old cats that were vaccinated with the fiv/felv vaccine but are overdue by 4 months. I was wondering what are the chances that they will become infected?? I’m very scared because they have been housed in the same room for 2 weeks before the symptoms started showing and even shared water/food. If they do test positive what course of action can I take?
It depends whether they were vaccinated against FPV (feline Panleukopenia) as well as FIV/FIP. If they’re fully vaccinated and were boosted at one year, we’d normally expect them to be solidly immune for at least 3 years (98% protection with most vaccines, which is pretty good!). If they’re not, then they have very little, or no protection.
Either way, though, you need to really really thoroughly clean everywhere with a parvocidal disinfectant – your vets will be able to recommend one. Good luck!
Can a vaccinated kitten, she’s had her 4, 6, & 8 week vaccinations, be safe to be around another kitten who had Panleuk, medicated and is now testing negative for Panleuk?
Everything in medicine is probabilities – there are very few certainties! Ideally, you want a positive titre from the kitten to make sure that she has responded to the vaccine: 8 weeks is really pushing it as a high percentage of cats will not respond to the vaccine until 9+ weeks.
My cat is vaccinated against FPLV and is about 8 months old. We took him to the vet to get him neutered/spayed and within 4-5 days of the surgery after showing him healing and getting more energetic on the 5th day he was lethargic, and started to vomit. Within a day he became severely dehydrated, anorexic and with blood in his stools. I rushed him to a vets clinic and they put him on iv fluids and gave him all the supplemental medications to avoid secondary infections. Currently writing about this after day 2 of treatment. The worst part is that he caught the virus even after being fully vaccinated for it. Maybe a different strain of the virus.
This also happened to my kitten – same age. Also vaccinated and then neutered and recovered 3-4 days after recovered great (back to normal) then within 24-48hrs went to hospitalization and now not sure what to do.
Tested (soft) positive for panluke (snap parvo test) and blood tests show white cells were fine and recovered well after surgery and even now not that low. I want him to pull through but not sure what I can do and he will go from lethargic to some eating last night for the first time in 72 hrs.
The current vaccines are licensed to give about 98% protection – which is really good. However, unfortunately a few cats just don’t respond properly, either because the vaccination was, by bad luck, given while their immune system was “distracted” by another issue, or because their mother’s antibodies were still present and blocked the vaccine, or because they are genetic non-responders who aren’t capable of making the correct antibodies. As you say, there is also the (small) possibility of a rogue strain of the virus, although fortunately, this is very rare.
All the best with him – and I really hope he pulls through!
Hi it’s me again on day 5 of treatment.He got better yesterday and was more active and behaving like a cat but I noticed some peripheral swelling which I brought up in my next appointment with the vet. They said it could just be edema due to the IV fluids and may pass. Through the day all his limbs became edematous and was having excessive salivation and when I brought him to the vet again for his second round of IVF and meds we noticed his skin turning yellow as he was jaundiced. He also hadn’t urinated in 2 days and I was concerned and brought it up with the vet multiple times. Anyway regardless he was showing improvement and then today a steady detoriation. On the vets advice we think it is best to euthanise him as he doesn’t seem like he can survive this. It’s a very hard decision and i hate making it but I’ve convinced myself it will be extremely hard to care for a debilitated and immunocompromised cat. I’m really thankful for the vets timely help and support and thank you for your reply it helps me rationalise my decision to euthanise him as I cannot se him suffer anymore.
I am so sorry to hear that – but yes, it sounds like you did absolutely everything you could.
I have a rescue environment and have several kittens that were waiting for clinic appointments for shots and spay/neuter. Whenever I bring in a new cat I quarantine for at least 72 hours, longer if any signs of sickness. I brought in a surrendered momma and 5 kittens. They showed no signs of sickness! Now one month later, I lost all 5 kittens, plus 4 more. There are a couple more showing signs of sickness! I’m devastated!!! I’ve tried so hard to keep everything bleached, but it’s impossible to not cross contaminate room to room. All it takes is forgetting one time that you touched your hair or shirt or you didn’t take your shoes off! I’m si afraid of what the final number of deaths will be!
