Cat/human diseases in common?

dgk wrote:
On Thu, 12 May 2011 07:21:05 -0400, "Nitesbane"
wrote:


Gandalf ingold1234 (at) yahoo (dot) com (Gandalf) wrote in message
...
On Wed, 11 May 2011 08:56:36 -0400, dgk wrote:

On 8 May 2011 17:51:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

Gandalf ingold1234(at)yahoo(dot)com (Gandalf) wrote in
:

On 7 May 2011 17:32:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

I've often wondered if my cat can get my cold, flu, etc. I try
not to cough or sneeze at her but am sometimes careless. So
far, evidently no harm done. Or what about her lying on my
chest and, once in a great while, sneezing in my face? I
suspect our viruses are not compatible. At least the common
ones like those I mentioned.

Relatively few human diseases can be contracted by cats.

Rabies, which can infect almost all mammals, is one of them.

Some internal parasites can infect humans and cats, but the risk
is usually for the human to catch it from their cat, not the
other way around.

Don't worry about common human illness: you can't 'give' them to
you cat.

Thank you for being so concerned about the well being of your
cat.

One thing that does have a big impact on your cat's well being
is if you keep your cats indoors.

There are may perils for your cat outdoors, from being hit by
cars, to dogs and other cats. Perhaps the biggest risk factor is
other humans, who may do something very bad to your cat.

I know there are many people who believe that cats should be let
out of doors regularly, but the fact remains that most cats are
very content living indoors, and they are far less likely to be
injured, or contract an illness from another cat.

This has been studied extensively, and it is irrefutable: indoor
cats tend to live longer, healthier lives.


Yes, she's strictly an inside cat. I've had cats some 50 years
now and they've always been inside-cats.

I'd like it if I was an inside-human too, but haven't figured out
how to arrange it on my income.

I fenced in my little backyard so the cats can't get out and I let
them out there even in the winter. They don't stay out long in the
winter though, but in summer I just leave the back door open and
they wander in and out all day long. As long as I'm home, of
course.


Having a completely fenced in yard eliminates most, but not all,
risks for cats. You still have to be concerned about fleas, and
insect borne illness/parasites, such as heartworm.


Coyotes can also be a problem in some areas, even if your yard is
completely fenced in.


In NYC we do get possums and raccoons, but not coyotes. Although I do
believe that some do wander in from the north; they get noticed pretty
quickly.

I haven't seen any up here in Oregon, but there were lots of them in
California where I lived for 40 years. They are quite tame in some areas. I
saw two sitting at the side of the road once up in the mountains near
Yosemite park. The were healthy looking and unafraid of the cars whizzing
by. They looked like domestic dogs, but without collars.... As we take over
their territories, they will either have to learn to live with us or die
out. The same is true of bears and mountain lions. (and many other animals)

On Thu, 12 May 2011 08:44:04 -0400, dgk wrote:

On Thu, 12 May 2011 07:21:05 -0400, "Nitesbane"
wrote:


Gandalf ingold1234 (at) yahoo (dot) com (Gandalf) wrote in message
...
On Wed, 11 May 2011 08:56:36 -0400, dgk wrote:

On 8 May 2011 17:51:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

Gandalf ingold1234(at)yahoo(dot)com (Gandalf) wrote in
:

On 7 May 2011 17:32:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

I've often wondered if my cat can get my cold, flu, etc. I try not to
cough or sneeze at her but am sometimes careless. So far, evidently no
harm done. Or what about her lying on my chest and, once in a great
while, sneezing in my face? I suspect our viruses are not compatible.
At least the common ones like those I mentioned.

Relatively few human diseases can be contracted by cats.

Rabies, which can infect almost all mammals, is one of them.

Some internal parasites can infect humans and cats, but the risk is
usually for the human to catch it from their cat, not the other way
around.

Don't worry about common human illness: you can't 'give' them to you
cat.

Thank you for being so concerned about the well being of your cat.

One thing that does have a big impact on your cat's well being is if
you keep your cats indoors.

There are may perils for your cat outdoors, from being hit by cars, to
dogs and other cats. Perhaps the biggest risk factor is other humans,
who may do something very bad to your cat.

I know there are many people who believe that cats should be let out
of doors regularly, but the fact remains that most cats are very
content living indoors, and they are far less likely to be injured, or
contract an illness from another cat.

This has been studied extensively, and it is irrefutable: indoor cats
tend to live longer, healthier lives.


