There are an estimated 30.5 million cat-owning households in the United States.
And while there are more households with dogs, the number of cats as pets in the U.S. is higher than the number of dogs. As a matter of fact, there are an estimated 5 million more pet cats than dogs – that’s 75 million cats total! There have been many studies regarding dogs and vector-borne illnesses over the years but not so many for cats. But with more cat-owning households than ever, medical science is working to catch up studies of cats and vector diseases.
Should cat owners be concerned about vector-borne illnesses?
Cats are an investment into our well-being. Like dogs and other pets, they are considered family members. As such, cat owners should be concerned about the potential for vector-borne ailments. But which ones and how concerned? Here are three vector-borne illnesses that your cat might be susceptible to.
Cytauxzoonosis – This illness is transmitted to cats by the American dog tick and lone star tick. Cats that live in a rural areas, where ticks are more prevalent, are at the highest risk of contracting cytauxzoonosis from the bite of an infected tick. The good news is that the only transmission of this disease is through a tick bite. Cats cannot pass this disease to each other, nor is there solid evidence that the illness can be passed from mother to kitten in the womb.
Symptoms of cytauxzoonosis include pale gums, lack of energy, loss of appetite, and difficulty breathing.
Anaplasmosis – Vectors of this illness are the black-legged tick and western black-legged tick. Since the black-legged tick is also responsible for passing the bacterial that cause Lyme disease, it is possible that a cat can carry a co-infection of Anaplasmosis and Lyme. Neither of these diseases can be passed between cats.
Symptoms of Anaplasmosis in cats can include joint pain/limping, lethargy, loss of appetite, and fever.
Heartworm – Cats are an atypical host for heartworm disease, but they can become infected. Heartworm infection occurs from a mosquito bite. When a mosquito bites a wild animal, whose blood is infected with microscopic worms, it is then able to pass those worms onto its next host. The tiny worms are able to enter the bloodstream of the new host through the tiny hole left by the mosquito’s proboscis – the mouth part used to siphon blood from the host. A cat might have heartworm infection with no symptoms, but that does not mean that the infection cannot be dangerous. HARD, or heartworm associated respiratory disease, is one serious condition caused by infection in cats. There is no cure for feline heartworm infection – prevention is key.
Symptoms of feline heartworm infection include vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing.
Protect your cats from vector-borne illnesses with mosquito and tick control.
Central Mass enthusiast for effective season-long mosquito and tick protection
As with any disease that is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito or tick, prevention is better than the cure – and let’s not forget there’s not always a cure available. Protect your home and property from mosquito and tick invasions with effective Burlington tick and mosquito control. Even if your cat is 100% indoors, they are still susceptible to encountering a wayward tick or mosquito inside your home.