What Are the Causes of Kennel Cough in Cats?

Kennel cough is a condition often heard of in dogs. However, kennel cough is also one of the most commonly diagnosed feline respiratory infections. Feline kennel cough is not usually a serious condition for adult cats and generally clears up on its own. More serious cases can usually be cured with a cycle of antibiotics. Kennel cough is quite deadly in kittens, however, even causing death within a few hours in the most extreme cases.

  1. Bordetella bronchiseptica

    • This is the bacteria that causes feline kennel cough. The feline Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria (or FeBb), infects the back of the mouth and the throat of cats. The Bb bacteria is airborne, so it infects a cat that breathes in the bacteria when it is coughed out by another animal. This bacteria can result in pneumonia as a secondary infection.

    Contact With an Infected Cat or Dog

    • If your cat comes into close contact with another cat or dog that is infected with kennel cough, most likely it will contract the infection. Boarding facilities, shelters, catteries, cat shows and multi-cat households are all considered high-risk environments where your cat may become infected with the FeBb bacteria. Additionally, cats who have been treated and have recovered from kennel cough may continue to shed the bacteria for up to five months, and may still infect other cats.

    Compromised Immune System

    • Any cat that is recovering from illness, especially a serious illness such as feline leukemia, has an increased risk of contracting kennel cough. This is because the cat's immune system is weakened from previous diseases. Cats in high-stress environments (new homes, multi-cat homes) often have weakened immune systems, as well. Kittens have still-developing immune systems and are extremely susceptible to contracting kennel cough due to the extreme contagiousness of the disease.