Yes, she's strictly an inside cat. I've had cats some 50 years now and
they've always been inside-cats.

I'd like it if I was an inside-human too, but haven't figured out how to
arrange it on my income.

I fenced in my little backyard so the cats can't get out and I let
them out there even in the winter. They don't stay out long in the
winter though, but in summer I just leave the back door open and they
wander in and out all day long. As long as I'm home, of course.


Having a completely fenced in yard eliminates most, but not all, risks
for cats. You still have to be concerned about fleas, and insect borne
illness/parasites, such as heartworm.


Coyotes can also be a problem in some areas, even if your yard is completely
fenced in.


In NYC we do get possums and raccoons, but not coyotes. Although I do
believe that some do wander in from the north; they get noticed pretty
quickly.

There is a pretty large population of raccoons where I live.

There is a large creek a few blocks away, (in Europe, it would probably
be called a small river) which empties into the Mississippi River, about
a mile away.

The raccoons live along the banks of both, and use the storm drains like
their own private subway system.

While raccoons are interesting to watch, from a distance, they are
mostly traveling bags of disease and pestilence.

If it was legal,and safe, I would shoot every single one I see.


Common Infectious Diseases of Raccoons

Raccoons are susceptible to a large number of different infectious
agents including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Several of these
infectious diseases are zoonotic. Veterinarians are faced with the
diagnosis and treatment of wildlife including raccoons and need to be
able to make the correct diagnosis as well as educate clients on the
potential hazards associated with exposure to raccoons.

Leptospirosis is a common bacterial disease in raccoons caused by a
number of different species of Leptospira. Trans-mission is thought to
occur via urine contamination of feed and water. Antemortem
diagnosis is based upon serology and dark field examination of urine.
Histopathologic examination and fluorescent antibody testing of liver
and kidney are two postmortem procedures that can be done to help
further aid the diagnosis of leptospirosis. Other natural bacterial
infections reported in raccoons are
listeriosis,yersiniosis,pasteurellosis, and tularemia.

Viral diseases of raccoons include rabies, canine distemper, raccoon
parvoviralenteritis, infectious canine hepatitis, and pseudorabies.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in raccoon populations in
Pennsylvania and New England. In recent years, there has been a shift of
rabies infected raccoons westward into Ohio (see Diagnostic Forum Vol.
8, No 2, 1997).

Canine distemper virus infection is probably the most common viral
disease in raccoons. The clinical signs, and gross and histopathologic
lesions in raccoons are similar to distemper in dogs. Neurologic signs
due to distemper virus infection in raccoons are virtually
indistinguishable from rabies induced neurologic disease.

Diagnosis is based upon histopathologic lesions in brain, lung, spleen,
and small intestine. Intranuclear and intracytoplasmicinclusion bodies
can be visualized in many cells including epithelial cells in the
respiratory epithelium, gastric mucosa, and transitional epithelium
lining the renal pelvis and urinary bladder. The best tissues for
fluorescent antibody testing and virus isolation of canine distemper
virus are lung, brain, stomach, small intestine, kidney, and urinary
bladder.

Parvoviral enteritis in raccoons is due to a unique raccoon parvovirus
that is most antigenically similar to feline parvovirus. Clinical
signs include bloody diarrhea, lethargy, inappetance, and loss of fear
of humans. Raccoons do not develop clinical disease when exposed to
canine parvovirus. Diagnosis is based upon histopathologic lesions
of necrotizing enteritis and identification of the virus by fluorescent
antibody testing. The most common method in which raccoons acquire
pseudorabies virus infection is via the ingestion of virus-infected pig
carcasses.

An important parasitic disease of raccoons is toxoplasmosis, which is a
protozoal disease caused by Toxoplasmagondii.

Felines are the definitive host for T. gondii, and they excrete
potentially infective oocysts in their feces. Toxoplasmosis in raccoons
is commonly associated with immunosuppression from canine distemper
virus infection. Necrotizing encephalitis and pneumonitis are frequent
lesions associated with toxoplasmosis.

Another parasite of importance in raccoons is Baylisascarisprocyonis,
which is an intestinal roundworm of raccoons. Baylisascaris is a known
cause of cerebral nematodiasis and ocular and visceral larval migrans in
domestic and non-domestic animals, and humans. Transmission commonly
occurs through the ingestion of infective eggs, which results in
aberrant migration in hosts other than raccoons.

