Answer: No it is not, and it is very important to appreciate the difference. Infection denotes that the particular micro-organism has become established inn or on, the cat’s body. However, this does not necessarily result in disease; indeed many micro-organism (called commensals) normally live on the skin, throughout the alimentary tract, and in the outer parts of the respiratory, urinary and reproductive systems without causing disease. Only if the animal’s normal defence mechanisms are damaged or weakened (e.g. due to starvation, could or previous illness), allowing these commensals to invade other areas, will they then produces disease. Even when known disease-producing organisms (pathogens) are present in the body they do not always cause disease. Individual who can harbor pathogens without showing signs of the disease are known as carriers.
The incubation period of infectious disease is the interval of time between the organisms responsible becoming established in the body (infection occurring) and signs of disease appearing.
Carriers are of two types: firstly, there are those individuals who have had a disease and have shown the usual clinical signs (i.e. the signs typical of that disease). But, even after recovery, they do not completely rid themselves of the organism responsible, either for a long time or in some cases, ever. These are called convalescent carriers. For instance, approximately 80% of cats that recover from feline rhinotrachetiis become carriers of that virus.
Secondly, there are some infected individuals who never show clinical signs of the disease. These are called healthy carriers, or alternatively immune carriers. These animals have a natural resistance (innate immunity) to the particular pathogen and are not themselves affected by it. For example, some cats show no obvious avoidance of ringworm infection.
