Diseases associated with feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus infection: A retrospective study of 1470 necropsied cats (2010-2020).

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are retroviruses affecting cats worldwide, and the prevalence of infection varies considerably according to the geographic area. We retrospectively described FIV- and FeLV-associated diseases in a population of 1470 necropsied cats, of which 396 (26.9%) were infected with FeLV, 199 (13.5%) with FIV, and 134 (9.1%) with FeLV and FIV concomitantly. Cats infected with FeLV (OR 3.4) and co-infected with FeLV and FIV (OR 1.9) were more likely to have neoplasms. The diagnosis of lymphoma and leukemia was higher in cats infected with FeLV (OR 3.9 and 19.4, respectively) and coinfected with FeLV and FIV (OR 1.9 and 19.3, respectively). The odds of diagnosing bacterial diseases were higher in cats coinfected with FeLV and FIV (OR: 2.8), whereas the odds of viral diseases were higher in those infected with FeLV (OR: 2.8), with 2.2 times more diagnoses of feline infectious peritonitis. Neoplastic and infectious diseases in FIV-infected cats did not differ significantly from those in uninfected cats. According to our results, a high prevalence of retroviral infections was observed in southern Brazil, mainly in relation to FeLV. Infected cats were significantly younger than uninfected cats. The main causes of death associated with FeLV infection and FeLV and FIV coinfection were neoplastic and infectious diseases. In contrast, FIV infection was not associated with any specific condition.

No detection of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic cats exposed to infected owners during the Omicron Wave in São Paulo, Brazil (preprint)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been demonstrated to infect various mammals, including cats, dogs, and minks. Given the close coexistence of humans and cats, transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants between these two species has been documented. This study involved the sampling of eight domestic cats that resided solely with their infected owners in Brazil, during the early stage of the Omicron variant wave. Nasal and anal secretion samples obtained from the eight cats were subjected to RT-qPCR analysis, which revealed no detection of SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, serum samples collected from these cats did not show the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The findings of this study indicate that the Omicron variant has a low potential to infect felines, which contributes to the absence of transmission. Therefore, cats do not appear to play a significant role in the transmission chain of SARS-CoV-2.

Ophthalmic and immunopathological characterization of systemic infectious diseases in cats.

Ocular involvement in systemic diseases is frequent in cats; however, without concurrent clinical and ophthalmic examinations with gross and/or histologic analysis of the eye, these findings can be underdiagnosed. This article aims to provide gross, histologic, and immunohistochemical characteristics of ocular lesions from cats submitted to necropsy, focusing on those caused by systemic infectious agents. Cats that died due to a systemic infectious disease were selected based on necropsy diagnosis and presence of ocular lesions. Gross, histologic, and immunohistochemical findings were recorded. From April 2018 to September 2019, 849 eyes of 428 cats were evaluated. Histologic abnormalities were seen in 29% of cases, which were classified as inflammatory (41%), neoplastic (32%), degenerative (19%), and metabolic/vascular (8%). Macroscopic changes were present in one-third of eyes with histologic lesions. Of these, 40% were attributed to inflammatory or neoplastic diseases associated with infectious agents. The most important infectious agents causing ocular disease in this study were feline leukemia virus, feline infectious peritonitis virus, and Cryptococcus sp. The most common ocular abnormalities associated with infectious agents were uveitis (anterior, posterior, or panuveitis), optic neuritis, and meningitis of the optic nerve. Ocular lesions secondary to systemic infections in cats are frequent; however, these are not always diagnosed because gross lesions are less common than histologic lesions. Therefore, both gross and histologic evaluation of the eyes of cats is recommended, mainly for cases in which the clinical suspicion or necropsy diagnosis suggests that an infectious agent might be related to the cause of death.