- by Jim Raymond, DVM

- edited by M. Randy White, DVM, PhD

On Thu, 12 May 2011 08:44:04 -0400, dgk wrote:

On Thu, 12 May 2011 07:21:05 -0400, "Nitesbane"
wrote:


Gandalf ingold1234 (at) yahoo (dot) com (Gandalf) wrote in message
...
On Wed, 11 May 2011 08:56:36 -0400, dgk wrote:

On 8 May 2011 17:51:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

Gandalf ingold1234(at)yahoo(dot)com (Gandalf) wrote in
:

On 7 May 2011 17:32:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

I've often wondered if my cat can get my cold, flu, etc. I try
not to cough or sneeze at her but am sometimes careless. So
far, evidently no harm done. Or what about her lying on my
chest and, once in a great while, sneezing in my face? I
suspect our viruses are not compatible. At least the common
ones like those I mentioned.

Relatively few human diseases can be contracted by cats.

Rabies, which can infect almost all mammals, is one of them.

Some internal parasites can infect humans and cats, but the
risk is usually for the human to catch it from their cat, not
the other way around.

Don't worry about common human illness: you can't 'give' them
to you cat.

Thank you for being so concerned about the well being of your
cat.

One thing that does have a big impact on your cat's well being
is if you keep your cats indoors.

There are may perils for your cat outdoors, from being hit by
cars, to dogs and other cats. Perhaps the biggest risk factor
is other humans, who may do something very bad to your cat.

I know there are many people who believe that cats should be
let out of doors regularly, but the fact remains that most cats
are very content living indoors, and they are far less likely
to be injured, or contract an illness from another cat.

This has been studied extensively, and it is irrefutable:
indoor cats tend to live longer, healthier lives.


Yes, she's strictly an inside cat. I've had cats some 50 years
now and they've always been inside-cats.

I'd like it if I was an inside-human too, but haven't figured
out how to arrange it on my income.

I fenced in my little backyard so the cats can't get out and I let
them out there even in the winter. They don't stay out long in the
winter though, but in summer I just leave the back door open and
they wander in and out all day long. As long as I'm home, of
course.


Having a completely fenced in yard eliminates most, but not all,
risks for cats. You still have to be concerned about fleas, and
insect borne illness/parasites, such as heartworm.


Coyotes can also be a problem in some areas, even if your yard is
completely fenced in.


In NYC we do get possums and raccoons, but not coyotes. Although I do
believe that some do wander in from the north; they get noticed
pretty quickly.

There is a pretty large population of raccoons where I live.

There is a large creek a few blocks away, (in Europe, it would
probably be called a small river) which empties into the Mississippi
River, about a mile away.

The raccoons live along the banks of both, and use the storm drains
like their own private subway system.

While raccoons are interesting to watch, from a distance, they are
mostly traveling bags of disease and pestilence.

If it was legal,and safe, I would shoot every single one I see.


Common Infectious Diseases of Raccoons

Raccoons are susceptible to a large number of different infectious
agents including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Several of these
infectious diseases are zoonotic. Veterinarians are faced with the
diagnosis and treatment of wildlife including raccoons and need to be
able to make the correct diagnosis as well as educate clients on the
potential hazards associated with exposure to raccoons.

Leptospirosis is a common bacterial disease in raccoons caused by a
number of different species of Leptospira. Trans-mission is thought
to occur via urine contamination of feed and water. Antemortem
diagnosis is based upon serology and dark field examination of urine.
Histopathologic examination and fluorescent antibody testing of liver
and kidney are two postmortem procedures that can be done to help
further aid the diagnosis of leptospirosis. Other natural bacterial
infections reported in raccoons are
listeriosis,yersiniosis,pasteurellosis, and tularemia.

Viral diseases of raccoons include rabies, canine distemper, raccoon
parvoviralenteritis, infectious canine hepatitis, and pseudorabies.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in raccoon populations in
Pennsylvania and New England. In recent years, there has been a shift
of rabies infected raccoons westward into Ohio (see Diagnostic Forum
Vol. 8, No 2, 1997).

Canine distemper virus infection is probably the most common viral
disease in raccoons. The clinical signs, and gross and histopathologic
lesions in raccoons are similar to distemper in dogs. Neurologic signs
due to distemper virus infection in raccoons are virtually
indistinguishable from rabies induced neurologic disease.

