Salmonella Symptoms in Cats

You're not likely to get salmonella poisoning from your cat, assures the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Veterinary Medicine. It is possible, however, to contract the illness from your feline's food. In fact, in a "New York Times" August 9, 2010 article, Caryn Rabin reported that 79 people in the United States suffered salmonella poisoning by handling tainted pet food between January 2006 and October 2008. Look for the signs of salmonella poisoning in your cat to protect it, you and your family.

  1. Anorexia

    • Perhaps the most unusual symptom of salmonella poisoning in a cat is anorexia. According to the University of Wisconsin, cats are susceptible to, "prolonged periods of fever and anorexia without diarrhea," when suffering from salmonella poisoning. The cat most likely does not want to eat because it does not feel well, or might be suffering from abdominal pain and bloating.

    Dehydration

    • Obvious symptoms of salmonella poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea, which, in turn, cause dehydration. Pet MD reports that severe dehydration causes electrolyte imbalances in the feline, taxing the cat's system of sodium and potassium, among other important minerals. If you gently pinch your cat's skin at the nape of its neck and it doesn't bounce back immediately, your feline is probably dehydrated.

    Diarrhea

    • As with humans, cats suffering from salmonella poisoning suffer from elongated bouts of unexplained diarrhea. There might be blood or mucus present in the feline's stool as well. Because diarrhea suggests numerous other digestive problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, parasites and viral infections, veterinary diagnosis is necessary to confirm salmonella poisoning as the culprit of the cat's digestive woes.

    Drooling

    • Any cat owner knows that if their cat begins to drool inexplicably, it's probably getting sick. A cat with salmonella poisoning might drool prior to vomiting because it is becoming nauseous. Drooling also suggests the feline is suffering from the abdominal pain and discomfort associated with salmonella poisoning.

    Fever

    • Any cat suffering from salmonella poisoning is a very sick cat and probably has a fever. A feline's normal body temperature runs between 100 and 102.5 degrees F. Anything above that suggests illness or infection of some kind. Because a feline's temperature is taken rectally, some cat owners might feel more comfortable having their vet perform the dirty deed.

    Vomiting

    • Salmonella poisoning causes severe bouts of vomiting for the suffering cat. As with many of the other symptoms of salmonella poisoning, your feline might be vomiting for a myriad of reasons, whether it be salmonella poisoning, infection or terminal illness. As such, taking your vomiting feline to the vet for a complete exam to determine the cause of the regurgitation is key to isolating and, subsequently, treating salmonella poisoning.