Biosecurity is simply a program or protocol by which we try to ensure the health and safety of our cats, and of ourselves. There are many areas that need to be addressed, and a combination of many tools will provide the most effective protection.
Viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites are all microorganisms that threaten the health of cats. Not all microbes are dangerous. Common phrases today refer to "good" bacteria and "bad" bacteria. The good microbes help to maintain health especially of the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts, and the bad being pathogenic, or disease-causing. Many times the number of bacteria or the level of exposure, is as much a factor in causing disease as the particular type of bacteria. The goal then is to find a satisfactory balance between the presence and level of microbes and the cats' abilities to fight off infection. It is not only unrealistic to try to obtain a zero-germ environment, it is impossible.
Biosecurity, or disease control, takes into consideration all the factors of the cat's environment. A sound plan should address issues such as population density (the more cats in an area, the greater risk of disease), materials in the cats' environment, ventilation, traffic routes as people move around and through the area, availability of dedicated rooms or areas to separate cats, the existing pathogen population (ringworm, herpesvirus, etc), temperature and humidity, types of physical and chemical cleaners and disinfectants, and the staff expected to carry out the procedures thoroughly and on a set schedule.
Stressors can push a cat from being able to fight off those microbes it is routinely exposed to, to being at risk and vulnerable. As stated above, population density is a significant factor. Cats are solitary hunters and not usually pack animals. Too much togetherness is not good. In a breeding cattery, the regular cycling of the females adds a stress through pheromones, crying and behavior changes. The act of breeding is another stressor for both the tom and queen. Of course, pregnancy, birthing and lactation all place additional stress on queens. Other factors can be the people who take care of them, are they always the same or do many people come and go? Noise can be overwhelming, though soft music can calm. The normal routine of the cattery, times of feeding and cleaning, one-on-one attention by the handler, hours of sleep, and number of daylight hours all impact the health of the cattery.
Ventilation is very important, especially since cats are very vulnerable to respiratory infection. Ideally, the rate of air exchanges will be no less than 8 and no more than 30 per hour. During the summer or when the population density is high the upper side of the range is applicable.
The type of microbe involved determines the best route by which to fight it. Ringworm is a fungal disease, and very prevalent in catteries. Some breeds seem to have a predisposition to ringworm and are particularly vulnerable. For a cattery that has ringworm, not only does the animal itself need to be treated effectively, but so does its environment. Everywhere that hair can be is a source of contagious spores. Because of this vacuuming is a very important part of biosecurity. Every cage, every floor, every surface that a cat can rest on, needs to be vacuumed daily (and the vacuum bags discarded). Spores are shed continuously. Without constant vigilance, the exposure rate is overwhelming and it will be almost impossible to eradicate. Certain chemical disinfectants are valuable tools as well for this particular target. Vaccination is not.
The traffic patterns should always flow from a clean to dirty pathway. Clean refers to the most vulnerable cat area (nursery and maternity). Dirty refers to that area that houses cats in quarantine, isolation due to exposure to a pathogen, and sick-bays where ailing cats are kept. Another way to look at it is to move from the youngest animals to the older healthy cats, to those in isolation (not sick), and finally to those that are sick or showing symptoms. Never leave the kittens for last.
As you can tell, carpeting is not the best material choice for cattery areas. No matter how much you vacuum you won't be assured of removing all the fungal spores, nor will most cleaners or disinfectants be fully effective.
Sleeping boxes should be such that they can be taken apart to facilitate cleaning and disinfection on a regular basis. Plastic or stainless steel is best, while wood should be avoided due to the extremely porous nature and short life span. Food and water dishes need to be a material that allows thorough cleaning and disinfection, but also a material that doesn't hold an odor. Many cats prefer glass containers. While they might not be the first choice because they are breakable, many cats won't drink if their container has a plastic or metal smell. Stainless steel is good from the stand point of cleaning and disinfection, but unless they are secured and somewhat elevated they can be knocked over, or urinated on. Litterboxes that will be reused should be plastic, and need to be changed daily. Keeping two litter boxes assigned to each cage allows that daily transition, and limits possible pathogen exposure to the cat that uses them.
Every cattery should use disinfectants that have efficacy against panleukopenia, ringworm and calici virus. These are also three of the most difficult families of microbes to keep in check. The type of detergent is going to be based on the type of organic material that is likely to soil the environment (feces, etc), the type of disinfectant being used (so as to avoid a chemical interaction that may inactivate the disinfectant, or cause a harmful reaction), and the materials to be cleaned. A good cleaning agent for use in a cattery will have an alkaline pH and is capable of penetrating crusted "dirt". There is a use for acidic detergents, too, but not as frequently. A good rule of thumb is to use an alkaline detergent 6 days a week, and on the seventh day use an acidic detergent. Don't ever mix alkaline and acidic detergents together. It may do nothing more than neutralize the effectiveness, but then again, it may release a toxic gas. Don't take the chance.
Mechanical means of cleaning, such as scrubbing, brings out the full chemical effects of cleaning. Steam can be an excellent tool for disinfection of litterboxes, and for penetrating corners of cages. Water temperature for detergent or disinfectant solutions can increase the effectiveness of the chemicals. Warm or very warm water does best. Water hardness can interfere with the efficacy of disinfectants.
Disinfectants often have a short residual effect, less than 6 hours. This is another reason why daily cleaning and disinfection is necessary. Each disinfectant will have a temperature at which it operates best, a specific concentration to be effective, and
a specific period of time in which it needs to be in contact with the surface being treated. Shelf life will vary widely according to type of disinfectant, while sensitivity to light and hard water will impact use as well.
The basic steps of cleaning and disinfection should be applied every time and include: collection of litter, feces, and hair (using dust pan and vacuum), clean with a detergent or steam (to remove the crust of organic material on surfaces), rinse off the detergent, squeegee or sponge off excess water, apply the disinfectant, leave it on for the prescribed period of time, rinse off the disinfectant, and allow full drying time.
In part two, more detail on the types of disinfectants and the pros and cons of each will be discussed, as well as other tools for biosecurity.