Diagnosis is based upon histopathologic lesions in brain, lung,
spleen, and small intestine. Intranuclear and
intracytoplasmicinclusion bodies can be visualized in many cells
including epithelial cells in the respiratory epithelium, gastric
mucosa, and transitional epithelium lining the renal pelvis and
urinary bladder. The best tissues for fluorescent antibody testing
and virus isolation of canine distemper virus are lung, brain,
stomach, small intestine, kidney, and urinary bladder.

Parvoviral enteritis in raccoons is due to a unique raccoon parvovirus
that is most antigenically similar to feline parvovirus.
Clinical signs include bloody diarrhea, lethargy, inappetance, and
loss of fear of humans. Raccoons do not develop clinical disease when
exposed to canine parvovirus. Diagnosis is based upon
histopathologic lesions of necrotizing enteritis and identification
of the virus by fluorescent antibody testing. The most common
method in which raccoons acquire pseudorabies virus infection is via
the ingestion of virus-infected pig carcasses.

An important parasitic disease of raccoons is toxoplasmosis, which is
a protozoal disease caused by Toxoplasmagondii.

Felines are the definitive host for T. gondii, and they excrete
potentially infective oocysts in their feces. Toxoplasmosis in
raccoons is commonly associated with immunosuppression from canine
distemper virus infection. Necrotizing encephalitis and pneumonitis
are frequent lesions associated with toxoplasmosis.

Another parasite of importance in raccoons is Baylisascarisprocyonis,
which is an intestinal roundworm of raccoons. Baylisascaris is a known
cause of cerebral nematodiasis and ocular and visceral larval migrans
in domestic and non-domestic animals, and humans. Transmission
commonly occurs through the ingestion of infective eggs, which
results in aberrant migration in hosts other than raccoons.

- by Jim Raymond, DVM

- edited by M. Randy White, DVM, PhD

My wife and I feed raccoons on our back porch. (we live on the edge of town)
Is there anything we could put in their food (dog kibbles) that would cure
these parasites? They don't really like the dog food, but if they are very
hungry, they will reluctantly eat it rather than starving to death. They
liked it to begin with, but over the years, they have grown tired of it.

I read an article in Scientific American many years ago that recommended
that we (human beings) stop trying to kill rats and instead try to cure
their diseases and keep them healthy. The author's argument was basically
that people have been trying to kill them now for several hundred years and
we are still very unsuccessful at it. If we cured their diseases, they would
be much less of a threat to us.

On Fri, 13 May 2011 00:52:29 -0700, "Bill Graham"
wrote:

On Thu, 12 May 2011 08:44:04 -0400, dgk wrote:
....

Another parasite of importance in raccoons is Baylisascarisprocyonis,
which is an intestinal roundworm of raccoons. Baylisascaris is a known
cause of cerebral nematodiasis and ocular and visceral larval migrans
in domestic and non-domestic animals, and humans. Transmission
commonly occurs through the ingestion of infective eggs, which
results in aberrant migration in hosts other than raccoons.

- by Jim Raymond, DVM

- edited by M. Randy White, DVM, PhD

My wife and I feed raccoons on our back porch. (we live on the edge of town)
Is there anything we could put in their food (dog kibbles) that would cure
these parasites? They don't really like the dog food, but if they are very
hungry, they will reluctantly eat it rather than starving to death. They
liked it to begin with, but over the years, they have grown tired of it.

I read an article in Scientific American many years ago that recommended
that we (human beings) stop trying to kill rats and instead try to cure
their diseases and keep them healthy. The author's argument was basically
that people have been trying to kill them now for several hundred years and
we are still very unsuccessful at it. If we cured their diseases, they would
be much less of a threat to us.

I don't know if we can vaccinate all the rats in NYC; that would be
quite a chore. Even doing it through food (and that won't work for
many diseases) would be a monumental task.

I do like raccoons though, even knowing that they're disease vectors.
I once took a series of pictures from my bedroom of a child raccoon
stuck on a neighbor's awning, and the mother coming to show it how to
get down. I would have thought that was instinctive, but it sure
looked like the child had no idea how to climb down.

I do not want them in my yard however. oPossums I'm more used to
seeing back there.

dgk wrote:
On Fri, 13 May 2011 00:52:29 -0700, "Bill Graham"
wrote:

On Thu, 12 May 2011 08:44:04 -0400, dgk wrote:
...

Another parasite of importance in raccoons is
Baylisascarisprocyonis, which is an intestinal roundworm of
raccoons. Baylisascaris is a known cause of cerebral nematodiasis
and ocular and visceral larval migrans in domestic and non-domestic
animals, and humans. Transmission commonly occurs through the
ingestion of infective eggs, which results in aberrant migration in
hosts other than raccoons.