Incidence of acute haemolysis in cats receiving canine packed red blood cells (xenotransfusions).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to report the incidence of transfusion reactions in cats, including acute haemolysis (AH), occurring within 24 h of receiving a xenotransfusion. An additional aim was to determine whether cases with AH could be classified as having an acute haemolytic transfusion reaction (AHTR) as per the definition provided by the Association of Veterinary Haematology and Transfusion Medicine's Transfusion Reaction Small Animal Consensus Statement. METHODS: Medical records of cats that received canine packed red blood cells (PRBCs) between July 2018 and September 2020 at a veterinary hospital were reviewed. The incidence of AH, AHTRs, febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs), transfusion-associated circulatory overload and septic transfusion reactions were recorded. RESULTS: The medical records of 53 cats were retrospectively evaluated. Twenty-three (43%) cats had transfusion reactions. Thirteen (25%) cats had AH; however, only four (8%) met the definition of an AHTR. Ten (19%) cats were determined to have FNHTRs. Survival to discharge of cats affected by AH was 50% (25% for cases that met the definition of an AHTR). Survival to discharge of cats not suffering from AHTR was 40%. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This report indicates that a higher proportion of cats undergo AH (25%) when administered canine PRBCs than previously reported, although many could not be classed as having an AHTR due to an apparently adequate packed cell volume rise. Challenges with sourcing feline blood in emergency situations occasionally necessitates the use of xenotransfusion in transfusion medicine. Clinicians should be aware that haemolysis after xenotransfusion can occur within 24 h and that a repeat feline transfusion may be required sooner than anticipated in some cases.

Temporal patterns of owner-pet relationship, stress, and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effect of pet ownership on mental health: A longitudinal survey.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us in numerous ways and may consequently impact our relationships with pet dogs and cats. We conducted a longitudinal survey to examine the temporal patterns of owner-pet relationship, stress, and loneliness during four phases of the pandemic: 1) pre-pandemic (February 2020), 2) lockdown (April to June 2020), 3) reopening (September to December 2020), and 4) recovery (January 2021 to December 2021). We also investigated the effect of pet ownership on stress and loneliness, by considering a set of a priori causal assumptions. In addition, we hypothesized that the differences in the levels of stress and loneliness between dog and cat ownerships were mediated by the owner-pet relationship. A total of 4,237 participants (657 non-pet owners, 1,761 dog owners, and 1,819 cat owners) completed between one and six surveys. Overall, the closeness in the relationship between owners and their pets increased with time during the study period. We also observed that dog owners consistently showed larger decreases in the levels of stress and loneliness than cat and non-pet owners. However, after adjusting for confounders, the findings did not support a mitigating effect of pet ownership. Pet ownership did not alleviate stress, social loneliness resulting from a lack of friendships or workplace relationships, or emotional loneliness due to deficiencies in family relationships. Pet owners, however, reported a lower degree of emotional loneliness caused by deficits in romantic relationships than non-pet owners. Our results also indicated that the differences in stress and loneliness levels between dog and cat ownerships were partially explained by the owner-pet relationship, and once this was accounted for, the differences between them reduced. In summary, this study highlights the dynamic effects of COVID-19 on owner-pet relationship and mental health. It also shows the complexity of the association between pet ownership and mental health, partially mediated by owner-pet relationships.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Clinical Signs in Cats and Dogs from Confirmed Positive Households in Germany.

On a global scale, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a serious threat to the health of the human population. Not only humans can be infected, but also their companion animals. The antibody status of 115 cats and 170 dogs, originating from 177 German households known to have been SARS-CoV-2 positive, was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the results were combined with information gathered from a questionnaire that was completed by the owner(s) of the animals. The true seroprevalences of SARS-CoV-2 among cats and dogs were 42.5% (95% CI 33.5-51.9) and 56.8% (95% CI 49.1-64.4), respectively. In a multivariable logistic regression accounting for data clustered in households, for cats, the number of infected humans in the household and an above-average contact intensity turned out to be significant risk factors; contact with humans outside the household was a protective factor. For dogs, on the contrary, contact outside the household was a risk factor, and reduced contact, once the human infection was known, was a significant protective factor. No significant association was found between reported clinical signs in animals and their antibody status, and no spatial clustering of positive test results was identified.

