REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO OUR CATTERY IN CARNEGIE

• Must be at least 4 months old.
• All boarding fees are GST inclusive
• Must be up to date with his/her preventative health care regime;
  
  • minimum F3 vaccination
  • dewormed against gastro-intestinal worms
  • must be flea free on admission.

It would be wise to administer a veterinary approved de-wormer and flea control 7-10 days prior to anticipated boarding at our cattery in Carnegie.

• Please note, for the safety your companion, other companions, clients and our staff – all boarders must arrive in a basket or carry cage. Please respect and understand this rule. NO EXCEPTIONS. Baskets or carry cages must be lined with either a towel or thick newspaper. This will keep your feline companion dry to and from Carnegie Cat Cottage
• The basket or carry cage must be labelled clearly with your companion’s first and last name.
• It is best not to bring any toys or other belongings to the boarding lodge as they may get misplaced with the passage of time. Your feline companion will do fine without them.
• You will be required to sign a disclaimer and admissions form stating the requirements for admission and an authority for veterinary intervention should it be required. If veterinary intervention is required, the client will be liable for all veterinary and related costs.

Please consult the Preventative Health Care Guide for Cats below on recommended regimes. Please note: With respect to the health and well being of all our boarders – feline companions found to have evidence of fleas, flea dirt or worms will be treated at his/her parent’s expense. Specific veterinary products as described in the preventative health care guide will be used for this purpose.

Please consult this Easy Guide – Preventative Health Care Guide for Cats on recommended regimes.

Double click to open and read on screen, or right click and ‘Save as’ to download and print out.

Preventative Health Care in Cats.pdf

Please note:

With respect to the health and well-being of all our boarders – feline companions found to have evidence of fleas, flea dirt or worms will be treated at his/her parent’s expense. Specific veterinary products as described in the Preventative Health Care Guide will be used for this purpose.

SOMETHING ABOUT FELINE VIRAL RESPIRATORY DISEASE (ALSO KNOWN AS FELINE UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT DISEASE OR ‘CAT FLU’)

At least 90% of cases of feline upper respiratory tract disease are caused by one of two viruses:

• Feline herpesvirus, and
• Feline calicivirus

PLEASE NOTE: FELINE HERPES VIRUS AND FELINE CALICIVIRUS DO NOT POSE A RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH.

Chlamydophila psittaci is the third most important cause of upper respiratory tract disease in cats. However it is the primary agent in less than 5% of clinical respiratory infections seen in general veterinary practice. Chlamydial infections are clinically restricted to the conjunctiva and oronasal mucosa.

Clinical diagnosis of feline upper respiratory tract disease is based on history and physical examination findings. This is sufficient information to pursue treatment and follow-up care. As treatment options for the various causative agents are nearly identical, there is little advantage in precise identification of the causative agent.

FELINE HERPES VIRUS (FHV)

Our cattery in Carnegie is dedicated to preventing the spread of feline herpes virus.

Transmission of herpes virus requires intimate contact between shedding and susceptible hosts. The normal breathing movements of an acutely infected cat does not produce infective aerosols, but sneezing which produces macro-droplets might spread virus particles. Herpes virus can survive for less than 24 hours in the environment, making long term contamination of inanimate objects (such as bedding) unlikely.

Carrier cats can either be latently or actively infected. Latent or subclinical carriers maintain the viral genome in the tissues of the nasal passages. Under situations of stress i.e. transportation, rehousing, cat shows, lactation, hospitalisation, concurrent disease (e.g. FIV or FeLV) the viral genetic material is activated and the virus is shed intermittently. This process can be associated with mild clinical signs. Cats with a known history of severe upper respiratory tract disease or recurrent mild disease are potential carriers even if vaccinated.

FELINE CALICI VIRUS (FCV)

This virus is transmitted readily between cats by direct, close contact and is found in large quantities in oculonasal secretions and saliva of acutely infected cats. Small amounts are found in the urine and faeces. Calicivirus can survive and remain infective on inanimate objects for up to 10 days, hence environmental contamination is important.

