Cat deaths probed
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Livestock officials in Angthong province are assigned to visit a temple in Pho Thong district today to check on reports that scores of abandoned cats there have died of cat flu disease.
Angthong livestock chief Prasit Puangthong said he was informed about the mysterious deaths of cats at Wat Khao Kaew and already assigned his team to check the cause of the deaths.
“There are a large number of cats abandoned at the temple and reports said many of them died from unknown disease. At this stage, I could not say whether cat flu disease is the cause of death until our staff visits the temple,” he said.
However, he said, if it is the disease, the public should not be worried because it cannot spread from cats to humans.
Meanwhile a Nation reporter visiting the temple yesterday found about 70 felines there, some of which appeared to be in weak condition and have wounds.
A nun, Payao Inman, 58, who took care of the cats, said there were previously about 200 cats at the temple but since last week, many had died from unknown disease one by one, at about two a day.
“Before they died, they would have wounds on the body, coughing, running noses, lack of appetite, and convulsion.
If the disease hit a mother cat, it would claim the lives of the mother and the kittens, the nun said. She added the symptoms seemed to fit those of cat flu disease.
