New virus discovered in US that can kill pet cats and those in the wild
www.independent.co.uk
First case found in female mountain lion in Colorado last May

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.

  • someguy3@lemmy.world
    401·
    3 months ago

    A variant of the rustrela virus – related to the wider-known rubella virus which causes a skin rash in humans – called RusV was discovered in a female mountain lion in Douglas County, Colorado last year, according to a study published in the journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, this month.

    The big cat was observed in May 2023 with lesions on her skin and signs of severe muscle weakness in her hind legs. She was also reluctant to get up and had decreased mobility.

  • Icalasari@fedia.io
    32·
    3 months ago

    Alerted my folks and friends with cats. Unlikely to have spread to Canada in any meaningful numbers, but best to have the knowledge and see if that can be vaccinated against

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        298·
        3 months ago

        And it will also reduce the number of bird species being brought to extinction by outdoor cats. Now to be fair, most of that preying is going on by feral cats, but that’s why you should also spay or neuter in case kitty escapes.

  • skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de
    27·
    3 months ago

    You missed the important part.

    It generally results in a decline that require the animal to be euthanized.

  • tiredofsametab@fedia.io
    171·
    3 months ago

    I hope it doesn’t come to Japan. We have lots of cats running around the area that I moved to. I hope to start some trap+neuter/spay at some point, but can’t afford it now. One of the cats will get close and hang out, but will not be touched. They’re all varying shades of feral. On the plus side, they do help keep our rodent populations low (as do the snakes to a lesser degree (though they prefer toads), but I prefer non-venemous farm helpers

    • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
      1·
      3 months ago

      Can you explain the difference? I thought with viruses there is typically little to no treatment other than letting it run its course.

      • scoobford@lemmy.zip
        6·
        3 months ago

        Prions are misfolded proteins that misfold other proteins they contact. They’re much harder to kill with heat or sanitizer and pretty much always fatal.

  • massive_bereavement@fedia.io
    2447·
    3 months ago

    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.

    • medgremlin@midwest.social
      20·
      3 months ago

      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.

    • SyntaxTerrorDeutsch
      13·
      3 months ago

      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.