Whole-Genome Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Reveals Simultaneous Circulation of Three Variants and a Putative Recombination (20B/20H) in Pets, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

Following the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, cases of pets infected with variants circulating among humans were reported. In order to evaluate the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 circulation among pets in the Republic of the Congo, we conducted a ten-month study of dogs and cats living in COVID-19-positive households in Brazzaville and neighboring localities. Real-time PCR and the Luminex platform were used to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 RBD and S proteins, respectively. Our results show for the first time the simultaneous circulation of several variants of SARS-CoV-2, including viruses from clades 20A and 20H and a putative recombinant variant between viruses from clades 20B and 20H. We found a high seroprevalence of 38.6%, with 14% of tested pets positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Thirty-four percent of infected pets developed mild clinical signs, including respiratory and digestive signs, and shed the virus for about one day to two weeks. These results highlight the potential risk of SARS-CoV-2 interspecies transmission and the benefits of a "One Health" approach that includes SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and surveillance of viral diversity in pets. This approach aims to prevent transmission to surrounding wildlife as well as spillback to humans.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on antimicrobial use in companion animals in an academic veterinary hospital in North Carolina.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens reduces the effectiveness of these drugs in both human and veterinary medicine, making judicious antimicrobial use (AMU) an important strategy for its control. The COVID-19 pandemic modified operations in both human and veterinary healthcare delivery, potentially impacting AMU. The goal of this research is to quantify how antimicrobial drug prescribing practices for companion animals in an academic veterinary hospital changed during the pandemic. A retrospective study was performed using prescribing data for dogs and cats collected from the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine (NCSU-CVM) pharmacy, which included prescriptions from both the specialty referral hospital and primary care services. Records (n = 31,769) for 34 antimicrobial drugs from 2019-2020-before and during the pandemic-related measures at the NCSU-CVM-were compared. The prescribed antimicrobials' importance was categorized using the FDA's Guidance for Industry (GFI #152), classifying drugs according to medical importance in humans. A proportional odds model was used to estimate the probability of more important antimicrobials being administered in patients seen during the pandemic versus before (i.e., critically important vs. highly important vs. important). Rates of AMU per week and per patient visit were also compared. During the pandemic, cumulative antimicrobials prescribed per week were significantly decreased in most services for dogs. Weekly rates for Highly Important antimicrobials were also significantly lower in dogs. For important and critically important antimicrobials, rates per week were significantly decreased in various services overall. Rates of antimicrobial administration per patient visit were significantly increased for Highly Important drugs. Patients in the internal medicine, dermatology, and surgery services received significantly more important antimicrobials during the pandemic than before, while cardiology patients received significantly less. These results suggest that the pandemic significantly impacted prescribing practices of antimicrobials for companion animals in this study.

Detection of Some Causes of Feline Eye Infections in Baghdad City.

The current study aimed to determine the causes associated with ocular infection in cats received at Baghdad veterinary hospital from March 2020 to April 2021. Forty cats (22 females and 18 males) were examined at a small animal clinic in Baghdad veterinary hospital from March 2020 to April 2021. The cats suffered from severe eyes infection (inflammation, lacrimation, redness and other ocular signs). On the other hand, ten healthy cats were examined and prepared for bacterial isolation as a control group. For bacterial isolation, sterile cotton swabs with transport medium were taken gently from the corneal and conjunctiva area of infected eyes. The swabs were placed in an ice box within 24 hours for laboratory culture. Sterile swabs with transport media were used in our study; swabs passed directly on the inferior conjunctival sac of the compromised eye avoiding contact with eyelashes and skin of eyelids. All swabs were inoculated on the following media (5% Sheep blood agar, MacConkey agar and Nutrient agar) at 37ºC for 24 to 48 h.ImmunoChromatoGraphy assay (ICG) of FCV on samples. The results showed that 50%of Mixed bacterial and FCV were the significant cause of isolates; also, it showed that S. aureus was the most bacterial cause of eye infection; young females were mostly infected in February. In conclusion, the wide distribution of ocular infections in cats is due to different causes, especially with bacteria, including Staphylococcus spp. and virus (FCV). The seasonal variation between months plays a significant factor in the spreading of eye infections in the feline.

