Bobcat Fever What it is and How to Protect Cats

  

Recently I read in our local newspaper an article about a cat that had been infected with Bobcat fever.  I learned that the disease was found in bobcats and it was transferred to cats from a lone star tick.  Basically, the tick would bite a bobcat and then bite the cat and that is how the disease is passed.

An infected cat will have a very high fever and will feel hot when you touch them, they will not eat or drink water and they will sleep more than usually, they will also have jaundice (white in eyes will look yellow).  As the bobcat fever disease progresses the cat will have difficulty breathing and will suffer from dehydration.

Know that you cat may be bitten by a tick, and you will remove it but you will not know if the tick is infected until five to 20 days because that is how long it takes to have symptoms of the disease.

Be aware that your cat may have Bobcat fever without seeing a tick, because the tick may bite and fall off.  So, its best to watch for any symptoms mentions and take your cat to the veterinarian if you cat has any signs of this disease.

Even if your cat is an indoors and never goes outdoors you should keep up with flea and tick medication because if you have a dog they can bring in ticks.  I have found a few ticks on me after gardening and those ticks could have bitten my indoor cats.  

I treat my cats with revolution topical monthly but plan to talk to my veterinarian about a treatment that will kill the tick before they bite my cat.

Other information 

* Identify the lone star tick as the black tick with the bright white spot on their back.

* Bobcat fever does not affect dogs or humans. 

* If you have recently adopted a cat then make an appointment with the veternarian to get vaccines, wellness check and monthly flea and tick treatment. 

Keep Cats Cool in Summer with Fans

This past summer the heat was extreme with no rain in over a month.   Many of the feral and stray cats did come into our yard to drink water from the many bowls and a few went into our air-conditioned shed.  Other cats tried to keep cool by lying on our patio chairs.  But when the the shade was a heat index of 90 degrees we did take steps to provide these cats with powerful air circulation from an industrial fan. 

Here is a photo of the fan that we set up for the cat.

We bought an industrial large fan from Lowes home improvement store and set the fan up so that it was five feet away from where the cat was lying.  The large fan did provide the cat with a steady stream of air and hopefully, it blew the hot air away from the cat. 

We have taken care of this feral cat since 2008 and think she is set in her ways and does not want to go into the shed where the air conditioner is.  Maybe afraid of the other cats or afraid of the window unit as they are noisy.

The cat stayed in the chair and only left the area with the breeze from the fan to get a drink of water.   She came back to where the fan was and seemed to enjoy the steady breeze.

Setting the fan five feet away from the cat was good as we tried to be closer and the stronger breeze did scare her.