Cowpox Virus in Cats – Signs and Vet Care

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: International Cat Care (iCatCare)

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your cat has this – it can become serious. Cowpox virus infection is an uncommon skin condition in cats caused by the cowpox virus.

What to do now

What you can do now

  1. Contact your vet today.
  2. Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
  3. Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
  4. Keep fresh water available.
  5. Let your cat rest somewhere calm.

Don't

  • Do not give any human medicine.
  • Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

It often affects cats that hunt and can cause scabs, small lumps and abscesses.[1] In most cats, the skin changes heal within a few weeks of the initial infection.[1] Cats on steroids or those that are immunosuppressed may develop severe infections affecting multiple body systems, including life-threatening pneumonia.[1]

Signs

  • Fever or a high temperature
  • Depression
  • Reduced appetite
  • Discharge from the nose
  • Ulceration in the mouth, stomach or intestines
  • Diarrhoea
  • Pneumonia
  • Further skin changes
  • Scabs, small lumps or abscesses

Causes and risk factors

  • Hunting
  • Taking glucocorticoids or steroids
  • Being immunosuppressed
  • FeLV infection
  • FIV infection

How a vet finds out

  • Blood tests
  • A biopsy, generally a skin biopsy, to check for the cowpox virus

How vets treat it

  • Antibiotics
  • Fluids through a drip
  • Hospitalisation
  • Bathing affected skin

What the experts say

“Fever/high temperature ; Depression ; Reduced appetite ; Discharge from the nose ; Ulceration in the mouth, stomach and intestines ; Diarrhoea ; Pneumonia (inflammation and infection of the lungs) ; Further skin changes”

— International Cat Care (iCatCare) [1]
If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

Get it on Google Play

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

What signs can cowpox virus infection cause in cats?

Signs can include fever, depression, reduced appetite, discharge from the nose, ulceration, diarrhoea, pneumonia and further skin changes.[1]

How does a vet confirm cowpox virus infection?

A skin biopsy is generally needed to confirm the diagnosis and check for the cowpox virus.[1]

How may a vet treat it?

In mild cases, no treatment may be needed; in more severely affected cats or those with secondary bacterial infections, antibiotics may be prescribed and affected skin may need to be bathed.[1]

Sources

  1. International Cat Care (iCatCare)

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

Other conditions in cats

Cushing's diseaseDental DiseaseDiabetes mellitusDisinfectant poisoningEar infectionEar MitesEar ProblemsFeline Audiogenic Reflex SeizuresFeline CalicivirusFeline Haemoplasma InfectionsFeline HerpesvirusFeline Idiopathic Cystitis