New virus that causes ‘staggering disease’ discovered in US - and it can kill pet cats and those in the wild

karashta@lemm.ee to News@lemmy.world – 286 points – New virus discovered in US that can kill pet cats and those in the wild
independent.co.uk

The American Veterinary Medical Association said symptoms to watch for include a staggering gait, the inability to retract claws, extreme sensitivity to touch, tremors, and seizures. The illness usually lasts for a few days to a few weeks, but can also linger for more than a year.

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Very unpopular opinion: good. I love cats, but they are a pest when outside as they kill the local population.

If you have a cat, don't let them outside of your property unless you hate ecosystems.

Even more unpopular opinion.

Sprawling suburbs are much more damaging to the ecosystem than cats.

It's not an either/or thing. Outdoor cats are causing an ecological disaster when it comes to birds. The big solution is to spay and neuter as many as possible, especially pets. Even indoor ones can escape.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_predation_on_wildlife

The added benefit is that when there are few enough cats that there are loving homes for most of them, then the percentage of kitties with humans to take care of them increases drastically.

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Then support your local trap/spay/neuter charities. This is a miserable and painful way for them to die and likely wouldn't kill enough of them to get the effect you're hoping for. All you're wishing for here is needless suffering.

I am aware of how damaging cats are to the ecosystem, but regardless of that, I don't understand how you can live every day worrying whether the cat will come back or bring some kind of disease home with it. With our indoor cats I have control over what they eat and at most every few years they catch a cold. But nothing serious after 9 years of having indoor cats.

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