Oh no! I hope the outbreak settles quickly…
For panleukopenia, the incubation period can be up to 7 days, so it might be worth rethinking the (otherwise really good) quarantine once it’s all over.
In the meantime – best of luck with it.
Hi, so I got a kitten yesterday 2 months old, the pet shop already gave her the first shot of the vaccine, but we went to the vet for a quick check up, and when he tested him for fvp the test was positive but as a carrier for the disease, my question is, is it possible that the test was positive from the vaccine ?
Vaccination within 12 days of the test can lead to a false-positive test, because most feline panleukopenia vaccines are modified live vaccine strains. If she is otherwise completely healthy, considering retesting once your outside the 2 week window; however, be aware that if she was incubating the virus before vaccination, the vaccine won’t protect her effectively.
My house is infected with parvo , my cats are vaccinated last week , can I go back there tomorrow
It will take 2-3 weeks after their last vaccine before the cats have maximum protection, and you (and they) would be carrying the virus in and out of the house every time you entered or left. The house ideally needs a deep clean with a parvocidal disinfectant – all the surfaces, including soft furnishings where the infected cat may have left any body fluids. Good luck!
I have two cats, I recently adopted a dog and he came with parvo. My oldest is about 18 months and the youngest about 11 months. They are both vaccinated. The oldest got her last dose on 23/06 of last year and the youngest one on 06/11. Could they still get parvo from the dog? Should I be worried about it? Thanks.
Youngest one got his second dose on November 06*
While it is true that some of the canine parvo strains (especially 2a and 2b) are capable of infecting cats, it seems to be fairly rare that it causes severe disease. If the cats are fully vaccinated (which it looks like they are), the risk is very, very low: the vaccine gives some cross-protection and recent vaccination should prevent them from infection, or at least from significant clinical signs.
It would probably be good practice to start barrier care, and isolate the dog from the cats, as well as exercising excellent hygiene and cleaning with a parvocidal disinfectant, but I think the risks to the cats is low. Good luck with them all!
How do you clean up after a suspected case? I have been cleaning with Rescue but i want to wash the carpets and everything says to use bleach. Is that the only way to kill the virus ?
Bleach will do it, but there are other options – you need an animal disinfectant that is specifically advertised as being “Parvocidal”.
Hi, My cat is 4.5years old Male Persian. He was properly vaccinated (Virbac Feligen CRP) for first 2 years and after that we have not given booster vaccine. (Missed boosters vaccine for 2 years) Now, do I have to start the series again (initial dose) or have to administer only the booster Vaccine. Please help me in understanding about the booster vaccine.
Assuming that the license conditions are the same as here in the UK, the license does not discuss restarting the course, although it does state that duration of immunity is only 12 months.
This means that to follow the license exactly would require 2 doses for full protection.
However… more recent research suggests that this is not necessary with some other modified live vaccines (the same technology used for this one), where only a single dose is needed for immunity when restarting an adult cat.
Unfortunately, we do not know for sure if this is true of Feligen – I suspect it is, but I cannot prove it, and so doing a single dose might leave him with incomplete protection.
I think you’d need to talk about this with your vet – and also about whether they stock a different brand that could be used that does only need a single dose to restart his cover.
My cat is 10 months old and has had feline rhinotracheitis calyx panleukopenia vaccine and is currently fighting for her life after becoming infected with this virus in a hospital, how is that possible? the test came out positive
Unfortunately, no vaccine is ever quite perfect. Most panleukopenia vaccines give about 98-99% protection – but there are always a small number of cats who, for some reason, don’t respond to the vaccine.
The other thing to consider is when those first vaccines were given: if by chance your cat still had some of her mother’s immunity at the time of vaccination, that could prevent her from responding to the vaccine. Maternal immunity usually wanes (wears off) by about 10 weeks old, but it isn’t impossible in rare cases for it to last longer.
Hope she pulls through – good luck.
My cat survived feline virus panleukopenia virus can I repeat the vaccine again ?
