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Many other types of ticks may feed on the cats, but the only other tick that has been shown to transmit the organism is the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) but only in a research setting. [2] [5] [10] In the past, domestic cats were thought to always die from infection so they were considered terminal hosts or "dead end hosts". [4]
Ticks of domestic animals directly cause poor health and loss of production to their hosts. Ticks also transmit numerous kinds of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa between domestic animals. [1] These microbes cause diseases which can be severely debilitating or fatal to domestic animals, and may also affect humans.
One of the cat diseases caused by malnutrition is central retinal deficiency, a dysfunction in cats that can be hereditary as well. [14] The retina, a thin layer of tissue in the back of the eye, is the structure affected by this disorder. This structure receives the light gathered and focused from the lens. [15]
Though cases of infection are rare, cats seem especially susceptible to the bird flu virus, or Type A H5N1. Even before the cattle outbreak, there were feline cases linked to wild birds or poultry. Since March, dozens of cats have caught the virus. These include barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild.
Ticks can cause disease states unrelated to their ability to transmit pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. [7] Symptoms range from mild local irritation at the site of attachment all the way to death. [8] Local reactions can usually be seen within 24–48 hours of attachment and can be associated with swelling, itchiness, and pain. [8]
"Any changes to their environment and fear of the unfamiliar or unknown make some cats very uncomfortable," says Dr. Jessica K. Hockaday, DVM, a veterinarian at Chewy. 2. Being touched all over