LoveToKnow Cats:AllComments

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Hi Samantha,

It is unlikely that adult cats that have been vaccinated would pick it up as long as they've had their boosters. Very young cats and very elderly seem to be most susceptible. However, if the kitten has the disease, it can remain in your home for up to year. This could impact any other animals you bring into your home or unvaccinated animals. Since the kitten is not showing any symptoms, he likely doesn't have it. However, I would get him vaccinated as soon as possible. Distemper is a horrible, painful and almost certain death for those felines that contract it.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I am fostering a young kitten which does not have the distemper vaccination yet. Can my other cats, which are vaccinated, still get distemper? the young kitten is showing no signs of the diseas.

-- Contributed by: Samantha

Hi Lorraine,

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's hard to know the right thing to do. If you don't get a vaccination, your cat can be at risk for the disease, which is usually fatal. A small percentage of cats do have an adverse reaction to the vaccine though. Ultimately, you have to weigh factors such as whether the cat ever goes outside, what exposure he has to other animals and make the decision that is best for your family and your pets.

Please don't blame yourself for this. You were only trying to take care of your cat and do what was best for him. Again, I'm so sorry to hear about this.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

my cat died of renal failure; i was not aware of the adverse effects of the distemper vaccine, just believed in what the local vet said about vaccines. He could still be alive, I don't know, but now with what I know about the vaccine, I would not administer it to any future cats.

-- Contributed by: Lorraine

Hi Sally,

I would keep a close eye on him for now. He may be sore from the shot. If he isn't better in a couple of days or he gets worse, I would get him to the vet and have him checked over to be safe.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Our kitten got his distemper shot three days ago and is still very sluggish. When we pick him up, he cries like he's in pain. He's still eating, though, and will jump up on our bed or walk around the house. He's not completely immobile, but he's just not acting like himself. Is he experiencing side effects from the shot?

-- Contributed by: Sally

Hi Betsy,

There are two schools of thought on this issue. Some veterinarians say every year the cat needs a booster, but other experts say you can go two or three years. My advice would be to discuss the issue with your vet, who knows your cats habits (indoors or out, for example) and can give you solid advice about how far you can space the shots. Most vets will be honest with you about current research and risks if you wait.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

My cat had his distemper shot 1/21/08 how long does the shot last

-- Contributed by: Betsy Doyon

Hi Sandee,

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's never easy to lose a pet, but particularly hard when it is unexpected. Did the vet test her for distemper? Without at least some blood work, it's probably going to be rather difficult to determine her cause of death. You may be able to narrow it down a bit.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

SHE HAS HAD A FEW DISTMEPER SHOTS WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER AND DID NOT GO OUTSIDE STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY SHE DIED IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE DONE AN AUTOPSY

-- Contributed by: MY 5 YR OLD CAT DIED VERY SUDDENLY WITHIN 12 HRS FROM SEVERE DEHYDRATION,SLOW PULSE,LOW BP AND NO SYMPTOMS

Hi Bryan,

Your dog is likely fine. He probably still has an immunity built up from the vaccine. However, I would go ahead and take the time to go to the vet, explain what has happened and have the vet run some tests. Go ahead and get all remaining animals vaccinated and no new pets for a year. The Distemper virus can live up to a year in your home.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

We just had three kittens and a cat die this week. We just realized that the cats probably died of distemper. We have two dogs that are ages 11 mos and 4 years. Each dog has been vaccinated before, but the 4 year old dog wasn't vaccinated last year. The dog that wasn't vaccinated last year got into the litter box just after the first two kittens died. Should we be worried? What should we do?

-- Contributed by: Bryan

Hi Amanda,

Your dog is probably fine as long as he isn't a puppy or elderly, as those dogs can be more susceptible. You really need to get the kittens to the vet for an exact diagnosis, which can be determined from blood work.

If the kittens have distemper, you will want to avoid getting any new pets for at least a year. The distemper virus can remain in your home for that length of time, even if you clean everything thoroughly. You don't want to get another kitten and have it pass away as well.

