Viral Diseases in Scottish Fold Cats: What Every Cat Owner Should Know
Cats are sensitive to viruses. Many viral infections can be severe or even lethal, making prevention and early care essential. Vaccinations are available for several common viral diseases (see Vaccination Guidelines for details), and keeping your cat’s vaccinations up to date is crucial.
The cat’s immune system is not well-equipped for living in large groups. The risk of viral disease increases with the number of cats in a household or cattery. Ideally, you should not keep more than 5–6 cats together to reduce the risk of outbreaks.
Feline Distemper (Feline Panleukopenia Virus)
Feline distemper, caused by feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), is a highly contagious and potentially lethal disease. Vaccination is strongly recommended—even for indoor cats, as the virus can be brought into your home on shoes or clothing.
FPV is extremely resilient, surviving in the environment for up to a year while remaining infectious. Interestingly, it is related to canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2), and vaccination protects against this variant as well.
Symptoms of feline distemper include:
High fever
Vomiting
Diarrhea (often bloody)
Abdominal pain
Even with intensive treatment, the disease often has a poor prognosis, which underscores the importance of vaccination.
Upper Respiratory Diseases in Cats
Upper respiratory diseases are common, especially in multi-cat households. They can be caused by both viruses and bacteria.
Viral Causes
Feline Calici Virus (FCV) and Feline Herpes Virus (FHV-1) are the main viral culprits. Vaccinations reduce the severity of symptoms but do not guarantee complete protection.
Highly contagious, spreads mainly cat-to-cat
Can survive outside the cat for several weeks
Symptoms: fever, sneezing, runny eyes/nose, mouth and tongue sores
Spread almost exclusively cat-to-cat
Survives only about a day outside the cat
Symptoms: fever, sneezing, runny eyes/nose, sometimes pneumonia
Bacterial Causes
Several bacteria can also contribute to upper respiratory infections:
Bordetella bronchiseptica: Spreads cat-to-cat; symptoms range from mild (sneezing, runny nose, fever) to severe pneumonia.
Chlamydia felis: Primarily cat-to-cat transmission; often causes eye infections.
Mycoplasma felis: Normally present in cats, but can trigger eye infections in already sick cats.
Key Takeaways
Vaccinate your cats against FPV, FCV, and FHV-1 to prevent severe illness.
Limit the number of cats in a household to reduce viral spread.
Early detection and veterinary care can improve outcomes for respiratory infections.
Maintain hygiene and clean shared spaces frequently to minimize virus survival.