Sodium hypochlorite – bleach best for feline virus deactivation

Thirty-five commonly used disinfectants were tested in a study published on Europe PubMed Central. They were tested for their “virucidal activity” (their capacity to destroy or inactivate viruses) against:

• feline rhinotracheitis virus (a herpesvirus – FHV). Herpes virus is the most common amongst cats with feline calcivirus (FCV);
• feline calicivirus (as many as 50% of URIs are caused by this virus (source: Koret Shelter Medicine Program);
• feline panleukopenia virus (a parvovirus) – called panleuk for short or “feline distemper”.

These are very common viruses. The disinfectants were diluted as instructed by the manufacturer.

The most difficult virus to deactivate was panleuk – only 3 out of 27 worked against this virus (about 10%). The easiest to deactivate as herpes virus (all of the disinfectants worked).

A 0.75% sodium hypochlorite solution (bleach) was the most effective and practical “broad spectrum virucidal product” used alone or in combination. 0.75% is equivalent to 5% bleach (typical product) diluted by yourself one part bleach and about 6-7 parts water.

This information may be useful to some people involved in caring for several or more cats (multi-cat households, boarding catteries, shelters, cat fosterers). They may well know this already.

Up to a quarter (25%) of cats in multi-cat environments (shelters an catteries), and 8% of house cats, showing no signs of a viral infection, shed FCV (feline calicivirus) from the mouth at any one time (src: Koret). FHV is said to be present in 80% of breeding catteries.

Surfaces and objects with which a cat has come into contact should be cleaned with the 0.75% sodium hypochlorite solution. 

Duralactin Feline L-lysine, a food supplement is said to suppress herpes virus replication.