Deadly 'Bobcat Fever' now affecting domestic cats

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]The original hosts of the disease were bobcats, but now it can affect domestic cats, too. Most folks that we diagnose it in are going to be your domestic cats, cuz those are the ones we're bringing to the vet clinic. Dr. Carley Allen with the All Cats Clinic says once infected, the disease can progress quickly. Even just a few hours with that tick on them can transmit that to them. While not every animal shows symptoms, there are signs to look out for.

[00:00:26]>> They're just not feeling well, not feeling themselves. They don't want to eat.

[00:00:31]Um a lot of times they run a really high fever. And then as the disease progresses, we oftentimes will see that um they'll start getting icteric or yellowing of the skin. Allen says treatment often includes several medications. Appetite stimulants, anti-nausea meds, antiprotozoals, and antibacterials um to try to get them get them through that, get their immune system going. But she says the best defense is prevention through flea and tick treatments that kill ticks quickly.

[00:01:00]>> Bravecto, Revolution Plus, any of those flea tick treatments um should keep the cat from getting infected. With about a 60% survival rate, Allen says early detection can make all the difference.

[00:01:12]Most importantly, she urges pet owners not to wait if their cat seems sick. If you're noticing any sort of concerning clinical signs of your kitty not feeling well, getting them to a vet ASAP to get them checked out.