Cytauxzoonosis

Cytauxzoon felis is a protozoal organism transmitted to domestic cats by tick bites, and whose natural reservoir host is the bobcat. C. felis has been found in other wild felid species such as Florida bobcat, eastern bobcat, Texas cougar, and a white tiger in captivity. C. felis infection is limited to the family felidae which means that C. felis poses no zoonotic (transmission to humans) risk or agricultural (transmission to farm animals) risk. Until recently it was believed that after infection with C. felis, pet cats almost always died. As awareness of C. felis has increased it has been found that treatment is not always futile. More cats have been shown to survive the infection than was previously thought. New treatments offer as much as 60% survival rate.