Cat owners have been issued a serious warning from the Animal Welfare Society of South Africa regarding the grim rise in the number of unvaccinated cats testing positive for Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV).
It is a gammaretrovirus that occurs worldwide especially in domestic cats, as well as small wild cats. It is also associated with various serious and fatal diseases including anaemia, immunosuppression and certain cancers, EurekAlert reported. According to IOL, this virus is one of the leading causes of death in cats and over the past few weeks, there has been an increase of cases in the Cape Flats.
Cats or kittens who show any of the following symptoms should be tested for FeLV.
- Pale gums
- Jaundiced colour in the mouth and whites of eyes
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Bladder, skin, or upper respiratory infections
- Weight loss and/or loss of appetite
- Poor coat condition
- Progressive lethargy
- Fever
- Diarrhoea
- Breathing difficulty
- Stomatitis – An oral disease
Meanwhile, it costs R270.00 to have your cat or kitten tested at the Animal Welfare Society of SA based in Philippi.
Picture : Unsplash
READ ALSO:
The Animal Welfare Society of SA – Our local pet heroes