What is Feline Rhinotracheitis?
This is a herpes virus that is very contagious from cat to cat and from cat to human to cat. Humans do not contract this virus but they can spread it from cat to cat. The virus does not last long in the environment and is suseptible to disinfectants. Symptoms include sneezing, nasal and eye discharge, conjunctivits, corneal ulcers, fever, congestion and inappetence. The virus is fairly widespread in the general cat population but is much more common in high concentrations of cats situations as in catteries or humane societies. Recovered cats act as reservoirs for the virus and may shed the virus intermittently. There is a vaccine for this virus, but many animals are already infected by the time they get their first vaccine. Affected animals should be isolated from other cats immediatley. Animals that are carriers may not even show symptoms of the virus so vaccination is recommended for all cats.
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