Monkeypox infections have been reported in around 40,000 instances worldwide.
Research linking human and pet health have shown that cats are just as likely to contract other poxviruses as they get infected with monkeypox.
However, because wild rats have a higher risk of infection and transmission, there is a decreased probability that a pet may become infected.
Before the stress of pet illness was relieved, I recall that we all shared the same concern during the Covid 19 outbreak.
As we work to overcome our dread of the COVID epidemic and adapt to it, news of yet another rather unusual infectious disease envelope us in the name of Monkeypox.
However, pet parents are concerned about their safety and the danger of transmission from their adorable pets due to recent news reports concerning the monkeypox virus.
There was another concern after cases were reported in the United States and Europe, particularly the possibility of human-to-pet contamination discovered in Europe.
In general, poxviruses can infect any creature, including humans and canines like dogs and cats. That suggests that our adorable kitties could contract monkeypox.
Even though it isn’t entirely unfamiliar, it is nonetheless regarded as exotic because it was previously known in some places like Africa. But not anymore, as the US and some European nations are once more not entirely immune.
Although all orthopoxviruses, to which monkeypox belongs, have some things in common, each species exhibits diverse behaviors.
Happy to let you know that monkeypox does not spread as quickly or easily as covid.
Additionally, as monkeypox requires close contact with an infected individual before spreading, respiratory transmission is not a concern.
Sharing beds, clothes, and other personal items is a common way to spread monkeypox.
As cat parents, we regard our kitties as a risk factor in determining our level of safety; thus, they play a significant role in our lives.
Having said this, the monkeypox spread raises the issue of our beloved cat’s safety.
How Exposed is My Cat and How Likely Can We Infect Each Other?
Monkeypox poses a two-way risk because it is a zoonotic disease.
That suggests there is a risk both ways since both pet parents and their pets have the potential to contract an infection.
Individuals with the monkeypox virus can infect animals through close contact, such as caressing, cuddling, embracing, kissing, licking, sharing sleeping quarters, and sharing meals with infected animals. Infected animals can also convey illness to people.
The most frequent infection points contact with infected animals and contaminated surfaces.
The good news is that we have not discovered any solid proof of a widespread illness in either dogs or cats.
Of course, one possibility is that nobody has looked for it. However, it implies that carnivores are not suitable hosts for this kind.
The fact that there haven’t been many examples of domestic pets contracting monkeypox does not imply that the infection is entirely safe from occurring.
Household cats and other household animals may still be exposed to monkeypox infection, despite certain studies showing how functionally immune hamsters and guinea pigs are to the disease.
This view is premised on the fact that ongoing research has yet to exhaust the host range.
How Sizable is the Risk of Your Cat Getting Infected with Monkeypox?
Humans can contract monkeypox by coming into intimate contact with an animal or person with the disease and by contact with contaminated objects.
Skin-to-skin contact, more specifically contact with lesions of infected patients, is therefore necessary.
The most prevalent method of transmission during extended face-to-face contact is by respiratory droplets.
Therefore, cats who interact with diseased people and maybe infected rodents—which could act as actual transmitters of the infection—will be exposed to some degree.
The symptoms of monkeypox typically last between two and four weeks, with only a tiny percentage of cases ending fatally.
Because the virus can survive on materials like bedding for up to 15 days, it is advised to use disinfectant on your cat’s bedding and scratching posts.
Therefore, even while there is a chance you can infect your animals or perhaps catch them from them, the danger is extremely low compared to getting it from a person.
As a result, pet parents who share bedding with furry kittens run the risk of coming into touch with or spreading the disease in situations where either a human or a cat is infected with monkeypox.
Unless you observe monkeypox symptoms or make high-risk contact, there is no reason to avoid contact with your animals.
Factors that Determine the Level of Seriousness a Monkeypox-Infected Cat can Become
1. The method of virus infection exposure.
2. The cat’s age.
3. The cat’s health.
4. The breed of the cat’s immunity and resistance.
5. Highlighting a health issue
6. Immunization history
Eight Symptoms of Monkeypox to Watch out for in Cats
1. Fever
2. Skin rashes on the cat
3. Respiratory severe issues like sneezing and coughing
4. Appetite loss
5. Fatigue
6. Rosacea (conjunctivitis)
7. Bloating
8. Nasal crusting.
Contact your veterinarian immediately for prompt action if you notice any abnormal or unfavorable health conditions in your cat or any other pet.
Eleven Preventive Measures Against Monkeypox for Your Cats
There are currently no recognized, scientifically verified cures for monkeypox. However, because the viruses that cause monkeypox and smallpox are similar, antiviral medications created to treat smallpox may also help treat monkeypox.
Therefore, it is best to avoid becoming infected by doing the following actions:
1. If you have a monkeypox, stay away from your cat and other pets.
2. In addition to avoiding ill animals, keep your cat away from any animals carrying the virus (including animals that are sick or have been found dead in areas where monkeypox occurs).
3. Prevent your cat and other animals from coming into contact with any bedding or other items that have been in contact with ill animals.
4. After bringing your cat inside and taking your pet outside, ensure the house has been thoroughly disinfected.
5. Refrain from relocating your cats to areas where illness instances have been documented.
6. If you reside in or close to places where there have been illnesses reported, keep your cat away from any animals that may be carriers of the virus, such as sick or deceased animals.
7. Whenever you come into contact with your cats, other animals, or rodents that have higher exposure, wash your hands with soap and water to maintain proper hygiene.
8. In cases where an infection is suspected, dogs and cats should be quarantined in the home, and a veterinarian should perform routine tests to ensure no clinical symptoms are present.
9. Prioritize wearing PPE while in touch with infected people or animals, and be sure to bag trash from such facilities properly and dispose of it properly.
10. Use disinfectants such as an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol after washing your hands with soap and water if you come into contact with sick individuals or animals.
11. Monkeypox cannot be treated in a specific way. However, because the viruses that cause monkeypox and smallpox are similar, antiviral medications created to treat smallpox may also help treat monkeypox.
Final Take-Home Points
Even though there is a little chance that humans will transmit monkeypox to cats, there is still a lot that researchers are trying to figure out about how this virus spreads.
To reduce their risk of illness, strengthen your cat’s immune system with protein-rich foods, vitamins, and gut-healing probiotics.
To stop the virus from spreading, people with monkeypox should stay away from pets, domestic animals, and wild animals.
Do not give your pet up for adoption, euthanize them, or abandon them if they have been exposed to the monkeypox virus.