So glad to hear that! Yes, you definitely can (and should – immunity even from natural infection isn’t always lifelong) but not immediately – most manufacturers recommend waiting a few months.
Do I need the fvrcp vacation every year? I used to get it every 3 years but my vet said every year now.
The panleukopenia component only needs doing every 3 years for most brands, although it is possible your vet has switched to a brand where that isn’t licensed.
The herpesvirus and calicivirus components are more complex. Very low risk cats (young, indoor only, no other cats visiting, all with good immune systems) might only need it every 3 years, but the protection drops off quite markedly after the first year, so most cats do benefit from that component annually too, to maximise protection.
my kitten Loui died in November 2021 because of parvovirus, I deep cleaned every surface with parvocidal disinfectant.
This March I am getting a 3 months old vaccinated kitten. Is is safe now? Or should I wait more month before getting new kitten?
I would expect it to be safe by now if everything has been cleaned and the new kitten has been fully vaccinated – just make sure you’ve cleaned all the soft furnishings and in any nooks and crannies where the kitten might explore!
My one year old cat who is unvaccinated passed away ,than i isolated both of my remaining 2 cat who are now 1.5yr , and consult with a vet ,he told me that if those two don’t have any syntroms than you must be vaccinated as soon as possible , but i was still used to isolated my cat and gave them immunity boust tonic ,after 7 days i did a first dose of tricat vaccine ,but after 7 days of their vaccination one of them suddenly vomiting and refuse to eat what can i do , is it any serious issue ?
Hi, I am in the same situation.
I was wondering if your cats that we’re isolated survived.
My brother’s cat is infected and I am taking precautions with my 3-year-old cat.
He was not vaccinated last minute vet told me to vaccinate him on the day we found out my brother’s cat had parvo. Unfortunately, she is not doing too well. 🙁
My cat Only has diarrhea.
He still has an appetite and plays.
Unfortunately, it takes about 10 days for the vaccine to give protection – 7 days just isn’t long enough to block infection. The likely cause is panleukopenia, and so get the poorly cat to your vet ASAP. Unfortunately, as fara s we know immune booster tonics are ineffective and do not protect against severe viral infections like this.
My cat jack (7 months old) has his first shot done of vaccine but still not get its booster . There is a family near my house and she used to visit our place and recently she lost her 3 cats ( 1 of 7 months and 2 of 4 months old) due to fvp . Is it possible that my cat get fvp from the owner as i don’t know that if she is following the hygine measures or not .
Yes, it is possible – the parvoviruses survive really well in the environment and can easily be carried on clothing or shoes.
My kitten recently passed away from FPV infection, but she was vaccinated for parvovirus. How did she become infected even though vaccinated?
Sadly, vaccines are not 100% effective. There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, if she was already infected before the vaccine, the vaccine wouldn’t be able to help.
Secondly, if she still had some of her mother’s immunity when she was vaccinated, then her own immune system wouldn’t be able to respond (this usually wears of at about 10 weeks in most cats, but rarely it can last longer).
Finally, some cats just don’t respond to the vaccine – it gives about 99% protection, but that still means there are a few cats who are simply unlucky and aren’t able to respond.
I’m so sorry for your loss, but I hope that helps.
After how many days from recovery from FPV can I get my cat vaccinated
It depends on the vaccine strain and manufacturer’s guidelines, but definitely not before complete and full recovery from the infection.
My cat Chloe is a little over two years old. Just three days ago, I started fostering a year and a half old cat. She was vomiting and having diarrhea and refusing to eat, so I brought her into the vet, only to find out that she has panleukopenia. Right now she is still in the hospital, hanging onto her life . Luckily for my other cat, because I had just brought the foster home, I had been isolating in another room. However, there is a chance that my other cat Chloe was exposed to the virus through my clothes or hands, and by sniffing some of the soiled bedding I removed from the room to wash. Chloe had her last dose of the vaccine a year and a half ago (when she was about 9 months old). I’m giving her a booster in one week, but I am curious if there’s anything I should be careful for. I am not allowing her in the room where the other cat was for at least another few weeks when her booster takes effect. Because it can be dangerous to vaccinate a cat if they already have the disease, should I request to have her tested before she’s vaccinated? Is she at high risk of contracting it before she’s given her booster?
