Lack Of Preparation By Pet Owners During Raya Leads To Rise In Parvovirus Among Cats

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According to a Harian Metro report, veterinarian Dr Azliza Ahmad said that after Hari Raya celebrations, she received a lot of reports involving Parvovirus that infects and risks the lives of cats.

She said that one of reasons the disease occurred was because cat owners left their cats in confinement for a long period of time while they returned to their hometowns.

"As we all know, Hari Raya this year came as a surprise. So a lot of the original plans of cat owners had to be changed, so their cats were left in confinement without proper care," said Azliza.

"There are also some owners who brought their cats back to their hometowns in a rush. With the heavy traffic, the cats were stuck in vehicles for lengthy journeys, which resulted in feline stress," she said.

Azliza added that another factor in the rise in the viral infection is because some owners let their cats roam around rural areas, which increases the risk of spreading the virus due to the cats interacting with unvaccinated strays.

The cats might be afraid of the sudden gust of visitors and roam away from their homes.

For the cats that don't, some guests might want to pet and play with them for their cuteness, which can also make them feel overwhelmed and increase the cat's stress levels.

"We are very careful right now as there are a lot of cats sent here that show symptoms of Parvovirus infection such as diarrhoea, vomitting, lack of energy, and loss of appetite. There are also cats that died suddenly without the chance of receiving treatment," she said.

According to her, the only prevention method against the virus is by immunisation following a specific timetable that is provided by a veterinarian. The shots will increase the body's defence in felines against the virus.