I Can Has Swine Flu: H1N1 Virus Infected Pet Cat

Posted by Alex in Animal, Medicine on November 5, 2009 at 5:29 am


Can your pet get sick from swine flu? The answer turns out to be yes. Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine has found a cat that contracted the H1N1 virus and got sick with swine flu:

On Wednesday, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported the first confirmed case of H1N1 in a house pet, a 13-year-old domestic shorthaired cat. The animal likely contracted the virus from its owners, veterinarians say, since two of the three family members living in the cat’s household had recently suffered from influenza-like illness. Late last week, when the cat came down with flu-like symptoms — malaise, loss of appetite — its owners brought it to Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine for treatment. The family mentioned to the vet that they had also recently battled illness, which led to testing the pet for H1N1.

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8 comments to "I Can Has Swine Flu: H1N1 Virus Infected Pet Cat"

  1. Dax
    November 5th, 2009 at 5:54 am

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/03/What-We- Have-Learned-About-the-Great-Swine-Flu-Pandemic.aspx

  2. nygenxer
    November 5th, 2009 at 5:58 am

    That's why I don't tongue kiss my cat Sushi. Anymore.

  3. ladycyberdemon
    November 5th, 2009 at 8:31 am

    Oh how sad... but what an awesome photo representation of how that poor kitty must have felt with that diagnosis!

  4. Flux
    November 5th, 2009 at 11:33 am

    I'm no scientist but that sounds pretty significant. Cats have a higher body temp than humans ( 100.5 to 102.5, humans are 98.6) Wonder how it can jump with such a change in temp? Or maybe thats normal, like i know how that stuff works. pshh.

  5. Ali S.
    November 5th, 2009 at 11:43 am

    I can haz vacseen?

  6. dooflotchie
    November 5th, 2009 at 6:40 pm

    Aw, the article doesn't say if the cat is OK or not. :-(

  7. pwscott
    November 5th, 2009 at 6:50 pm

    I unserstand the virus mostly effects the elderly and young. A sixteen year old cat counts as the former.

  8. emmiline
    November 6th, 2009 at 5:17 am

    Flux, i thought the same thing. i was under the impression that felines were particularly flu resistant because of the higher body temperature. granted, the age of the cat probably came into play...but still very interesting.

    cats are weird though. i had a cat that got toxoplasmosis...i don't think he got the memo that he was supposed to give that to others not get it himself.


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