It’s called bird flu. So, it should affect birds, right. Oh, it does, but the avian flu that has been ravaging American farms for the past 2 1/2 years, is mutating, first spreading to cows, and now it’s spreading to one of america’s most popular pets. Indoor pet cats are the latest victim. At least 22 domestic cats have been reportedly been infected. Six of those have been in Colorado, one of which was directly linked to a dairy facility in the state that had seen the infection in cattle. But, two were in indoor cats with no direct exposure. The other three were indoor-outdoor cats that were known to have hunted mice and other small animals, including… birds.
Vets says domestic cats provide a potential pathway for the disease to spread to humans. They recommend keeping cats indoors and away from birds and mice. The fatality rate for this current H5N1 strain in cats has been around 67%, and it’s more common for cats associated with infected dairy farms to contract the illness. Just one more thing to worry about in this crazy world.