Human-to-Animal Transmission of SARS-CoV-2, South Korea, 2021.

To investigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans to animals in Seoul, South Korea, we submitted samples from companion animals owned by persons with confirmed COVID-19. Real-time PCR indicated higher SARS-CoV-2 viral infection rates for dogs and cats than previously reported from the United States and Europe. Host-specific adaptations could introduce mutant SARS-CoV-2 to humans.

High seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in household cats and dogs of Lebanon.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been declared in late 2019. It is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Flu-like symptoms and acute respiratory illnesses are the main manifestations of the disease. Recent studies have confirmed the susceptibility of domestic animals to SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in household pets and the importance of pets in the epidemiology of this infection remain unknown. In Lebanon, there is no epidemiological data regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection in companion animals. Thus, this investigation aimed to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in household pets of Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was carried out between April 2020 and February 2021. Blood samples from 145 cats and 180 dogs were collected from 12 veterinary clinics located in the North, Mount, and Beirut governorates. A validated ELISA assay was used to detect the anti- SARS-CoV-2 in the sera of the tested animals. An overall seroprevalence of 16.92% (55/325) was reported; 13.79% seroprevalence was found in cats (20/145) and 19.44% (35/180) in dogs. The young age and the cold season were significantly associated with an increased seropositivity rate to SARS-CoV-2 infection (P < 0.01). These results confirm the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in household pets, in various geographical regions in Lebanon. Although, there is a lack of evidence to suggest that naturally infected pets could transmit the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Yet, owners diagnosed with COVID-19 should limit their contact with their animals during the course of the disease to curb the risk of transmission.

No indication for SARS-CoV-2 transmission to pet ferrets, in five cities in Poland, 2021 - antibody testing among ferrets living with owners infected with SARS-CoV-2 or free of infection.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in China by the end of 2019 and was responsible for a pandemic in the human population that resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the role of animals as spill-over or reservoir hosts was discussed. In addition to cats and dogs, ferrets are becoming increasingly popular as companion animals. Under experimental conditions, ferrets are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and it appears that they can also be infected through contact with a SARS-CoV-2 positive owner. However, there is still little information available regarding these natural infections. Here, we serologically tested samples collected from pet ferrets (n = 45) from Poland between June and September 2021. Of the ferrets that were included in the study, 29% (13/45) had contact with owners with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections. Nevertheless, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies could not be detected in any of the animals, independent of the infection status of the owner. The obtained results suggest that ferrets cannot be readily infected with SARS-CoV-2 under natural conditions, even after prolonged contact with infected humans. However, due to the rapid mutation rate of this virus, it is important to include ferrets in future monitoring studies.

Preventive healthcare among dogs and cats in Chile is positively associated with emotional owner-companion animal bond and socioeconomic factors.

