When to see a vet urgently
Contact a vet immediately if skin lesions accompany:
- breathing difficulty, open-mouth breathing or clearly increased breathing effort;
- marked tiredness and loss of appetite;
- rapidly spreading, painful or pus-filled ulcers;
- eye symptoms or a substantial deterioration in general condition.
Mention suspected infection before arriving so the practice can prepare for safe examination. You can find a vet near you.
Overview
After infection, small skin nodules appear, soon ulcerating and becoming scabbed. Lesions usually affect the face, paws and abdomen, areas most easily injured while hunting. In most cats, disease remains confined to the skin, but with weakened immunity it can become generalised and damage the lungs and internal organs.
Importantly, cowpox is a zoonosis: it can spread to people and cause similar skin lesions.
Despite its name, the disease does not usually involve a cat's contact with cows. Wild rodents maintain the virus and need not show visible skin disease. Cowpox is also different from mpox, although their viruses belong to the same genus.
The first lesion may look like a small bite wound or abscess. After local multiplication, the virus can spread through the bloodstream and cause new skin lesions. Grooming can also spread it to other skin areas. Multiple skin lesions alone do not, however, imply the same poor prognosis as serious lung or other internal organ disease.
Causes
- Infection while hunting wild rodents, including mice, voles and rats.
- Contact with infected cats.
- Rare infection from other animals, such as livestock.
Rodent contact is the usual explanation, and the route cannot be inferred without investigation when several cats become ill together. Cat-to-cat infections have been described but are rare. Pet rats can also be associated with infection. Tell the practice about every animal in the household and their symptoms.
Risk factors
- Cats with outdoor access that hunt rodents.
- Cats with weakened immunity, for example through FIV, FeLV or chronic disease.
- Living in areas where the virus occurs, including western and northern Europe.
Cases are seen particularly in late summer and autumn, when rodent population size and infection patterns can increase exposure. Season helps assessment, but cowpox cannot be ruled out as the cause of a wound appearing at another time. Kittens and cats receiving immunosuppressive medication have a higher risk of serious disease.
Typical symptoms
- Small skin nodules or bumps.
- Ulcers that form scabs.
- Itching and tenderness at lesion sites.
- Enlarged regional lymph nodes.
- Lethargy and reduced appetite.
- Fever, pneumonia and liver or other organ damage in generalised disease.
Not every lesion is found at a glance. Look at visible skin without handling ulcers bare-handed and explain where the first nodule appeared. Photograph progression if useful. Licking an ulcer can worsen tissue damage, and bacteria may cause a substantial abscess at the original site.
Lung disease can exceptionally occur without typical skin lesions. Do not wait for scabs or diagnostic confirmation when breathing is difficult. Respiratory signs have other possible causes that the vet investigates too. Do not stress a breathless cat with a thorough skin inspection at home.
Complications and consequences
- Chronic ulcerative skin lesions.
- Secondary bacterial infections.
- Generalised disease with high mortality, particularly in immunocompromised cats.
- Infection in owners and other animals.
Infection can enter a person through broken skin or a mucous membrane. A skin lesion on the hand or face and enlarged lymph nodes may develop, for example. Weakened immunity and diseases disrupting the skin barrier, such as severe eczema, increase the risk of serious disease. Eye infection can cause severe damage.
If a person develops symptoms during suspected or confirmed infection, contact a healthcare professional and mention animal contact. An owner's symptoms cannot be diagnosed from the appearance of the cat's skin. Someone in an at-risk group should not care for ulcers; individual instructions should come from healthcare professionals.
Diagnosis at the vet
- Examination and history, including rodent contact and outdoor access.
- Cytology and histology of skin lesions.
- PCR to detect cowpox virus.
- Antibody tests.
- Chest X-rays if generalised disease is suspected.
Appearance alone does not confirm cowpox. Bite abscesses, ringworm, other fungal or bacterial infections, and certain other viral and inflammatory skin diseases can resemble it. The practice reviews lesion sequence, hunting, possible rodent contacts and every medicine used, including skin products.
Samples may come from scab material or a skin biopsy. PCR looks for viral genetic material, while histology may reveal infection-related cell changes. Collection and handling are planned for the laboratory, so do not remove or post scabs yourself. Antibodies can support investigation, and a rise between samples taken at different times helps demonstrate recent infection.
For a cat with respiratory signs, stabilising breathing is the first priority. Imaging and other sampling needs are then assessed. The virus has also been detected in respiratory samples and pleural fluid. Not every cat needs all these investigations. Assessing underlying disease and factors weakening immune defence helps determine treatment needs.
