Oct. 02--Volunteers at the Chicago Animal Care and Control center are appealing to the public to provide foster homes for cats that have been exposed to distemper and are in danger of being euthanized.
The center recently contacted PAWS Chicago and other no-kill animal rescue shelters after a number of cats tested positive for feline panleukopenia, also known as feline distemper. The virus is highly contagious, officials said.
The virus can be deadly but it is curable, according to Paula Fasseas, the founder of PAWS Chicago. Exposed cats need seven days of isolation, preferably in a home without other cats, Fasseas said.
"They need to be kept in a crate away from other animals to see if they break with the virus," she said.
When the waiting period is over, the cats can return to the shelter where they are given a second round of vaccinations, Fasseas said. If they aren't isolated, they risk being euthanized because of overcrowding at the center, she said.
Outbreaks of distemper occur every summer, and most cats are exposed to the virus at some point during their lifetimes. Most kittens get immunity through their mothers' milk but they should be vaccinated as they become older, officials said.
Symptoms of the virus include listlessness, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Some animals may die suddenly without clinical signs, officials said.
PAWS has recently secured about 40 foster homes for exposed cats and expects to place about 10 more in the coming days, said Fasseas. "We are looking for more foster homes to place cats. There is still work to be done," she said.
In 1997, Chicago Animal Care and Control impounded 28,314 animals and 26,394 of them were euthanized. In 2014, 19,415 animals were impounded and 5,585 of them were euthanized.
"We have a wonderful partnership with animal control who let us known when these things happen," Fasseas said. "Saving these animals is a community effort."
Anyone willing to offer a temporary home for exposed cats can contact PAWS at foster@pawschicago.org.