- by Jim Raymond, DVM

- edited by M. Randy White, DVM, PhD

My wife and I feed raccoons on our back porch. (we live on the edge
of town) Is there anything we could put in their food (dog kibbles)
that would cure these parasites? They don't really like the dog
food, but if they are very hungry, they will reluctantly eat it
rather than starving to death. They liked it to begin with, but over
the years, they have grown tired of it.

I read an article in Scientific American many years ago that
recommended that we (human beings) stop trying to kill rats and
instead try to cure their diseases and keep them healthy. The
author's argument was basically that people have been trying to kill
them now for several hundred years and we are still very
unsuccessful at it. If we cured their diseases, they would be much
less of a threat to us.

I don't know if we can vaccinate all the rats in NYC; that would be
quite a chore. Even doing it through food (and that won't work for
many diseases) would be a monumental task.

I do like raccoons though, even knowing that they're disease vectors.
I once took a series of pictures from my bedroom of a child raccoon
stuck on a neighbor's awning, and the mother coming to show it how to
get down. I would have thought that was instinctive, but it sure
looked like the child had no idea how to climb down.

I do not want them in my yard however. oPossums I'm more used to
seeing back there.

Yes. We also have a couple of possums that eat the dog kibbles. They are
very strange animals. Personality minus.... They seemed to be blind when we
first saw them. Turning on the light didn't affect their behavior at all.
But trying to open the sliding glass door, even with the slightest sound
that I couldn't hear, would send them running away in a panic. Now, they are
a lot tamer, and no longer run, but they are a lot dumber than raccoons.....

On Fri, 13 May 2011 00:52:29 -0700, "Bill Graham"
wrote:

On Thu, 12 May 2011 08:44:04 -0400, dgk wrote:

On Thu, 12 May 2011 07:21:05 -0400, "Nitesbane"
wrote:


Gandalf ingold1234 (at) yahoo (dot) com (Gandalf) wrote in message
...
On Wed, 11 May 2011 08:56:36 -0400, dgk wrote:

On 8 May 2011 17:51:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

Gandalf ingold1234(at)yahoo(dot)com (Gandalf) wrote in
:

On 7 May 2011 17:32:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

I've often wondered if my cat can get my cold, flu, etc. I try
not to cough or sneeze at her but am sometimes careless. So
far, evidently no harm done. Or what about her lying on my
chest and, once in a great while, sneezing in my face? I
suspect our viruses are not compatible. At least the common
ones like those I mentioned.

Relatively few human diseases can be contracted by cats.

Rabies, which can infect almost all mammals, is one of them.

Some internal parasites can infect humans and cats, but the
risk is usually for the human to catch it from their cat, not
the other way around.

Don't worry about common human illness: you can't 'give' them
to you cat.

Thank you for being so concerned about the well being of your
cat.

One thing that does have a big impact on your cat's well being
is if you keep your cats indoors.

There are may perils for your cat outdoors, from being hit by
cars, to dogs and other cats. Perhaps the biggest risk factor
is other humans, who may do something very bad to your cat.

I know there are many people who believe that cats should be
let out of doors regularly, but the fact remains that most cats
are very content living indoors, and they are far less likely
to be injured, or contract an illness from another cat.

This has been studied extensively, and it is irrefutable:
indoor cats tend to live longer, healthier lives.


Yes, she's strictly an inside cat. I've had cats some 50 years
now and they've always been inside-cats.

I'd like it if I was an inside-human too, but haven't figured
out how to arrange it on my income.

I fenced in my little backyard so the cats can't get out and I let
them out there even in the winter. They don't stay out long in the
winter though, but in summer I just leave the back door open and
they wander in and out all day long. As long as I'm home, of
course.


Having a completely fenced in yard eliminates most, but not all,
risks for cats. You still have to be concerned about fleas, and
insect borne illness/parasites, such as heartworm.


Coyotes can also be a problem in some areas, even if your yard is
completely fenced in.


In NYC we do get possums and raccoons, but not coyotes. Although I do
believe that some do wander in from the north; they get noticed
pretty quickly.

There is a pretty large population of raccoons where I live.

There is a large creek a few blocks away, (in Europe, it would
probably be called a small river) which empties into the Mississippi
River, about a mile away.

The raccoons live along the banks of both, and use the storm drains
like their own private subway system.

While raccoons are interesting to watch, from a distance, they are
mostly traveling bags of disease and pestilence.

