Feline panleukopenia in cats – signs and care

Updated 2026-09-30 · 2 sources

Based on: PDSA, International Cat Care (iCatCare)

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your cat has this – it can become serious. Feline panleukopenia is a disease caused by feline parvovirus infection that affects a cat’s guts and immune system.

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

Feline panleukopenia is a disease caused by feline parvovirus infection and is also known as feline infectious enteritis.[2] The virus attacks the guts and immune system.[1] Feline panleukopenia often causes severe illness and can be fatal.[2]

Signs

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea, sometimes with blood
  • High temperature
  • Lethargy or tiredness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Wobbly kittens
  • Sudden death
  • Stomach pain, such as hunching, growling or hiding away

Causes and risk factors

  • Feline parvovirus infection
  • Spread from cat to cat
  • Can pass to kittens in the womb

How a vet finds out

  • Faecal test

How vets treat it

  • Antibiotics
  • Fluids or a drip
  • Blood transfusion
  • Medication
  • Hospitalisation
  • Anti-sickness medication

What the experts say

“Overview. Feline panleukopenia (also known as FPV, feline parvovirus and feline infectious enteritis), is a nasty virus that attacks the guts and immune system (similar to parvovirus in dogs). FPV spreads from cat to cat, and can pass to kittens in the womb.”

“Diagnosis will be made based on your cat’s signs and vaccination history. Your vet may also take blood and faecal samples to check for signs of the virus and antibodies. Download our care giver guide to managing the cat with a feeding tube.”

— International Cat Care (iCatCare) [2]
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?

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Common questions

What is feline panleukopenia?

It is a disease caused by feline parvovirus infection, also known as feline infectious enteritis.[2]

What signs can feline panleukopenia cause?

Signs include vomiting, diarrhoea that may contain blood, high temperature, lethargy or tiredness, loss of appetite, wobbly kittens and sudden death.[2]

How do vets treat feline panleukopenia?

Treatment is mainly supportive while the cat’s body fights the virus, and a cat will need isolation in the veterinary clinic and intensive nursing.[2]

Sources

  1. PDSA
  2. 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

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