I’m also realizing I wasn’t super clear — the foster (Luna) is the one who has panleukopenia and is being hospitalized. My resident cat Chloe is not showing any symptoms but I am concerned that she was exposed to Luna’s illness.
The incubation period for panleukopenia is usually only 3-5 days, and very rarely longer than a week. Her vaccine from 9 months ago should still be covering her – but you are absolutely right to practice good biosecurity! DOuble check with your vet but if she’s more than a week after exposure without signs, I wouldn’t be particularly worried.
Hi!
I have a three month old kitten and she has two vaccines again FVRCP vaccines so far. My mom who is my neighbor, just got a feline panleukopenia survivor who is past the point of shedding the virus. Should we be worried about transferring the virus via our shoes and clothes still? Or if the other kitten is no longer shedding it can we relax a little bit?
The virus can survive in the house for 6 months, maybe longer – so I’d strongly advise a deep clean of the environment. I’d also suggest “clean” shoes and clothes for visiting the kitten until at least 4 weeks after her second jab.
Hey, so my semi-outdoor cat is a few years old and is fully vaccinated against parvo. My friend’s indoor cat is a year old and possibly has parvo according to their vet. Would it be safe for me to visit their apartment with the cat for unrelated matters?
The vaccine is likely to provide protection BUT even fully vaccinated, it’s about 98% effective so there’s a small chance of infection. Personally, I wouldn’t take a healthy cat (vaccinated or not) into a property with a panleukopenia/parvo case: I don’t think it’s worth the risk.
Hi I have two cats, 1st (10months old) one was vaccinated with 3n1 and the 2nd (4months old) one was vaccinated with 4n1 they are fully vaccinated btw. My friend who happens to have a cat also diagnosed with Feline panleukopenia virus. Will my cat get the virus if they are in a shared space?
They will be exposed to it if they’ve shared the space, but the vaccine is over 98% protective so it’s pretty unlikely they’ll develop clinical disease. Keep a close eye on them, but I would expect them to be OK!
Hi there! First of all, thank you for the article, I learned a lot from it!
However, I have a question. Last year, I found a cat with rhinotraheitis, he was treated and got well eventually, despite the fact that his immune system was quite weak and he was treated for longer than in most cases. Them he got vaccinated with this delay with novibac trio and antirabic vaccine.He got spayed and he is a wonderful cat and friend. Fast forward to three days ago. I found a kitten which seemed pretty healthy, I went to the vet for regular disinfestation ( worms and fleas ) and everything was fine. I tried to keep him separated from my cat, but couldn’t properly because mine opens the doors so when I went to sleep he sneaked in a few times. The new kitten vomited this morning so I took him to the vet again for a test and he tested positive for panleukopenia and FelCov. He is now hospitalised and his condition is stable for the moment. Mu question is : can my cat be infected with any of these diseases? If yes, what can I do to help him properly. The vet told me to just keep him under observation but I feel it’s not enough.
Thank you in advance for your response. I really need your help 🙂
The panleukopenia vaccine usually gives a very strong protective immune response, so I wouldn’t be particularly worried about that – observation is exactly the right thing to do.
Feline Coronavirus is one of those viruses that cats get periodically all the time – it’s basically like a cold (only affecting the intestine not the nose and lungs). The vast majority of cats get either no signs or a mild stomach upset only. There’s not a lot that can be done about this, and nothing that can be done to prevent them from developing it – immunity wanes really quickly after natural infection or vaccination. My suggestion would be to make sure you have suitable bland diets and oral rehydration for cats on hand just in case: and then observe, and probably nothing will happen! But if it does, you’re ready.
Good luck!
I got my 1 year old cat, Quinn from a friend. She is a beautiful cat. I brought her for vaccination on the 25th May and completed her doses on the 19th July. She got spayed after her 2nd vaccination. All went well and she’s a playful cat. On the morning of 30th July 2021, i found her dead near her litter box, halfway done and bloody vomit on my carpet. I was so sad and i buried her immediately in my backyard. I did not get any testing done and i’m wondering if this is because of FPV?
