A fatal tick-borne illness known as 'bobcat fever' is spreading across the eastern United States this summer, prompting urgent warnings from veterinary experts. The disease, formally called cytauxzoonosis, has been detected in cats in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee, amid a record season for tick-related emergency visits.
The infection is transmitted through the bite of parasite-infected Lone Star and American Dog ticks, which are found from Texas to Maine. According to North Carolina State University, untreated infections can lead to seizures, hypothermia, coma and death within days, with a fatality rate of 97 percent among untreated cats. An estimated hundreds to thousands of cats die from the disease each year, though no precise toll exists.
In Oklahoma's Green Country region, at least five cats have died in just two weeks, according to Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue. The organisation warned that outdoor cats, and even those that go both indoors and outdoors, face high exposure risk. Prevention is key: owners are advised to keep cats indoors, administer year-round flea and tick medication prescribed by a vet, and regularly check for ticks, as even a few hours of exposure can transmit the disease.
Symptoms of bobcat fever include lethargy, decreased appetite, pale gums, yellow gums and eyes, difficulty breathing, rapid breathing and fever. Diagnosis typically requires blood work to detect the infection in red blood cells. Most cases necessitate hospitalisation, and even cats that survive can become carriers or contract the disease again. VCA Animal Hospitals reports a 60 percent survival rate when antibiotics or other medications are given. Researchers are still developing a vaccine to improve survival odds.
Dr Carley Allen of All Cats Clinic in Fayetteville, Arkansas, urged owners to act quickly: '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.' The disease was first identified in bobcats in Missouri in the 1970s and was for years confined to the south-central US. However, the northward spread of ticks, driven by warmer and more humid conditions, has now led to infections documented in 35 states. Dr Adam Birkenheuer, of North Carolina State University, recalled a surge in cases between 1998 and 2004, saying: 'We went from having never seen this deadly disease to times where we saw several cases a week.'