Also, make sure you keep your dog's vaccines up to date. Just to be on the safe side, I'd keep the kittens contained to a single room, such as a laundry room until you are able to get them to the vet.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I found 2 littl kittens aprox. 4 weeks old....we waited a couple of days and mom didnt show up we have had them now for 5 days and one passed on the other is sickly vomiting and dihrea....it is still drinking but is a little wobily and his little meow has gotten weaker.....Can our dog catch this he has had his vacines

-- Contributed by: Amanda

Hi Tom,

It is normal for them to be a little lethargic at first, although every cat reacts differently. She should be getting back to herself by now. If she is still lethargic and not eating and drinking, you should definitely call the vet as quickly as possible. She may be having an allergic reaction to something in the shots and quick treatment is vital. Please check back and let us know if your cat is okay.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Just had my cat @ the vet. It was time for Distemper and Rabies vaccines. She got the shots @ noon, and after we got home, she just layed around and didn't get up to eat or potty. Around 3am she got up and used the box. Is this a normal thing? Should I take her back in? No ambition.

-- Contributed by: Tom

Hi Kathy,

It isn't as likely, but there is always a risk if your pets haven't been vaccinated. This is one vaccination that I would definitely invest in. If they are strictly indoors, vaccines like Feline Leukemia may not be necessary.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I have 3 cats and a dog in the house. The cats never go out except, of course, to the vet in a carrier. The dog only goes out to potty or on a tie out when we are with him and that is rarely done. How much chance would they have of gitting distemper if there was a stray cat or dog in the area that might have distemper. We are also feeding a stray cat but his food is kept outside and our pets never touch his. Any help you can give me would be appreciated. Thanks, Kathy

-- Contributed by: Kathy Whitaker

Hi Diane,

Most vets recommend waiting one year after a pet dies of distemper before getting a new dog or cat, because the distemper virus can live inside the home for up to a year, even if you've bleached bedding and such.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Can the virus, if infected cat is buried, still be alive after 10 years?

-- Contributed by: diane

Hi Melissa,

Did the vet test her for distemper and Cat Flu? Those are two very contagious diseases that outdoor cats sometimes contract. You may want to check with him and see.

If she is ingesting animals, the bones and such may be irritating her stomach. I would try to keep her indoors for a while and see if this helps the situation improve.

Also, try to teach your three-year-old to pet kitty gently. I know it's hard with little ones but this may be making her feel even worse. It isn't likely he can catch anything from her, so please don't worry over that issue.

I hope she feels better soon.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

My cat has been sick for about 3weeks now- getting worse some sx include coughing constantly until she chokes and vomits, has been running a fever (103 last temp checked) with no known etiology (per the vet),has a loss of appetite,and very paranoid(gets really scidish with any little noise or movement. we already r/o feline leukemia and aids at the vets, and she was placed on antibiotics for precautionary purpose. She has always gone outside (will go through the screen or any other means if she is trapped inside)but lately going out a lot less because of how she is feeling always has eaten baby rabbits, mice and many other smaller animals. Do you have any suggestions, or thoughts on what it may be, or what else we should r/o?? I have a small child who at his age loves to hold and hug her but even before this she would claw him to get away.

-- Contributed by: Melissa

Hi Beckey,

I'm sorry to hear that your kittens aren't feeling well. This could be anything from hypoglycemia to an allergic reaction to a disease. The only way to properly diagnose them is through testing. I would take the kittens to your vet and have them tested for the most common illnesses and them go from there. Hope it turns out to be something minor.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi Kellie - We have had two kittens suddenly fall ill. They seem to loose motor control, begin convulsing (legs stiffen and heads go backward), and have involuntary bowel movements. Could this be distemper?

-- Contributed by: Beckey

Hi Kathryn,

You are right to be cautious. Distemper is highly contagious and can remain in your home up to a year after the infected pet dies. If a pet has been innoculated, it is less likely to catch the disease. Old cats and very young cats are most susceptible.

If you have any concerns at all, I'd go ahead and take your cat to the vet for a checkup. Just get her innoculations and such while you're there to save the vet visit. The vet will also be able to tell you if you need to take any further precautions to protect your pets, although it sounds like what you are doing is probably enough.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

My mom's five month old Collie puppy has been diagnosed with canine distemper. She's had it for about 2 weeks now. I've been to their house very often, played with the dogs etc. I'm careful to wash my hands up to the elbows, and my feet including my shoes before I touch my dogs or cat at home. And I always chuck the clothes I've worn straight into the wash. My Jack Russels and my Domesitc Short Hair have all been innoculated against distemper ( i assume this is included in their annual shots??) I need to know how high the risk is of my pets contracting this terrible disease. My cat has always wheezed, since a kitten. She had a tough kitten hood before we rescued her, and she just always wheezed. She started sneezing about 2 days ago. Nothing majoy. Just about 2 -3 a day. But thats more than usual. And I'm probably being paranoid, but she's the light of my life. Should I take her to the vet for a check up? I've kept her in doors today while I'm at work to keep her warm. Please help!