It’s not impossible, but it is quite unlikely if she was vaccinated. So sorry for your loss.
Hi how long should I keep my 16mth old cat inside after he has had his panleukopenia booster shot.
Thank you
We would generally say that he’ll have maximum protection about 2 weeks after the dose. Good luck!
I had an outbreak of Pan leukemia last September. I lost half of my feral cat colony. My inside cats were immediately vaccinated and we went to extreme measures to not transfer anything inside until they were safe. The vet recommend NOT to get any of the outside cats vaccinated. She said the vaccine could be deadly to them, since they were exposed to the virus.
That was 7 months ago.
I am wondering if it would be safe to now bring in one of the feral cats? She never did show any symptoms of the virus and is now an outcast from the colony. I would, of course, need to get her tested for FeLV and other viruses first. Since she was exposed to the virus, would my inside cats be safe if I brought her in? Does she need to be vaccinated? If so, would it now be safe to vaccinate her for Pan leukemia after being exposed to the virus 7 months ago?
7 months after viral exposure, vaccination should be absolutely fine as long as she’s clinically healthy. Good luck!
Well hello my dear, my cat was about 8 months when we decided to have her spaying surgery, everything went normal after the surgery but in tenth day she started to develop some symptoms like vomiting followed by diarrhea.
She was diagnosed with FPV, and the vet tried to keep her condition under control but sadly she died in 5 days.
My cat was fully vaccinated 🙁
The point is before she died she was bleeding badly 🙁
I have tried to clean everything with bleaching and water, the litter box, her tools, home floors, carpets, but it’s hard to be 100% sure that we have cleaned everything right, she was actually living with us as one of us being everywhere at home 🙁
Now we hope to adopt a new kitten but we are extremely afraid of being contaminated and give the new one the virus, noting that our cat died a month ago 🙁
Is there anything we can do ?
Thanks dear
Really sorry to hear about your loss.
Parvoviruses can survive for a very long time in the environment – I would strongly advise that you talk to your vet and get a parvocidal disinfectant that is effective against the viral envelope. Good luck!
If my kitten is suffering from feline panleukopenia and is wanting more food and water is he recovering from the virus
With this virus my kitten is super active playing with his stuff every single minute without getting tired and feeling lazy
After 2 days of his treatment now he is wanting more food to eat and want to drink water
I just want to know if he’s recovering or not?
An increase in appetite is almost always a good sign – that he is starting to fight off the virus. Good luck!
Hi David,
I am a concerned cat owner. my kitten is similar to the situation of Rimsha’s cat. strong, active, eating and drinking properly. But is still suffering from diarrhea. it is currently hospitalized at the vet, on its 2nd day. My concern is that the diarrhea for the infected cat lasts forever. I also have another 7 month old cat, fully vaccinated. So far no symptoms for the 7th month old cat.
The diarrhoea can take a long time to resolve, because of why it’s happening. Cats with panleukopenia develop diarrhoea because the gut lining starts to die and slough off, resulting in water leakage into the bowel. This takes a long time to heal, even once the virus has been fought off.
