Last Friday, the association 3 Pattes, which offers abandoned kittens for adoption and works to help stray animals in Frontenay-Rohan-Rohan, was contacted by a local veterinarian. After a test, the professional identified typhus virus within a litter that had just been placed in a foster family. A rare disease that had almost disappeared, and has returned since 2018.
The animal that caused the disease was their mother, an unvaccinated cat whose puppies showed symptoms of this highly contagious virus among felines. A condition that is not transmitted to humans, but can be fatal to cats, especially young animals. Fever, vomiting and/or diarrhea: these are the symptoms.
On site, the town hall and animal lovers are taking the problem seriously. The sick litter was euthanized. And a vast vaccination campaign was launched. Because the cat at the origin of the contamination is “asymptomatic and she goes outside” says Hinda Launais, vice-president of the 3 Pattes association. The animal may therefore have contaminated other members of its kind.
“We can carry the virus on the soles of our shoes”
A very “disease”contagious“and who can touch including”owners with cats that never go outbecause it is enough to walk in sand soiled by the excrement of an infected animal to bring the virus back home on your shoe” explains the mayor of the commune Olivier Poiraud.
The vaccination campaign is launched to immunize the twenty or so stray cats in Frontenay as quickly as possible. And all owners are asked to check that their animals are up to date with their vaccinations. A second dose will be injected in a month.