If it was legal,and safe, I would shoot every single one I see.


Common Infectious Diseases of Raccoons

Raccoons are susceptible to a large number of different infectious
agents including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Several of these
infectious diseases are zoonotic. Veterinarians are faced with the
diagnosis and treatment of wildlife including raccoons and need to be
able to make the correct diagnosis as well as educate clients on the
potential hazards associated with exposure to raccoons.

Leptospirosis is a common bacterial disease in raccoons caused by a
number of different species of Leptospira. Trans-mission is thought
to occur via urine contamination of feed and water. Antemortem
diagnosis is based upon serology and dark field examination of urine.
Histopathologic examination and fluorescent antibody testing of liver
and kidney are two postmortem procedures that can be done to help
further aid the diagnosis of leptospirosis. Other natural bacterial
infections reported in raccoons are
listeriosis,yersiniosis,pasteurellosis, and tularemia.

Viral diseases of raccoons include rabies, canine distemper, raccoon
parvoviralenteritis, infectious canine hepatitis, and pseudorabies.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in raccoon populations in
Pennsylvania and New England. In recent years, there has been a shift
of rabies infected raccoons westward into Ohio (see Diagnostic Forum
Vol. 8, No 2, 1997).

Canine distemper virus infection is probably the most common viral
disease in raccoons. The clinical signs, and gross and histopathologic
lesions in raccoons are similar to distemper in dogs. Neurologic signs
due to distemper virus infection in raccoons are virtually
indistinguishable from rabies induced neurologic disease.

Diagnosis is based upon histopathologic lesions in brain, lung,
spleen, and small intestine. Intranuclear and
intracytoplasmicinclusion bodies can be visualized in many cells
including epithelial cells in the respiratory epithelium, gastric
mucosa, and transitional epithelium lining the renal pelvis and
urinary bladder. The best tissues for fluorescent antibody testing
and virus isolation of canine distemper virus are lung, brain,
stomach, small intestine, kidney, and urinary bladder.

Parvoviral enteritis in raccoons is due to a unique raccoon parvovirus
that is most antigenically similar to feline parvovirus.
Clinical signs include bloody diarrhea, lethargy, inappetance, and
loss of fear of humans. Raccoons do not develop clinical disease when
exposed to canine parvovirus. Diagnosis is based upon
histopathologic lesions of necrotizing enteritis and identification
of the virus by fluorescent antibody testing. The most common
method in which raccoons acquire pseudorabies virus infection is via
the ingestion of virus-infected pig carcasses.

An important parasitic disease of raccoons is toxoplasmosis, which is
a protozoal disease caused by Toxoplasmagondii.

Felines are the definitive host for T. gondii, and they excrete
potentially infective oocysts in their feces. Toxoplasmosis in
raccoons is commonly associated with immunosuppression from canine
distemper virus infection. Necrotizing encephalitis and pneumonitis
are frequent lesions associated with toxoplasmosis.

Another parasite of importance in raccoons is Baylisascarisprocyonis,
which is an intestinal roundworm of raccoons. Baylisascaris is a known
cause of cerebral nematodiasis and ocular and visceral larval migrans
in domestic and non-domestic animals, and humans. Transmission
commonly occurs through the ingestion of infective eggs, which
results in aberrant migration in hosts other than raccoons.

- by Jim Raymond, DVM

- edited by M. Randy White, DVM, PhD

My wife and I feed raccoons on our back porch. (we live on the edge of town)
Is there anything we could put in their food (dog kibbles) that would cure
these parasites? They don't really like the dog food, but if they are very
hungry, they will reluctantly eat it rather than starving to death. They
liked it to begin with, but over the years, they have grown tired of it.

I read an article in Scientific American many years ago that recommended
that we (human beings) stop trying to kill rats and instead try to cure
their diseases and keep them healthy. The author's argument was basically
that people have been trying to kill them now for several hundred years and
we are still very unsuccessful at it. If we cured their diseases, they would
be much less of a threat to us.


There is nothing you can do to 'cure' the MANY diseases that these
raccoons carry.

Keep in mind, their feces carry many of these parasites and other
infectious agents. If you have any cats and/or dogs, you are putting
them at tremendous risk, by encouraging the raccoons to come to your
house and yard.

You put yourself at risk, as well. It's like feeding rats that carry
bubonic plague, and just hoping you don't contract it.

Don't walk barefoot in your yard.

And stop feeding them. Now.

