Cats and Bobcat Fever

As we head into tick season in Arkansas, it's time to start thinking about your outdoor cats and their potential exposure to bobcat fever. Bobcat fever gets its name because bobcats were thought to be the only true host for the deadly organism. This organism, Cytaux, is spread from cat to cat through tick bites.When a cat is bitten by an infected tick, they can become sick with this disease and, left untreated, it is almost always fatal. It was thought that in order for a tick to be infected, it must first bite a bobcat. Now we know that domestic cats are carriers as well. As more cats become carriers, cases have risen. Fortunately, in our area bobcat fever has seen great improvement in the ability to successfully treat bobcat fever, though the cost to do so remains high.

What are the symptoms?

-Poor or no appetite -Lethargy -Breathing hard -Moderate to severe pain

How can you prevent it?

-Keep cats indoors, especially during tick season. No tick preventive is 100% effective.. -Keep cats on the best tick control products available. Even indoor cats are at risk. Ticks can be brought in the house by people or other pets. Ask your veterinary hospital which products work best. They will be able to point you towards the safest and most effective products. Only use products that are specifically labeled for cats. -There is currently no vaccine available.

Bobcat fever is one of the deadliest cat diseases you can imagine. It kills healthy cats in a matter of a few days. In order for cats to survive, early diagnosis and treatment is critical. Some cats will not make it, even with aggressive treatment.

Our barn cats live outdoors and hunt rodents to keep our property from being overrunn with mice and rats. Because they live outside, they are at risk of being infected with bobcat fever. The best preventative we have found is to use a Seresto collar. This collar kills ticks even before they bite, which is significant when bobcat fever can be transmitted in as little as 10 minutes. It also only needs to be applied every 8 months. Even with this protective measure, our cats could still catch this deadly disease. Obviously the best solution would be for a cat to be kept indoors, but that is not an option for our barn cats, so we do the next best thing and apply a new Seresto collar every 8 months.