Can cats carry poultry illnesses or vice versa?

[SueT]

Anyone have info on the title question?
Our cat had been sneezing a lot all weekend and yesterday she laid on top of chick brooder as she has liked to do in past years. I heard one big sneeze and I quickly removed her and fixed it so she can't get up there anymore. We have been giving her antibiotics. She seems improved today, but I just heard a chick sneeze a few times--coincidence? We were prepared to take cat to vet when they open, but haven't heard her sneezing today and the roads are icy.
Cat is up to date all the usual feline vaccinations. The cat is outdoor/indoor and does have contact w wild birds, so I was concerned about avian influenza....
Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[MrsMistyReal]

Wish I could help, try local area vet or shelter

 

[Eggcessive]

Most respiratory diseases are specific for each animal. I would look at dust in the feed or bedding, wet or moldy areas as a possible cause, and make sure that air circulation is good. Chickens do sneeze once in a while normal, but if it is happening very often, that might be a sign of a virus called infectious bronchitis. Look for any other signs such as runny nose or watery eyes.

 

[SueT]

Most respiratory diseases are specific for each animal. I would look at dust in the feed or bedding, wet or moldy areas as a possible cause, and make sure that air circulation is good. Chickens do sneeze once in a while normal, but if it is happening very often, that might be a sign of a virus called infectious bronchitis. Look for any other signs such as runny nose or watery eyes.

Thanks for your response.
The feed is fermented feed, no dust there, but yes, the bedding is dusty, it's shavings from our wood shop, as I've always used, and there is inevitably a little sawdust in it and they are scratching around in it like crazy now. It makes me sneeze. No other signs in this chick, whose quick little quiet sneezes alarmed me. An hour later, I heard it again several times. I don't think the other 4 are doing it. They are a little over a week old.
I assume air circulation is good, the brooder is a wire sided/topped cage with a liner around the inside about half way up to keep shavings from being kicked out.
I assume that if it is infectious bronchitis, the others are already exposed. It would be hard to isolate a baby chick.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Is the brooder outside? I would be surprised if it was IB unless the chicks are exposed outside to other chickens.

I think I have read there is some disease cats can transmit to chickens, but I don't think it was respiratory. Had more to do with mice and diseases they carry. Personally, I think a barn cat is more beneficial to keeping the mice population down and the diseases they carry than the small risk they pose as a carrier of a disease.

 

[SueT]

Is the brooder outside? I would be surprised if it was IB unless the chicks are exposed outside to other chickens.

I think I have read there is some disease cats can transmit to chickens, but I don't think it was respiratory. Had more to do with mice and diseases they carry. Personally, I think a barn cat is more beneficial to keeping the mice population down and the diseases they carry than the small risk they pose as a carrier of a disease.

Brooder is not outside. None of the adult chickens have ever been sick.
Thanks for replying!

 

[SueT]

I think I'll remove all the shavings, and bring in new and sift out the dust first.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Brooder is not outside. None of the adult chickens have ever been sick.
Thanks for replying!

If there is a lot of sawdust in your shavings you need to make sure the chicks have chick grit. Just put a few small piles in their brooder once a week. They will eat that sawdust and they could get plugged up somewhere along that disgestive tract if they eat too much and don't have grit available to further grind it down.