On Fri, 13 May 2011 00:52:29 -0700, "Bill Graham"
wrote:

On Thu, 12 May 2011 08:44:04 -0400, dgk wrote:

On Thu, 12 May 2011 07:21:05 -0400, "Nitesbane"
wrote:


Gandalf ingold1234 (at) yahoo (dot) com (Gandalf) wrote in
message ...
On Wed, 11 May 2011 08:56:36 -0400, dgk
wrote:

On 8 May 2011 17:51:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

Gandalf ingold1234(at)yahoo(dot)com (Gandalf) wrote in
:

On 7 May 2011 17:32:18 GMT, KenK wrote:

I've often wondered if my cat can get my cold, flu, etc. I
try not to cough or sneeze at her but am sometimes careless.
So far, evidently no harm done. Or what about her lying on my
chest and, once in a great while, sneezing in my face? I
suspect our viruses are not compatible. At least the common
ones like those I mentioned.

Relatively few human diseases can be contracted by cats.

Rabies, which can infect almost all mammals, is one of them.

Some internal parasites can infect humans and cats, but the
risk is usually for the human to catch it from their cat, not
the other way around.

Don't worry about common human illness: you can't 'give' them
to you cat.

Thank you for being so concerned about the well being of your
cat.

One thing that does have a big impact on your cat's well being
is if you keep your cats indoors.

There are may perils for your cat outdoors, from being hit by
cars, to dogs and other cats. Perhaps the biggest risk factor
is other humans, who may do something very bad to your cat.

I know there are many people who believe that cats should be
let out of doors regularly, but the fact remains that most
cats are very content living indoors, and they are far less
likely to be injured, or contract an illness from another cat.

This has been studied extensively, and it is irrefutable:
indoor cats tend to live longer, healthier lives.


Yes, she's strictly an inside cat. I've had cats some 50 years
now and they've always been inside-cats.

I'd like it if I was an inside-human too, but haven't figured
out how to arrange it on my income.

I fenced in my little backyard so the cats can't get out and I
let them out there even in the winter. They don't stay out long
in the winter though, but in summer I just leave the back door
open and they wander in and out all day long. As long as I'm
home, of course.


Having a completely fenced in yard eliminates most, but not all,
risks for cats. You still have to be concerned about fleas, and
insect borne illness/parasites, such as heartworm.


Coyotes can also be a problem in some areas, even if your yard is
completely fenced in.


In NYC we do get possums and raccoons, but not coyotes. Although I
do believe that some do wander in from the north; they get noticed
pretty quickly.

There is a pretty large population of raccoons where I live.

There is a large creek a few blocks away, (in Europe, it would
probably be called a small river) which empties into the Mississippi
River, about a mile away.

The raccoons live along the banks of both, and use the storm drains
like their own private subway system.

While raccoons are interesting to watch, from a distance, they are
mostly traveling bags of disease and pestilence.

If it was legal,and safe, I would shoot every single one I see.


Common Infectious Diseases of Raccoons

Raccoons are susceptible to a large number of different infectious
agents including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Several of these
infectious diseases are zoonotic. Veterinarians are faced with the
diagnosis and treatment of wildlife including raccoons and need to
be able to make the correct diagnosis as well as educate clients on
the potential hazards associated with exposure to raccoons.

Leptospirosis is a common bacterial disease in raccoons caused by a
number of different species of Leptospira. Trans-mission is
thought to occur via urine contamination of feed and water.
Antemortem diagnosis is based upon serology and dark field
examination of urine. Histopathologic examination and fluorescent
antibody testing of liver and kidney are two postmortem procedures
that can be done to help further aid the diagnosis of
leptospirosis. Other natural bacterial infections reported in
raccoons are listeriosis,yersiniosis,pasteurellosis, and
tularemia.

Viral diseases of raccoons include rabies, canine distemper, raccoon
parvoviralenteritis, infectious canine hepatitis, and pseudorabies.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in raccoon populations
in Pennsylvania and New England. In recent years, there has been a
shift of rabies infected raccoons westward into Ohio (see
Diagnostic Forum Vol. 8, No 2, 1997).

Canine distemper virus infection is probably the most common viral
disease in raccoons. The clinical signs, and gross and
histopathologic lesions in raccoons are similar to distemper in
dogs. Neurologic signs due to distemper virus infection in raccoons
are virtually indistinguishable from rabies induced neurologic
disease.

