Vets warn domestic cats at risk for deadly tick-borne “Bobcat Fever”

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]Veterinarians are warning about some bobcat fever. Now, this is a deadly tick-borne disease that can infect domestic cats. Normally, it's just bobcats, but now they're saying that the illness, once mostly found in bobcats, is now showing up in house cats. Just a few hours with an infected tick can spread the disease resulting in symptoms like lethargy, loss of appetite, high fever, and yellowing of the skin as the illness gets worse. Treatment can involve multiple medications, but vets say prevention with flea and tick products is the best defense. Their survival rate is about 60%, so early detection is critical.