Treatment
There is no specific antiviral medicine. Treatment is supportive:
- skin lesion care using suitable antiseptics and healing ointments;
- antibiotics for secondary bacterial infection;
- pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication;
- support for generalised disease, including fluids and oxygen;
- corticosteroids, or glucocorticoids, are contraindicated in cowpox because they can lead to severe generalised disease. Do not treat skin wounds in a rodent-hunting cat with corticosteroid cream without a diagnosis.
There is no established antiviral treatment for feline cowpox reliably proven effective. Antivirals and immune-modifying preparations have been studied, but small case groups cannot establish that a particular medicine cures the disease. Possible specialist treatment for a seriously ill patient is a veterinary decision.
Antibiotics target secondary bacterial infection, not cowpox virus. A scab alone is therefore not a reason for an antibiotic course. Pain relief and local treatment also depend on the cat's condition and skin findings. Do not use human painkillers or old skin creams. If your cat already receives corticosteroids for another illness, tell the treating vet immediately so medication can be reviewed safely.
Most cats with localised lesions recover within 4–6 weeks.
This interval describes ordinary localised disease and is not permission to wait weeks for examination. Spreading wounds, loss of appetite and respiratory signs change the assessment. Healed skin may retain hairless patches or areas of differently coloured hair. Remaining coat patchiness alone does not mean the cat is still shedding virus.
Home care and limiting infection
Follow the vet's wound-handling instructions and wear disposable gloves. Wash your hands after removing them too. Do not touch your face or eyes during care: gloves do not prevent infection if they transfer discharge to a mucous membrane. Keep the cat indoors during treatment and arrange contact with other animals as the practice advises.
Virus can survive for a long time even in dry scabs. Remove dirt and discharge first, then use a suitable disinfectant according to veterinary and product instructions. The cat must not lick or touch the treated surface while the product is wet. Do not apply surface cleaners to its ulcers.
Monitor appetite, activity and ease of breathing as well as skin. Contact the practice if eating declines: treatment of pain, nausea or dehydration may be necessary. Force-feeding is not the answer; nutritional support is planned separately if needed. At follow-up, wound healing and when infection-control arrangements can end are assessed.
Prevention
- Limit contact with wild rodents.
- Avoid unsupervised outdoor access in areas where the virus occurs.
- Monitor the health of animals with weakened immunity.
- Maintain hygiene when caring for a sick cat, including gloves and handwashing.
No cowpox vaccine is in use for cats. Routine feline vaccinations do not replace reducing rodent contact. Arranging outdoor access without hunting reduces opportunities for exposure. If pet rodents in the household have suspicious illness, their need for examination is assessed too.
Important for cat owners
Cowpox is an uncommon but potentially dangerous feline infection that can spread to people. Remember that skin ulcers and scabs, particularly in an outdoor cat that hunts rodents, are reasons to see a vet. Timely diagnosis helps the cat recover and prevents spread to people.
This article provides general information and does not replace veterinary care. If you notice signs of illness in your cat, contact a vet.
Frequently asked questions
Can an indoor cat catch cowpox?
Living indoors reduces the usual hunting-related risk, but infection possibilities also depend on rodent contact and other exposure. An unexplained ulcer needs investigation even if the cat is not known to have hunted.
Can cowpox spread to people?
Yes. Infection can spread particularly from an infected animal's skin lesions to broken skin or mucous membranes. Gloves and handwashing reduce the risk. Report human symptoms to healthcare professionals and mention the cat's possible infection.
Does every infected cat need antibiotics?
No. Antibiotics treat confirmed or suspected secondary bacterial infection. They do not eliminate the virus. Local lesion treatment and monitoring depend on examination and the cat's general condition.
This article is for general information only and is not a guide to treatment. If you notice the first signs of illness, contact your vet.
Paw4care editorial team
Sources
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- Pulmonary cowpox in cats: five cases, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Cowpox virus: Infectious substances pathogen safety data sheet, Public Health Agency of Canada, accessed 2026-11-05.
- 2022 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on Management of the Inappetent Hospitalised Cat, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Dyspnea (Difficulty Breathing), Cornell Feline Health Centre, accessed 2026-11-05.
- About Cleaning and Disinfecting Pet Supplies, CDC, accessed 2026-11-05.
- Get the Facts about Pain Relievers for Pets, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, accessed 2026-11-05.