Global companion animal population has been increasing as well as the number of dogs and cats being considered as a family member. However, it is unclear whether this close relationship could be associated with higher preventive healthcare in companion animals. Using data from 7,048 questionnaires of dogs and 3,271 of cats from the First National Study on Responsible Companion Animal Ownership, we estimated the proportion of preventive healthcare in companion animals of Chile. We also conducted a general linear mixed-effect regression model to identify socioeconomic factors and indicators of the emotional owners-companion animal bond that could influence owners' practices related to vaccination, parasite control, and veterinary visits. Based on the owner's answers, Chile has a satisfactory overall rates of parasite control (71%) and annual veterinary visits (65%) but a low vaccination coverage of both dogs (39%) and cats (25%). 'Purebred', 'live in urban areas', 'acquired by monetary compensation', and 'dog species' were associated with a higher probability of preventive healthcare in companion animals. Conversely, this probability was lower among senior animals compared to adults, males, and those owned by the Silent Generation or Baby Boomers (i.e., owners born before 1964). 'Sleeping inside', 'acquired for an emotional reason' (e.g., companionship), and 'considered a family member' were positively associated with at least one of assessed preventive measures. Our findings suggest that emotional owner-companion animal bonds could positively impact the frequency and quality of preventive healthcare in dogs and cats. However, owners who totally disagreed that a companion animal is a "family member" were also associated with a higher likelihood of vaccination uptake and veterinary visits for their animals. This highlights that owner's compliance with veterinary preventive healthcare is multifactorial. Chile has a high prevalence of infectious diseases circulating among dogs and cats and increasingly close contacts between owners and companion animals due to emotional bonds. Thus, our study calls for One Health approaches to reduce the risks of cross-species disease transmission. Specifically, increasing vaccination coverage of companion animals in Chile is the most urgent preventive measure needed, especially among cats, males, and older animals. Expand preventive healthcare among dogs and cats will promote public and animal health, including local wildlife that is susceptible to infectious diseases circulating in companion animals.

Detection and genetic characterization of canine kobuvirus from stray dogs in Shanghai, China.

In this study, rectal samples collected from 60 stray dogs in dog shelters were screened for canine kobuvirus and other enteroviruses by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Canine kobuvirus was detected in 25% (15/60) of the samples. In the 15 positive samples, the coinfection rates of canine distemper virus, canine coronavirus, canine astrovirus, canine norovirus, and canine rotavirus were 26.67%, 20.00%, 73.33%, 0%, and 20.00%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial VP1 sequences identified a novel canine kobuvirus that was a recombinant of canine and feline kobuvirus. Bayesian evolutionary analysis revealed that the rate of evolution of the VP1 gene of canine kobuvirus was 1.36 × 10-4 substitutions per site per year (95% highest posterior density interval, 6.28 × 10-7 - 4.30 × 10-4 substitutions per site per year). Finally, the divergence time of VP1 was around 19.44 years ago (95% highest posterior density interval, 12.96-27.57 years).

Investigation of acute-phase protein concentrations in healthy and various diseased cats.

This study aimed to evaluate the concentrations of α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid-A (SAA) and ceruloplasmin (Cp) in healthy and various diseased cats and establish reference intervals (RIs) for these acute phase proteins (APPs) in healthy cats. The animal material of the study consisted of 40 healthy cats and 152 cats with various diseases. The serum APPs in the diseased group were higher than those in the healthy group, and age affected Cp concentration in healthy cats. Also, the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) positive (+) group had significantly higher AGP concentrations than the SIRS negative (-) group. In conclusion, this study contributes to the limited number of studies on RIs in serum APPs concentrations in healthy cats. The results of this study suggest that APPs are valuable diagnostic tools for identifying the inflammatory processes of various diseases, and AGP concentration could help determine the severity of the inflammatory condition.

Detection of anti-feline infectious peritonitis virus activity of a Chinese herb extract using geneLEAD VIII, a fully automated nucleic acid extraction/quantitative PCR testing system.

The geneLEAD VIII is a fully-automated nucleic acid extraction/quantitative PCR equipment developed by Precision System Science Co., Ltd., (PSS). To take advantage of its capability, we developed a quantitative assay system to measure growth of animal viruses. The system was used to assay one of the Chinese herbal extracts whose anti-malarial activities were previously reported and demonstrated its dose-dependent anti-viral activity against feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), a feline coronavirus causing the fatal diseases in cats, and relatively low cell toxicity. The assay developed in this study is useful to screen antiviral drugs and the anti-FIPV activity of the herbal extract identified have a potential to lead to development of new drugs against FIPV and other coronaviruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2021.

