Putting strays and ferals at further risk

I've been wondering the same thing ever since I saw this story this morning. It made all the major evening news broadcasts here, and when I went to post a German newspaper account on a German forum, I found that people were going through their cat food and asking whether they should throw out anything made in Thailand. Unfortunately, an awful lot of the pet food marketed here is produced in Thailand. After so many civets being destroyed in China because of SARS, I really worry about the cats in Asia.

Horrible...

http://www.comcast.net/News/HEALTHWE...2dc495f12.html

Thank you, hissy...sorry I didn't see your post earlier.

I really hope they don't "treat" the cats the same as they did the birds...poor babies!

That is scary! I live in Asia so you can understand how I feel. I am praying everyday that people here in customs and the bureau of animal industry keep vigilant about food imports and sanitation.
I am glad my girls prefer seafood over fowl.

That's VERY scary!!!

Katie

The WHO has already responded: http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapc...rap/index.html
It's not certain whether the cats were infected through contact with live poultry, or by eating raw poultry. I really doubt that people have to stop feeding their cats cooked meat or canned food, particularly because most of the latter was produced long before this outbreak.

Ugh! Is anyone else here reading, or has anyone already read, DOMINION by Matthew Scully? It seems to have been prompted in part by those very spectacles, and by the whole Mad Cow madness. I kind of resisted getting the book for a while because someone who recommended it runs hot and cold, for me. However, I am finding it a terrific book, if hard to read in some places! I'm only about a quarter finished but I think if you are someone who cares about our world and the animals who share it with us, you should definitely give the book a look.

Hopefully, as far as these Avian flu cases are concerned, public health officials will bear in mind that HEALTHY animals generally are not fatally affected by many germs and viruses. I really abhor seeing herds destroyed when people get overzealous or overfearful about disease.

Okay, I've been following the bird flu for a while now.

Firstly, I personally think it's highly unlikely for the H5N1 virus to jump from chicken to cat without the cat ingesting it. Cats and birds aren't even closely related.

Secondly, I would only start to worry if the H5N1 virus was found in pigs. Pigs are considered as 'mixing vessels' for viruses as in pig many genes are swapped making the virus potentially more contagious or lethal. The virus can then leap to humans and possibly be tramsissable amongst humans.

There is also the fear of a person already infected with influenza becoming infected with H5N1. This can lead to H5N1 mutating and becoming transmissable human to human. The risk level at last check was low. The more times H5N1 infects people, the possibility of mutation occurring increases.

Thirdly, the world is overdue for a flu epidemic and with the world population at 6 billion and rising with dense living conditions especially in poverty stricken areas and cities concern shown for bird flu isn't overzealous. To date, there is no vaccine for H5N1 and humans have no immune response to it. No country wants to be the country of origin for the next flu outbreak, particularly if they are holding an Olympic Games.

There is a possible solution with taking antivirals but these must be taken at the right time. And there is no stockpile of antivirals for every citizen in each nation. In the worse case scenario, many will die.

Have I scared everyone silly now? I hope not.

Does this excuse cruelty to animals infected or those possibly hosts? No, not at all.

For some background information about the Avian/Bird Flu without all the fuss and emotion.

Bird Flu Story