Rare Feline Disease Projected To Kill Millions Of Cats, Experts Fear Extinction
Americaâs second-favorite pet is in a battle for its life, and looks like itâs losing. Cats, both domestic and feral, have been dying in alarming numbers across the country, and veterinarians working closely with the Center For Disease ControlÂ have been seekingÂ to find a cure for this new feline disease.âWe have diagnosed aÂ disease, but cannot control it. Itâs spreading at an alarming rate, and we can project death rates into the millions by summer. If your cat has been urinating more than usual, or being extra vocal, it could be the first signs of the disease,â said Alan Anderson spokesman for the CDC. âWhile a cure would not be impossible to find, we at the CDC quite frankly have better things to focus our energies and research on.âAnderson said that while the CDC has been looking to find a cure for the disease, they have been also dealing with massive amounts of paperwork leftover from the recent Ebola scare.âWeâre very tired after that whole Ebola thing,â said Anderson. âThis new cat disease, known as Feline Urinary Cartilage Abdominal Track Syndrome, or Â FUCATS, for short, is easily spread, and it could very well mean an end to cats altogether. But, here at the CDC, our main concern is human diseases and controlling and containing their spread. Possibly dog diseases, too, but certainly not cat diseases.ââMany in my field feel that FUCATS is a godsend,â said Â veterinarian Mark Miller. âI look forward to the day I can go to work without being scratched by those soulless creatures. For felines, FUCATSÂ is a horrible way to die. Their intestines turn into hard cartilage, and itâs very painful. Itâs so painful for the cats, itâs almost hard for me to enjoy watching them die, but I manage.ââItâs horrible. I mean, they could cure it, but they canât be bothered,â said Margaret McCoy of Duluth, Minnesota, owner of 15 cats. âMy babies are all I have. I guess I could get a dog. I always wanted a dog, and I hear one dog equals the love of 15 cats. But, stillâ¦Iâve grown attached to these furry little guys,Â the litter being tracked all over the house, and the smell of ammonia in the air. I hope that FUCATS doesnât get my little fur-babies!âÂ