Cat scratch disease (CSD), also called cat scratch fever, is a bacterial infection caused by Bartonella henselae bacteria. With up to 40% of our feline friends estimated to carry it at some point in their lives, it’s a good idea to know a little more about it.
That’s because CSD is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted between animals and humans like Lyme disease, rabies, and West Nile virus.
CSD can lead to a wide range of symptoms in both humans and animals. Fortunately, it rarely progresses to the point of being serious or a threat to human health or that of our feline companions.
In this article, we’ll explain more about CSD and its origins, taking a closer look at how it’s transmitted, and the symptoms associated with it. Then, we’ll share some simple steps to help you prevent infection and keep everyone in your household happy and healthy.
What Causes Cat Scratch Disease?
As we mentioned, cat scratch disease, or CSD, is caused by Bartonella henselae bacteria which is mostly transmitted to humans from their pet cats.
Other types of Bartonella bacteria exist and can cause infection in humans as well. In most cases, those with weaker immune systems are most susceptible to suffering ill effects brought on by an infection.
CSD can affect humans, cats, dogs, and other animals. It’s commonly transmitted from cats to people or other animals through a scratch. Hence the name!
How Is Cat Scratch Disease Contracted?
Of course, rough play or a tussle with another cat can be a source of infection. But usually, cats contract it through bites from fleas and ticks who also carry and transmit B. henselae bacteria when they feed.
For this reason, it’s really important to do what you can to prevent those tiny parasites from making a home on your kitty. And we’ll give you some tips on how to do that in just a moment.
In humans, CSD is most reported in children and teens. This is probably because they’re the ones more likely to play rough with family pets or be on the receiving end of warning swipes or nips. This is especially true for new kittens, which have been shown to carry higher loads of B. henselae bacteria when infected.
This is just one more reason why we should always supervise our human kids when they’re around our fur kids, and make sure that everyone knows the proper ways to interact and play. Again, more on that later.
What Are the Symptoms of Cat Scratch Disease?
Symptoms in Cats
When it comes to our cats, most that are infected remain asymptomatic. That means they don’t present any symptoms and it’s impossible to know from observation that they have CSD. However, they can remain infected for months and transmit the bacteria to humans or other pets at any time.
In rare cases where cats do present symptoms, they can include fever, vomiting, lethargy, red eyes, swollen lymph nodes, and/or decreased appetite.
It’s far more common for us humans to notice symptoms in ourselves.
