But cats get ‘flu don’t they?

One of the commonest feline infectious diseases, cat ‘flu is a misleading name because the influenza virus is actually not responsible for this disease. Instead, one or more of three infectious agents may be responsible.

Two viruses feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus, which trigger the problem and can only cause disease in cats. The third is a bacterium, Bordetella bronchiseptica which is also the leading cause of “kennel cough” in dogs. 

Routine annual booster vaccination is recommended to ensure continued broad protection against respiratory disease caused by the viral forms of cat flu.