Tests confirm two Thai domestic cats killed by bird flu

[DuctapeFatwa]

Two domestic cats in Thailand have died of the same bird flu virus that has killed at least 22 people in Asia, a veterinarian who conducted tests on the animals said on Friday. "We found H5N1 in two of the three cats," Teerapol Sirinaruemit, a veterinarian at Kasetsart University's animal hospital, told reporters.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/BKK236870.htm

[Skip Intro]

1. What am I supposed to feed my cat? n/t

[NYC]

4. I think the cats died from eating RAW chicken.

I'm sorry I don't know more about it. I know the clouded leopard ate raw chicken. Until you figure out what is going on, make sure all your cat's food is thoroughly cooked.

So far, the H5 virus seems to be in Asia only. The U.S. and British Columbia have H7. I haven't heard of another animal catching that yet.

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. Is this unusual?

Is it unusual to have another species, other than human, become infected from the H5N1? Is it possible that this particular virus is one that can affect all species?

[NickB79]

5. Bird-to-mammal vs. mammal-to-mammal

There have been numerous cases of humans and other mammals contracting the avian flu virus and dying of it, so this isn't that unusual. It states right in the article that 22 people have died of bird flu so far this year alone. What health officials are on the lookout for are cases where a person is infected by another infected person, not a bird. If the virus mutates to the point that it can successfully survive long enough and jump from human to human, that could have potentially devastating consequences. Similarly, if they find cases where say, a pig or a cat passed the virus on to another pig or cat, that would also raise warnings throughout Asia, because it would then be much more likely the virus could jump to humans.

[jus_the_facts]

3. This is just f'ed up....guess if the kitties go then bubonic plauge....

....will come back with a vengeance too! :scared: