bird flu in cats

[bobbie3917]

hi all

have you heard that there is a cat that has died of birb flu

i have just picked this up off a diffrenet group

The commentary on the 6pm radio 4 news (you can listen to it if you go
to the BBC website) was even more worrying. It would seem that once
cats are affected by the virus they shed it so that it can be passed to
other cats.


It isn't as contagious as it is between birds, and there's been no
instance of a pet infecting an owner. However, cats in close proximity
to others would be at risk. I breed, show and board cats, and think I'm
just beginning to get an inkling of how poultry farmers must feel -
future uncertain.


its a big worry, ppl that are feeding raw might want to make sure that all bird meat comes only from the UK and if and when it gets here ppl might want to start thinking about keeping there cats in

[Snoof]

I found a link for this for whoever's interested... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4758632.stm

[yola]

That is indeed a concern. It was quite disconcerting coz we were in Austria when it was announced that they had just discovered their 1st bird flu death. Still - there is nothing we can do to prevent the spread of this; it'll only be a matter of days or weeks before it hits UK shores.

I think if it is the same strain, and we already know it can jump species; cats that are habitual hunters must be discouraged from this activity for their own good.

Thanks for the link, btw!

[dinahsmum]

Yes - I think I would confine feline hunters for the time being.
However - the flu appears to be just a 'big bird' disease (or is it that people just don't notice dead sparrows?). Cats don't hunt ducks or swans, neither do they touch carrion, so i think (hope) it's a low risk.
Where would we be if we didn't have something to worry about?

[CJK]

i agree DM there's always some scare or other in the news, either a virus, food scare, health scare etc.

Is something to be aware of though

[dinahsmum]

here's an article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4761024.stm

[yola]

Originally Posted by dinahsmum

However - the flu appears to be just a 'big bird' disease (or is it that people just don't notice dead sparrows?).

I don't think it is DM. It's just that these are migratory birds so they're the 1st to succumb, probably even before they come into contact with indiginous populations. Eventually it will filter down I'm sure . . .

[Snoof]

Originally Posted by dinahsmum

here's an article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4761024.stm

This is entirely off-topic, but the scientist's name (Thijs Kuiken) made me snort water all over myself! His surname, kuiken, is the Dutch word for baby bird...