Carriers of feline calicivirus shed a constant amount of virus for weeks to years after primary infection, irrespective of stressful stimuli. Virus shedding can end abruptly. Some feline calicivirus carriers can have persistent mild conjunctivitis, gingivitis or periodontal disease.

CLINICAL SIGNS OF ‘CAT FLU’

• Sneezing is the hallmark of acute infections
• Watery to Yellow/Green unilateral or bilateral nose discharge
• Watery to Yellow/Green unilateral or bilateral eye discharge
• Ulcers in the mouth
• Ulcers on the eye and other viral associated inflammatory eye conditions
• Possible fever

TREATMENT OF ‘CAT FLU’

• Complications with secondary bacterial infections are so common that a broad spectrum antibiotic is justified even in cats without a yellow/green eye or nose discharge
• Viral associated eye disease can be treated with topical antivirals
• The use of oral lysine to reduce herpes virus replication rates.

CONTROL OF ‘CAT FLU’

For cat boarding near Caulfield that is dedicated to controlling ‘Cat Flu’, contact us today.

Routine annual vaccination is h3ly recommended. Vaccinated cats do not enjoy complete protection; such is the nature of the viruses concerned. With respect to ‘cat flu’ the purpose of vaccination is not to afford complete protection – this would be nice – but impossible, rather to afford partial immunity to the recipient, so that only mild symptoms may arise in the event of an infection.

WHAT DOES OUR CATTERY IN CARNEGIE DO TO MINIMISE THE RISK OF ‘CAT FLU’?

In summary, ‘cat flu’ cannot be completely prevented. This is impractical and nonsensical given the nature of the viruses concerned. In fact, many cats are subclinical carriers of ‘cat flu’, and future infections in these cats may arise from their own viral loads rather than contracting a new infection.

Here at Carnegie Cat Cottage we certainly go the extra mile to minimise the risk of ‘cat flu’.

• All our boarders must be up to date with his/her preventative health care regime including vaccination status.
• We utilise sodium hypochlorite, a proven anti-viral product as our disinfectant of choice. A 0.175% concentration of sodium hypochlorite appears to be the best overall virucidal product for routine disinfection and decontamination of our facility. Hygiene and cleanliness are paramount to maintaining healthy and happy feline boarders.
• Carnegie Cat Cottage’s integrated ventilation system can accommodate between 15-30 complete air exchanges per hour. This significantly reduces airborne virus particle concentrations.
• No direct contact is possible between feline boarders; hence the risk of virus transmission is significantly reduced.
• The Raintree™ Cat Condos allow your feline companion to feel safe and protected. The feeling of safety and protection further reduces stress levels, which in turn reduces the risk of clinical ‘cat flu’.

For details of the veterinary services available at the Carnegie Veterinary Clinic visit their website here

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

1. The information on feline upper respiratory tract disease or ‘cat flu’ and the guidelines to minimise the risk of infections have been adapted from the virology course notes of Professor M. van Vuuren and Professor J.A.W. Coetzer from the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria.
2. The Raintree™ Cat Condos used at Carnegie Cat Cottage were supplied by Kennel Solutions Pty Ltd

Carnegie Cat Cottage, being located in inner suburban Melbourne, provides first class cat boarding near Caulfield. We have clients from all over Melbourne including Ashburton, Ashwood, Balwyn North, Balwyn, Beaumaris, Bentleigh East, Bentleigh, Black Rock, Brighton East, Brighton, Caulfield East, Caulfield North, Caulfield South, Caulfield, Chadstone, Cheltenham, Clayton, Dandenong, Dingley, Doncaster, Elsternwick, Elwood, Gardenvale, Glen Eira, Glen Huntly, Glen Waverley, Hampton, Heatherton, Highett, Hughesdale, Kew, Malvern East, Malvern, McKinnon, Melbourne, Mentone, Moorabbin, Mulgrave, Murrumbeena, Noble Park, Oakleigh, Ormond, Prahran, Sandringham, South Melbourne, South Yarra, Springvale, St. Kilda East, Surrey Hills, Toorak and Vermont.