Feral Cat Health Issues

A wonderful source of health information can be found on the Alley Cat Allies website. Some important information is listed below.

While feral cats pose very few health hazards to humans, simple precautions when handling them are always in order. Neutering feral cat colonies reduces fighting and roaming. This is the cause of most of the dangers facing feral cats in colonies. Neutered feral colonies, fed nutritious food and fresh water and provided with warm, dry shelters can live for 10 years and longer.

Rabies in Feral Cats
The most effective means of stabilizing and reducing populations, controlling rabies, and protecting human health, is to sterilize and return healthy vaccinated cats back to their supervised colonies. This helps to reduce roaming for mates, searching for food, and fighting. Vaccinated colonies also act as a buffer zone between humans and wildlife. In areas where rabies remains endemic, colony management may require retrapping for periodic booster vaccinations. Identifying individual members by eartipping the left ear and actively monitoring colony health are crucial to this enterprise. Finally, pre-exposure rabies vaccinations are vital for all those who handle feral cats: veterinarians, technicians, animal control officers, and those involved in trapping. Call your local health department for information on how to obtain the vaccination. Further measures for colonies in areas where rabies has occurred include feeding only during the day and providing only enough food for immediate consumption. This minimizes contact with nocturnal wildlife. Feeding areas should be kept clean and, where possible, other nearby food sources should be eliminated.

Feline Health Care

Viral Diseases
The three major feline viral diseases are Feline Leukemia (FeLV), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), all of which appear to exist more in domestic cats than in feral cat populations. Most well cared for, well-fed feral cats become robust and immune to local diseases. If time and money allow, both FeLV and FIV can be easily tested with a combined ³in-house² test kit, thus assuring a negative status for every cat neutered and released. A reliable test for FIP is not available.

Distemper
Distemper (Feline Panleukopenia) can cause mortality in a group of feral cats (usually among the kittens). For this reason, one vaccination of Feline Panleukopenia is recommended for all feral cats when neutered. This provides one year and possibly up to three years of protection from this virus, primarily fatal to kittens. The respiratory component of the vaccine will not provide protection unless repeated at a recommended three week interval.

Parasites Fleas, Ticks, and Ear Mites
Fleas, ticks, ear mites and other external parasites can be treated while the cats are anesthetized for surgical neutering, by cleaning their ears and applying a topical miticide. The use of injectable Ivermectin, a deworming agent for cattle, at 0.1 cc per 10 pounds subcutaneously can be used to aid ear mite control.

Roundworms, Hookworms, and Tapeworms
Roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and other internal parasites can be eliminated with injections. Droncit is a one dose deworming agent for tapeworms approved for use in cats. Ivermectin, though not approved for use in cats, can effectively deworm for roundworms and hookworms at 0.15 cc per 10 pounds subcutaneously. Neither agent needs to be repeated. Occasionally, the injection sites can be a source of temporary discomfort. The use of Ivermectin avoids having to assure that oral medication is consumed and not vomited. Deworming individual cats from time to time should reduce the overall parasite population in the colony.

Upper Respiratory Viruses
Some feral kittens are susceptible to upper respiratory viruses. Most kittens will survive these illnesses if they are treated and if they will eat. Warmth, good nutrition, antibiotic eye ointments and oral antibiotics are recommended until recovery is complete.

Wounds
A feral cat's skin should be examined for wounds, which can be cleaned and treated while the cat is anesthetized for surgical neutering. Any suspicious lesion should be examined for the fungus commonly known as ringworm, which is more common in kittens than adults. Any cat suspected of having ringworm should be handled with gloves.