OBJECTIVE: To provide epidemiological information on the occurrence of animal and human rabies in the US during 2021 and summaries of 2021 rabies surveillance for Canada and Mexico. PROCEDURES: State and territorial public health departments and USDA Wildlife Services provided data on animals submitted for rabies testing in 2021. Data were analyzed temporally and geographically to assess trends in domestic animal and wildlife rabies cases. RESULTS: During 2021, 54 US jurisdictions reported 3,663 rabid animals, representing an 18.2% decrease from the 4,479 cases reported in 2020. Texas (n = 456 [12.4%]), Virginia (297 [8.1%]), Pennsylvania (287 [7.8%]), North Carolina (248 [6.8%]), New York (237 [6.5%]), California (220 [6.0%]), and New Jersey (201 [5.5%]) together accounted for > 50% of all animal rabies cases reported in 2021. Of the total reported rabid animals, 3,352 (91.5%) involved wildlife, with bats (n = 1,241 [33.9%]), raccoons (1,030 [28.1%]), skunks (691 [18.9%]), and foxes (314 [8.6%]) representing the primary hosts confirmed with rabies. Rabid cats (216 [5.9%]), cattle (40 [1.1%]), and dogs (36 [1.0%]) accounted for 94% of rabies cases involving domestic animals in 2021. Five human rabies deaths were reported in 2021. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The number of animal rabies cases reported in the US decreased significantly during 2021; this is thought to be due to factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2022 AAFP/EveryCat Feline Infectious Peritonitis Diagnosis Guidelines.

CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is one of the most important infectious diseases and causes of death in cats; young cats less than 2 years of age are especially vulnerable. FIP is caused by a feline coronavirus (FCoV). It has been estimated that around 0.3% to 1.4% of feline deaths at veterinary institutions are caused by FIP. SCOPE: This document has been developed by a Task Force of experts in feline clinical medicine as the 2022 AAFP/EveryCat Feline Infectious Peritonitis Diagnosis Guidelines to provide veterinarians with essential information to aid their ability to recognize cats presenting with FIP. TESTING AND INTERPRETATION: Nearly every small animal veterinary practitioner will see cases. FIP can be challenging to diagnose owing to the lack of pathognomonic clinical signs or laboratory changes, especially when no effusion is present. A good understanding of each diagnostic test's sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, likelihood ratio and diagnostic accuracy is important when building a case for FIP. Before proceeding with any diagnostic test or commercial laboratory profile, the clinician should be able to answer the questions of 'why this test?' and 'what do the results mean?' Ultimately, the approach to diagnosing FIP must be tailored to the specific presentation of the individual cat. RELEVANCE: Given that the disease is fatal when untreated, the ability to obtain a correct diagnosis is critical. The clinician must consider the individual patient's history, signalment and comprehensive physical examination findings when selecting diagnostic tests and sample types in order to build the index of suspicion 'brick by brick'. Research has demonstrated efficacy of new antivirals in FIP treatment, but these products are not legally available in many countries at this time. The Task Force encourages veterinarians to review the literature and stay informed on clinical trials and new drug approvals.

Vector-borne and other pathogens of potential relevance disseminated by relocated cats.

Large populations of unowned cats constitute an animal welfare, ecological, societal and public health issue worldwide. Their relocation and homing are currently carried out in many parts of the world with the intention of relieving suffering and social problems, while contributing to ethical and humane population control in these cat populations. An understanding of an individual cat's lifestyle and disease status by veterinary team professionals and those working with cat charities can help to prevent severe cat stress and the spread of feline pathogens, especially vector-borne pathogens, which can be overlooked in cats. In this article, we discuss the issue of relocation and homing of unowned cats from a global perspective. We also review zoonotic and non-zoonotic infectious agents of cats and give a list of practical recommendations for veterinary team professionals dealing with homing cats. Finally, we present a consensus statement consolidated at the 15th Symposium of the Companion Vector-Borne Diseases (CVBD) World Forum in 2020, ultimately to help veterinary team professionals understand the problem and the role they have in helping to prevent and manage vector-borne and other pathogens in relocated cats.