-- Contributed by: Kathryn

Hi Kellie,

The distemper could have been picked up anywhere. However, I am extremely concerned for the remaining cats. Distemper is highly contagious and deadly. It can remain in your home for up to a year, so you really should not foster any more pets or bring any new pets into your home for that length of time. Even bleaching doesn't always get rid of the virus. The best thing for the kittens would be to go into a no kill shelter that has true isolation to prevent this from spreading any further. The mother may be okay, since she's been vaccinated. Distemper is most likely to affect elderly cats and kittens. Sorry to give you such harsh news, but you needed to know. I hope the other kittens are able to survive.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I am fostering for the local animal shelter and I had a mom and 4 kittens along with 4 other kittens from 3 different litters. One of them brought the distemper disease into my house and now I only have mom and 2 kittens from the 3 other litters. I have a couple of questions. The shelter gave the mother the vaccine while these babies were only old enough to nurse. Could this have been the cause of their deaths? The other question I have is how do I here at home ensure the health of these other cats. The two kittens have been in isulation (the best my house can provide) for 4 days. They have stopped vomiting but still have diarrhea. They are eating well and sleep all the time. I don't spend a lot of time with them because I have lost 2 while not at home and held the other 4 while they took their lasts breath. Please help me save the last three. I can't bare anymore.

-- Contributed by: Kellie

Hi Dee,

Symptoms might include diarrhea, loss of appetite and lethargy. If you are concerned the kitten has distemper, you should take him/her immediately to the vet for testing. Distemper is not only highly contagious to other animals in your household, but can stay in your house for up to a year after the pet is gone, preventing you from getting other pets or making other pets ill. Please check back and let us know if the kitten is okay.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

What would the first signs of distemper in week old kittens excluding fever.

-- Contributed by: Dee

Hi Lisa,

If the kitten had worms, this is likely where the other cats picked up the worms. Since you are seeing worms in the vomit, I am going to guess that this is likely roundworm. There are many wormers on the market but some do not treat certain types of worms. It may be that the wormer used didn't have the ingredients needed to kill the parasite. The roundworm can make a cat very sick to his stomach. You need to get a treatment from your vet (when you are able to treat again) that has the ingredient pyrantel pamoate in it. But, to be sure it is roundworm, ask your vet if you can bring a sample of the vomit with th worms and have it tested. Also, be sure to keep these cats separate from the others to prevent it spreading.

There isn't much you can do until it is time to treat again. Make sure the cat is getting plenty of water and try to get him to eat as much as he can without throwing up. Poor kitty. I hope he feels better soon.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi Lori

We decided to rehome the kitten we took in with a local cat sanctuary. They weren't too happy about this, at least they didn't make me feel very good about myself however, We feel it was the best thing for him. We called them a few days ago, asked how he was, and we were told that he had started to eat again and seemed to enjoy looking out of the window whilst lying on his heated mat. We're not sure if he has Distemper, we'll call the sanctuary tomorrow to find out, but the vet we were told visits the sanctuary every Friday so perhaps they will know now what is wrong with him. All our cats, except two, seem to be ok. They are now going outside after being locked up for a week. One of our cats though, a 6 year old, is vomiting daily. We know he has worms and I wormed him about 6 days ago because he vomited and I saw them in that. They were alive. However, since worming him I've seen him vomit them up again and again they were alive. I'm presuming my worming was unsuccessful for this to have happened? However, my vet advises that I shouldn't give another course to him for another two weeks. But meantime, my cat is vomiting and this cannot be good for his health. If the worms are the problem then I'll obviously wait the two weeks as requested but what can I do for my poor cats welfare whilst we wait to do that. If he was a human we'd provide him with anti-nausea drugs - is there something similar to that for cats? And do you think it is just the worms that is making him sick or do you think something else maybe causing it. He seems to still enjoy eating, he perks up quickly after he's been sick and still seems to be interested in life around him, not depressed, so we're a bit confused (and he seems that too) about what is happening to him. We look forward to hearing from you Lori.

