Moderate severity
Salmonellosis
A bacterial infection of the gut caused by Salmonella, often picked up from raw meat or from hunting wild birds. It can cause fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, and infected cats can shed the bacteria to people.
⚠️ Common symptoms
Salmonellosis is the illness that results when Salmonella bacteria take hold in a cat's digestive tract. Healthy adult cats are actually fairly resistant, and some carry the organism without ever looking sick, quietly shedding it in their stools. Problems arise when a large dose is swallowed or when the cat's defences are down, at which point the bacteria irritate and inflame the gut lining and produce the classic picture of fever, vomiting and diarrhoea that can range from mild to severe.
The most familiar route in cats is hunting. When outbreaks sweep through wild songbird populations, cats that catch and eat infected birds can fall ill in clusters, a seasonal pattern long nicknamed songbird fever that peaks when birds crowd together at feeders in winter and early spring. Raw-meat diets and contaminated food are the other major sources, which is why safe food handling matters as much as anything a vet can prescribe.
Most cases in robust cats are self-limiting and centre on keeping the patient hydrated and comfortable while the immune system clears the infection, with antibiotics held back for the genuinely serious cases. What sets salmonellosis apart from a simple upset tummy is its public-health angle: it is a zoonosis, meaning an infected cat, or the raw food and prey it handles, can pass the bacteria to people, with children and vulnerable adults most at risk. Careful hygiene around food, bowls and the litter tray protects everyone in the home.
🔍 Causes
Cats become infected by eating food or prey contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Common sources are raw or undercooked meat diets, contaminated commercial food, and wild birds and rodents, so hunting cats are at particular risk. Outbreaks in wild songbirds mean cats that catch them can develop what is sometimes called songbird fever, especially in the colder months when birds gather at feeders.
🛡 Prevention
Avoid feeding raw or undercooked meat, or handle and store it with strict hygiene if you do. Wash food and water bowls regularly, keep them away from litter trays, and clean up any prey your cat brings in. Discourage hunting where possible, keep bird-feeding areas clean, and wash your hands after handling the cat, its food or its litter to protect both your cat and your family.
💊 Treatment
Many otherwise healthy cats with mild salmonellosis recover with supportive care: fluids to correct dehydration, a bland easily digested diet and rest while the gut settles. Your vet may run faecal cultures to confirm the diagnosis. Antibiotics are reserved for cats that are seriously ill, have bacteria spreading into the bloodstream, or are very young, old or immunocompromised, because using them in mild cases can prolong bacterial shedding and encourage resistance.
⚕️ Medical disclaimer
- This information is educational only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
- Symptoms overlap between conditions — only a vet can diagnose accurately.
- Never withhold treatment or self-medicate based on information found online.
- When in doubt, call your vet. Early intervention almost always leads to better outcomes.