A virus fatal to cats has been discovered at the HoKaZo animal shelter in Uden. This is the so-called cat fever, which is a highly contagious disease of the digestive system. So HoKazo will be closed for the next two weeks. Other animal centers have offered to help.
The deadly virus was discovered in an animal that had just arrived at a cat shelter. To prevent more cats from getting sick, the shelter will be closed for two weeks. This means that no cats will be accepted or rehomed at HoKaZo. The animal center hopes to prevent this virus from spreading further.
“This can be fatal to unvaccinated cats,” says director Geir Hubers. He confirms that the cats in the shelter have been vaccinated. So they’re probably not in danger. But it is not yet clear whether the cats who recently arrived at the shelter have been vaccinated. “We’re certainly not underestimating this. This is really just prevention and security.”
Animals with cat fever often suffer from diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. There are no medications against the virus. Not every cat dies from disease. This mainly depends on the severity of the disease and the condition of the cat. The virus is not dangerous to humans.
Help from other shelters
Other shelters in the area are coming to HoKaZo’s aid. They will temporarily house incoming cats while the Oden Animal Shelter is closed.
High cost
Earlier this year, HoKaZo sounded the alarm because there wasn’t enough money to cover all the costs. Five municipalities in the region then pledged to provide financial aid worth 150,000 euros for the rest of the current year.
Cat illness is once again causing the shelter to incur medical costs. “The previous injury cost us around 80,000 euros,” says manager Hubers. “This is for medical costs and additional cleaning costs, for example.” The costs of cat illness are expected to be slightly lower.
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