The prevalence of Salmonella spp infection in dogs and cats is much higher than the incidence of clinical disease; amongst dogs, faecal surveys generally find 1-5% normal dogs and cats shedding Salmonella spp and it is more common (up to 25%) in puppies less than 6 months old. Cats are extremely resistant to experimental infection with Salmonella spp, and clinical salmonellosis is uncommon in cats, although epizootics may occur, especially in kittens.