Introduction
Feline infectious anemia is caused by bacteria which function as a type of blood parasite. Cats can become infected with feline infectious anemia most commonly through flea and tick bites. Infected mothers may also pass the bacteria on to their kittens.
Causes of Feline Infectious Anemia
The bacteria that are responsible for causing feline infectious anemia has just recently be renamed Mycoplasma haemofelis. The original name of the bacteria was Haemobartonella felis. The new name is due to the recent realization it is in fact a bacteria, specifically a mycoplasma, which causes the feline infectious anemia condition.
As the feline infectious anemia bacteria are blood borne, the bacteria are transmitted through parasites which feed on blood. A flea or tick may feed off an infected cat, become carriers of the bacteria, and then pass the parasites on when they begin to feed on another cat. Infected mother cats can pass the bacteria on to her kittens through blood exchanges or possibly milk, and, while rare, there have been cases where cats were infected with the bacteria during a transfusion through contaminated blood. Bites may also be a possible source of transmission of the bacteria between cats. This is particularly true of deep bites that are associated with intense fights between territorial intact male cats.
Cats that are at a high risk for feline infectious anemia are outdoor cats that have poor flea and tick control. Young, intact, male cats are also at a higher risk of becoming infected with this type of conditions. Cats with feline leukemia virus have an increased risk of developing severe feline infectious anemia as well.