December 11, 2024
Cats May Have Contracted TB From Eating Raw Pet Food
Following on from our article “Should You Feed Your Dog Raw Meat”, there has been a timely article on a related topic in the national press this week. A study carried out by vets at the University of Edinburgh has found that cats may have contracted TB from eating a “natural” raw food diet. This has not been conclusively proven, but the evidence is suggestive.
TB is short for “Tuberculosis”. It is a disease that affects many animals, including man. In times past it was known as “consumption”, as it consumed the people infected with it. They lost weight and wasted away, often with a hacking cough. TB has claimed many victims over the milenia. Famous victims include Keats, Shelley, Charlotte Bronte and Geroge Orwell. The causative agent is a bacteria called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. It is hard to kill and can lie dormant in the host for years. Indeed, it is thought that one quarter of the world’s population is currently infected with TB. Fatal cases occur overwhelmingly in the developing world. Pasteurisation of milk and control of TB in cattle by vets have helped stem the disease in Ireland. But we are ever vigilant for the return of this pernicious killer. Vets have a special role to play because TB has a reservoir in many animals like cattle and deer, and can cross the species barrier to infect man.
For these reasons the public health authorities are alert to any sign that the incidence of TB is on the increase. So when a group of house cats began developing symptoms, vets became concerned. These cats were all kept indoors, so their diet was predictable. The only common feature was that they were fed a raw venison-based diet. It is reasonable to conclude that the diet may have contained the TB bug and this passed to the cats. Normally TB is spread in the air by coughing animals, but it can cause infection when eaten. While we can’t be sure that cats can spread TB to people, given that the disease is so serious it is wise to be cautious.
The good news in this story is that the disease was quickly identified. The cats are no longer fed this particular diet as a precaution. It is better to stick to non-raw diets for pets from pet food companies as these are prepared to strict standards, and reduce the chances of disease spreading via the food. The government has a robust TB control program in cattle and is ever vigilant for the return of this victorian killer. You can do your bit by consulting your vet if you have any questions.