I’d like to start off by giving the reason why I didn’t used to get my indoor cats vaccinated. Many years ago I had 2 indoor cats and took one for his rabies vaccine. He never left the vet office as he died immediately after receiving the vaccine. It was devastating. Then I thought to myself “why am I getting my ‘indoor’ cats shots?” After that I was too afraid to get them vaccinated. So moving forward in time, I have rescued 5 cats over the years. They happened to be all males and I got each one neutered and always tested for feline aids/leukemia before bringing them into my home. One was about 8 weeks old and the rest were a few years old to possibly middle age when I got them. They all have lived a happy, safe, indoor life all these years till a few months ago. My youngest was about 8 and my oldest 20. I took 2 of them in late September for a needed steroid injection to my regular vet. (Which now looking back I think they missed that my old cat had hyperthyroidism & was REALLY the reason for throwing up/steroid injection…found out about hyperthyroidism thru my new vet) Anyway, my cats were not sick with any type of virus or respiratory condition going to the vet. Within days my old cat was sneezing. He seemed to get thru it with no major issues aside from sneezing…and then my 2nd cat caught it but it was a whole new ball game. He was very sick so I took him back to my vet and of course you couldn’t go inside due to Covid so I don’t know what transpired. They sent him back out rather quickly…no tests, and with some antibiotics for his respiratory issues. The next day he was even worse so I took him an hour away to emergency. I was able to go inside this time. This vet did not run any tests either and said to continue on with the antibiotics and actually said I was over reacting!!! So I did what both these vets told me to do. And he just kept getting worse. I was NOT over reacting! If one of them had done testing in the beginning he may still be here today but too much time went by. So I kept giving him his meds and kept him isolated in a bathroom so it was quiet for him. I was starting to have to tube feed him the prescription food I asked if the vet could prescribe as he wouldn’t eat anymore. I don’t think it was the correct prescription food the vet gave looking back knowing what I now know. I took him back out to emergency some days later as he was getting worse instead of better after being on the antibiotics they prescribed. The vet this time actually ran some tests. Came back into the room and told me I had a VERY SICK CAT! He had panleukopenia and was hospitalized for supportive measures and also antibiotics for secondary infections, along with a few other things. Panleukopenia is a virus so there’s really no cure. Then my 3rd cat had symptoms and he had already been on antibiotics because he had a week or so prior to this virus…dental surgery. He also tested positive and was hospitalized. So I was running every day to see both of them isolated and hooked up to IV’s. They were soooo horribly sick. While I was there one day the one started to act very strange like something was terribly wrong so I was yelling for help. The mucus literally blocked his airway and he had stopped breathing by the time they got him into the back. They did revive him. I felt like both my cats were drowning in their own mucus. The next day I went back as the other one was already in a oxygen chamber and I was going there to have him euthanized as he too had stopped breathing while I wasn’t there and also had cardiac arrest and they brought him back. I felt at that point how can a cat survive panleukopenia with a heart attack on top of it. He barely had any white blood cells left to fight. Literally next to none. They agreed it was best to euthanize him. So they brought him into the room for me to hold for a few minutes before euthanizing him. I held him a couple of minutes and he started screaming….loudly….something like I’ve never heard before or could imagine. I again started yelling for help. They already had his injection ready for euthanasia and he went completely limp. I think he had cardiac arrest again. He was immediately euthanized. That was on October 20th. The other cat was also put into an oxygen chamber. On October 22nd the ER called me to say the other cat was in cardiac arrest and they were performing CPR. I said to let him go and they did. That same day my other cat at home started showing slight symptoms of panleukopenia. Now that I knew what it was I immediately took him and the other 2 to be tested. He did test positive and the other 2 did not. He was then hospitalized for a few days and miraculously survived. That night I quarantined the other 2 negative ones at home. This was on Oct 22, 2020. When my surviving cat came home from his hospitalization he too went into quarantine. Along the way they were immunized for panleukopenia and had to go back a few weeks later for the second half of the vaccine. On January 17th unfortunately my very “old” cat who never got panleukopenia had to be euthanized at 4am. He was over 20 years old and had been on meds from the new Vet for his hyperthyroidism. I guess it was his time. Not like the other ones. Still very sad, and ironically on the same day my other 2 cats were finally able to come out of quarantine. It was a long, long, time of quarantine for them. October 22 to January 17. Cats recovering from panleukopenia can shed the virus for