Diagnosis is based upon histopathologic lesions in brain, lung,
spleen, and small intestine. Intranuclear and
intracytoplasmicinclusion bodies can be visualized in many cells
including epithelial cells in the respiratory epithelium, gastric
mucosa, and transitional epithelium lining the renal pelvis and
urinary bladder. The best tissues for fluorescent antibody testing
and virus isolation of canine distemper virus are lung, brain,
stomach, small intestine, kidney, and urinary bladder.

Parvoviral enteritis in raccoons is due to a unique raccoon
parvovirus that is most antigenically similar to feline
parvovirus. Clinical signs include bloody diarrhea, lethargy,
inappetance, and loss of fear of humans. Raccoons do not develop
clinical disease when exposed to canine parvovirus. Diagnosis is
based upon histopathologic lesions of necrotizing enteritis and
identification of the virus by fluorescent antibody testing. The
most common method in which raccoons acquire pseudorabies virus
infection is via the ingestion of virus-infected pig carcasses.

An important parasitic disease of raccoons is toxoplasmosis, which
is a protozoal disease caused by Toxoplasmagondii.

Felines are the definitive host for T. gondii, and they excrete
potentially infective oocysts in their feces. Toxoplasmosis in
raccoons is commonly associated with immunosuppression from canine
distemper virus infection. Necrotizing encephalitis and pneumonitis
are frequent lesions associated with toxoplasmosis.

Another parasite of importance in raccoons is
Baylisascarisprocyonis, which is an intestinal roundworm of
raccoons. Baylisascaris is a known cause of cerebral nematodiasis
and ocular and visceral larval migrans in domestic and non-domestic
animals, and humans. Transmission commonly occurs through the
ingestion of infective eggs, which results in aberrant migration in
hosts other than raccoons.

- by Jim Raymond, DVM

- edited by M. Randy White, DVM, PhD

My wife and I feed raccoons on our back porch. (we live on the edge
of town) Is there anything we could put in their food (dog kibbles)
that would cure these parasites? They don't really like the dog
food, but if they are very hungry, they will reluctantly eat it
rather than starving to death. They liked it to begin with, but over
the years, they have grown tired of it.

I read an article in Scientific American many years ago that
recommended that we (human beings) stop trying to kill rats and
instead try to cure their diseases and keep them healthy. The
author's argument was basically that people have been trying to kill
them now for several hundred years and we are still very
unsuccessful at it. If we cured their diseases, they would be much
less of a threat to us.


There is nothing you can do to 'cure' the MANY diseases that these
raccoons carry.

Keep in mind, their feces carry many of these parasites and other
infectious agents. If you have any cats and/or dogs, you are putting
them at tremendous risk, by encouraging the raccoons to come to your
house and yard.

You put yourself at risk, as well. It's like feeding rats that carry
bubonic plague, and just hoping you don't contract it.

Don't walk barefoot in your yard.

And stop feeding them. Now.

Sorry. I can't do that. I feed anything (or anyone) who is hungry. You can
think of it as my religion. by telling me to not feed the racoons, you are
telling me to worship some other God. I have been feeding them for about 13
years now. At one time, shortly after I started feeding them, we would have
as many as twenty racoons gathered together on my baack porch in the early
evening after sundown. Today, they are tired of the dog kibbles, and we only
get thre3e or four every night. I purposely feed them the cheapest kibbles,
and don't vary the brand so they are tired of eating them, and will only do
so when they have no other choice. But I refuse to not feed them. I also
provide them with a bucket of fresh water because racoons like to dip their
food in water when they eat. My five cats have been living in close
proximity to the racoons for 13 years and they haven't caught anything from
them yet. For one thing, the racoons live in the trees in my back yard, and
don't compete with the cats for either food or living space. The cats don't
climb in the trees, and the racoons don't go near the cats, either. I see no
conflict between the two species. If I could cre any potential diseases the
racoons might have, I would do so, but if I can't, at least I can make sure
that they don't starve to death.

Bill Graham wrote:
If I could cre any potential
diseases the racoons might have, I would do so, but if I can't, at
least I can make sure that they don't starve to death.

We also feed squirrls, birds and anything else that eats the kibbles or corn
and peanuts that the food contains. One of our cats brought in a chipmonk a
couple of months ago, and today Chipper is living beneath our kitchen stove
and living off of squirrl food. As soon as the weather warms up, I will trap
him and let him go in the back yard again, but I suspect that he will come
back in the house, because he likes living here. The cats sense that he is
a pet, (because we feed him) and they leave him alone.