Fulminant Clostridial Infections in Cats: Two Cases That Redefine Feline Intra-Abdominal Sepsis

Severe acute intra-abdominal clostridial disease in two cats

Clare Thomson; Alison Jukes

Background

Clostridium species are anaerobic, spore-forming bacilli that act as opportunistic pathogens in animals and humans. While clostridial disease is well documented in dogs and large animals, feline cases are rarely reported, particularly those involving severe intra-abdominal pathology. Prior feline reports of mesenteric lymphadenitis and abscessation have involved other bacterial agents, leaving the role of Clostridium species in feline intra-abdominal disease poorly characterised. This case series aimed to document and describe severe clostridial intra-abdominal infections in cats without predisposing conditions.

Methods

The authors describe two clinical cases of previously healthy cats presenting with acute abdominal disease. Diagnostic evaluation included physical examination, haematology and biochemistry, abdominal ultrasonography, cytology, histopathology, and bacterial culture. One case included post-mortem examination, while the second involved surgical exploration and excision of affected tissue, followed by histopathological and microbiological confirmation.

Results

Case 1 involved a 3-year-old Oriental Shorthair with rapid clinical deterioration, septic shock, and death within hours of presentation. Post-mortem histopathology revealed severe necrotising pyelitis, lymphadenitis, and peritonitis with abundant Gram-positive, spore-forming bacilli consistent with Clostridium species. Case 2 involved a 6-year-old Siamese cat with acute abdominal pain and an enlarged, cavitated ileocaecal lymph node. Cytology revealed abundant extracellular bacilli, and anaerobic culture confirmed Clostridium septicum. Surgical excision of the affected lymph node and surrounding tissue resulted in rapid clinical recovery and full resolution of clinical signs.

Limitations

Definitive microbial identification was not achieved in the first case due to the absence of anaerobic culture, limiting species-level confirmation. The report is limited by the small number of cases and its descriptive nature, which restricts broader epidemiological or therapeutic conclusions.

Conclusions

This case series documents previously unreported presentations of severe clostridial intra-abdominal disease in cats, including fatal septic peritonitis and spontaneous mesenteric lymph node abscessation due to Clostridium septicum. The findings highlight the aggressive nature of clostridial infections, their potential to affect healthy cats, and the diagnostic limitations of aerobic culture alone. Early recognition, anaerobic culture, and consideration of surgical intervention may be critical for successful outcomes in similar cases.

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