approximately 6 weeks. And when it was at its height of insanity I had to throw away everything I couldn’t disinfect, or risk taking the chance it wouldn’t be truly disinfected. Rugs, cat climbers, chairs, litter boxes, scoopers, food bowls, cat beds, curtains…etc…you name it. Bleach doesn’t necessarily kill the germ. I also took my cats each in a different cat carriers labeled with their names on each one to not risk the chance of transferring the panleukopenia to one of them being in a different carrier. I disinfected my house for 3 days with a product called Rescue that the vet office told me to use. I disinfected the bottoms of my shoes repeatedly as you can carry it on your shoes. I actually kept a different pair of shoes in front of each quarantine room so as to not transfer the virus going from one room to the other. The ER vet said the same about the Rescue disinfectant and said to follow instructions “exactly” when mixing & using it. You can buy it on amazon. But don’t think it’s a cure all because this horrific virus can live for a year in the environment. So don’t think just because it’s disinfected the germ is totally gone. And that is why I had them vaccinated for it when it was allowed to do so. Once the one who survived it was well enough to get it, and the other 2 had not come down with it. It was the most terrible thing I’ve experienced with my pets over the years. Sad to say that my regular vet office who knew my pets contracted panleukopenia…and knew the first 2 died from it have never once called me to ask about the 3rd one who they knew also tested positive. I have been a customer of theirs for over a decade. They’re 2 minutes from my house. I now drive an hour away for anything with my pets. Not only do they have a 24/7 ER, but also another building with a vet office. In my area they come highly recommended & have a great reputation. I knew this but never wanted a vet that far away but now I would rather do the drive than continue on with my regular vet who really doesn’t seem to care or have any compassion. Nor do I feel they did right by not doing some testing especially when they knew my cat was starting to not eat. He was getting worse. They are under new ownership as of the last year. Same people working there just different owners. Live & Learn. Unfortunately the hard way. I hope this comment will help someone in some way to prevent their cat from getting panleukopenia by just getting the vaccine even if they’re indoor cats like mine are. And…ACT FAST!!!! Request testing! If your cat has it they HAVE to be HOSPITALIZED, or they will NEVER make it, and still sometimes do not. But the sooner treatment is started the better chance they have. Panleukopenia is deadly virus, and horrific death. I never thought this would happen to my indoor only cats.
And…don’t forget spay & neuter your cats! 🐱 There are truly too many unwanted cats that didn’t ask to be born. I have rescued and given a good life to quite a few over the years, but we can’t take them all in, and my 2 cats I have now will be my last.
Hello, my kitten died a month ago from Parvo, she stayed with us for 5 days and the rest of her life confined at the vet hospital 🙁 ,we’ve been constantly disinfecting/cleaning our house with disinfectant/bleach/alcohol everyday. Other than that we also booked for deep cleaning and sanitation (biomisting) this week.
I have a new 3 mos old vaccinated kitten coming this January (2nd week), is the chance of her getting the virus low or is it still risky?
We are planning to book for professional sanitation every 2 weeks before she arrived. I hope that by doing this, I am lowering the risk of her contracting the disease.
The risk is not zero, sadly – the parvovirus family are very resistant to most home disinfectants. Make sure that the professional sanitisers know what virus you are concerned about so they can bring a parvocidal disinfectant.
We adopted a kitten from a animal hospital which I thought would be safer since it one had great reviews I was still Leary that she was so young brought her him never been through this so we took her that Sunday to an emergency hospital not even 5 days having her she has this parvo an is currently fighting for her life in icu the vet place I got her from was we vaccinated her really she only 5 weeks old we have no therapy pets but she is fighting it having issues maintaining her body temp but they are taking her off IV tomorrow to see how she does she is eating and would require 2 hour feedings which we did with my daughter my question is, is it safe to bring her home I have ordered like 3 different pet heating pads will get a human one if needed if they don’t arrive by the time she comes home does she need another vaccine later or if she does survive is she immune to this now I’m scared how long should she stay there yes we are footings a large vet bill which we r willing to do to save her life does she need to be on antibiotics when home what are your suggestions. I hate to say this but I do plan on taking the first vet to small claims court for her vet bills
Be very careful with heat pads – animals who are weak or poorly may not move off them and can get really serious burns. Talk to the vet before you go down that route.
Regarding vaccination, she will probably be immune BUT the natural infection can severely damage the immune system, so I wouldn’t bank on it. I would advise vaccinating once she’s recovered FULLY. Good luck!