-- Contributed by: Lisa Pearce

Hi Lisa,

I answered your question over at the Ask the Cat Experts page.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

We recently took a stray into our home and we have 9 other cats. Ten days ago! Yesterday this stray showed signs of either Panleucopania or possible anal sac disease - I wasn't sure and am still not sure which it is and our vet has not been able to correctly diagnose which at this early stage! However he has given the stray Noroclav injection and from tomorrow we have to give him Clavaseptin. However a local sanctuary have removed the stray from my home and are currently looking after it. The stray we thought was showing signs of Feline Panleukopanie as there was discharge coming from his backside and he had a 107 degrees temperature. I have washed all my clothes, feeding bowls, litter trays, floors and carpets where possible in my washing machine with a couple of spoonfuls of Virkon which I received from the vet. However, last night, after the stray was taken away, I found an area in my house where I believe one of my other cats has had an abcess burst in it's anal gland (the cat is 10 years old and has always been extremely nervous and sprays alot in our home). When I picked him up he was sitting in a pool of clear liquid but this liquid also had a yellowy-greenish paste present. I found him in this mess behind the settee and I believe the stray (kitten) may have sat in this liquid and caught an infection from it and now I'm thinking that perhaps the kitten doesn't have Panleukopenia but has caught an infection from sitting in this substance. I'm now keeping an eye on all my cats by checking litter trays for diarrhea and looking for vomitting and high temperatures/fevers and so far (touch wood) the only cat that shows signs of this is a very old cat (18 1/2 years old). He's a very run down cat and has always shown these signs (the vomitting of clear frothy bile and diarrhea) because he has kidney failure already diagnosed by my vet a while ago. I'm each happy to have him still with us! So my question, eventually is, is it possible for anal sac discharge at its chronic stage to show similar signs/symptoms as those of Feline Panleukopenia? All my cats have been vaccinated at some time in their lives with the Eurifel RCPFeLV vaccination, the last being 3-5 years ago and my cats' ages range from 5 to 18 years old. The kitten that was introduced and was a stray 10 days ago we think is about 16 weeks old and we don't know if it had ever been innoculated. Please help as we are extremely worried that having tried to do a good deed for this poor creature we could now lose all our cats. We are desperate for your help and advise.

-- Contributed by: Lisa Pearce

Hi Sandra,

Distemper is very contagious and young cats and elderly cats are more susceptible. If your cat is a bit older but not elderly and has been vaccinated, he or she may not be as likely to contract the disease.

However, the disease can remain for up to a year in bedding and other areas. I would avoid letting my indoor cat outside or near the kitten in any way. I actually recommend you not let your cats outside anyway. I have had to learn the hard way that this is not a good idea as it can really limit the life span of your feline companions.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I would like to know since my kitten that sleeps my the backyard has it, if he has been in contact with our indoor cat will be get as well.

-- Contributed by: Sandra

Hi Becky,

Unfortunately, distemper is highly contagious and can remain in your home for up to a year. Bleach will kill the virus in some items but it may be in other areas of your house and where ever the other kitten may have been. It sounds like you already have the new pet in your house, so limit her contact with any areas the other kitten roamed and make sure you get her vaccinated regularly and on schedule. I would get a new litter box and throw out any bedding from the other kitten.

Since you aren't sure if the other cat has distemper, here are some signs:

Loss of appetite
High fever
Vomiting
Depression
Lethargy
Convulsions
Dehydration
Diarrhea

You may also want to talk to your veterinarian about your concerns. Good luck. I hope the new kitten is okay and lives a long, healthy life.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

ok i had a kitten that had that...we dont know for sure we didnt do testsbut she had to be put down...now this happnd a week ago and i now got a new kitten for my son i dissinfected all the kittens stuff with bleach and lysol...now im wondering can my kitten get it or should i go get her needle just to be safe..will it help?

-- Contributed by: becky

Hi Debbie,

I believe that the original author of this article was referring to an unvaccinated cat, or perhaps a kitten that had not yet gained full immunities from its boosters. Since this is such a contagious disease, the one year suggestion is probably reasonable in most cases.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

You state that another cat should not be introduced into the household for a year after an infected cat has been there, are you referring to an unvaccinated cat or even vaccinated cats?

-- Contributed by: Debbie

Hi Michele,

I'm not a vet, but with those symptoms it certainly sounds as though your neighbor's cat needs to see a vet right away. Hair loss is usually a secondary problem. The blood in the cat's stool could be the result of a bad worm infection. The abdominal pain could also be caused by internal bleeding, some of which is evidenced in the stools. It's going to take a professional vet to get a proper diagnosis.

Please pass this recommendation along to your neighbor, along with my best wishes.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

my neighbers cat has stomach pain blood in stool and losing hair fast

-- Contributed by: michele
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