My cat just died of this and I’m devastated. He WAS vaccinated but when he started showing the symptoms the vet took his blood and says he can’t find the antibodies in his blood. Could it be the vaccine was not good? He was vaccinated in Iran.
It is possible, but just as likely your cat was one of the tiny number of cats who, incredibly unluckily, are genetically unable to make antibodies against the virus. The vaccines provide protection to about 98% of cats – the remaining 2% may mount a weaker response, or, rarely, no response at all – they are called “genetic-” or “repeat-non-responders”.
I have a homeless shelter for cats. One baby cat (6 months) came down with parvo. He got sick 2 days after his father returned from the vet hospital and I suspect it may have come from him. Not for sure. They gave him supportive care. His temperature returned (it was 107.5), white blood cells improved to normal range. It was 1.2K. They sent both cats home. His father had a runny nose when he came the first time and so they put him on antibiotics. I think they are trying to hide what happened. So if my cats get vaccinated are the rest of the cats in my home (12) SAFE? I am so upset. No other cat has any symptoms and I do intend to vaccinate them all on Thursday. The vet said I had to wait 2 weeks to see if they have signs or the vaccine would kill them.
Colony outbreaks like this are really hard to get under control. Vaccination in the face of infection with panleukopenia does carry risks, so I would strongly advise to follow your vet’s advice.
Hi, I learned a lot from this article but I do have some questions: can vaccinated kittens still get it if they are living in an infected environment? (Eg; shelters or infected households)
And if the are vaccinated, when will the vaccine start kicking in?
I hope you could hwlp me answer my question.
No vaccine is 100% effective. However… the panleukopenia vaccine is one of the most effective ones on the market, giving over 98% protection against clinical disease and virus shedding, once the vaccine has “taken”. This takes a few weeks after the vaccine is administered (the exact time to seroconvert depends on the vaccine brand but usually 7-14 days). Once protected, being exposed to high levels of the virus in the environment is very unlikely to lead to illness OR shedding of the virus. There are a few cats who do not respond, and most of these are likely to be “genetic non-responders”, whose immune systems are for some reason incapable of mounting an effective immune response, but they’re thought to be pretty rare. The most common cause of vaccine failure in cats is either that the kittens still had maternal antibodies which blocked the initial vaccine (which is one of the reasons we give 2 doses a few weeks apart), or that they were already incubating the disease at the time of infection.
Hope that helps!
Hi, 2 of my kittens 5 n 6 mo old caught this virus n one didnt make it while the other made a full recovery, but i have other adult cats that were not vaccineated for panleuk, i took them to the vet n got the vaccination, they seem ok but i have a suspicion that one might be infected. Shes 6yrs old n just got the vaccine. Can she still be infected?
If she was infected before the vaccine was given, then the vaccination may not be effective. It takes about 10-14 days to develop immunity after the vaccination, and in that window, the infection could still take hold – however, the longer into that period she is, the less likely it is, and it is probably that the less severe the infection would be. Good luck!
When i was younger and in experienced, i had a whole cat family die from this,one of the 6 kittens had fell from my balcony while i was out for the day,so the nieghbor rang the local Shelter (so they came and took her) as i got back late, i went the day After to bring her home,on the 3rd day i went the vet with her,he put her to sleep, within a week the other 4 siblings had been put to sleep, by this time mom and dad had got it, by day 14 everyone was put to sleep 😭 i thought i had cleaned and waited long enough, and i really Wanted a Kitty it had been 8 monthes, but i was wrong that one died too,i i did ‘int get any more until last year, 14 whole years later, theses ones i vaccinated too, becouse im older and know that even indoor cats can get sick.
Hi Karen,
I’m currently going through this now and it’s devastating. Thank you for talking about your experience. I’m so sorry you went through that. My 5 month old kitten Milo passed away last week from Parvo. His sister Sweetie just started experiencing symptoms. Took her to the Vet ER and they treated her with fluids, antibiotics, and anti-nausea meds. But I’m afraid I’ll still have to put her to sleep. 😢 All of the pet hospitals have been booked for appointments in my area. This has been incredibly difficult. I’m just trying to get through this.