Cat news: Heartbreak as deadly cat plague kills 11 kittens at animal sanctuary

AN ANIMAL sanctuary has gone into lockdown and is facing closure after a deadly cat plague killed 11 kittens. The highly contagious feline panleukopenia, which attacks the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, swept through the shelter on July 8.

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An animal sanctuary has gone into LOCKDOWN and is facing closure (Image: SWNS)

Fur and Feathers Animal Sanctuary, in Wythall, Birmingham, temporarily shut after an eight-week-old moggy, called Marcie, died only hours after the disease was detected.

Ten other kittens also died while the remaining 25 rescue cats have been transferred to other charities to prevent them catching the deadly virus.

The sanctuary owners, who look after 65 animals, now fear it may close permanently after vets said it would need to relocate to get rid of the virus.

Lisa Hunt, the sanctuary's founder, said: "Literally within 12 hours of Marcie getting the virus she died as she got to the vets.

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Two eight-week-old kittens died only hours after the disease was detected (Image: SWNS)

"It's been absolute turmoil, the virus has swept through the whole sanctuary.

"We take in strays who more than likely haven't been vaccinated against the disease and the Kittens can't be vaccinated until there nine weeks old.

"The costs has put us in the red, we were down to only 27p in the bank account but last then we've got a bill of £200 and there's more to come.

"We have been fundraising like crazy over Saturday and Sunday and we've managed to get enough to keep going for now.

"The treatment has cost well over £7,000 so far and we still need to pay for vaccinations.

"The vets have told us to go back to the sanctuary and burn everything because the virus can be virulent in the area for months afterwards, so we now need to relocate and start from scratch.

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The sanctuary looks after 65 animals, raising concerns for the future of the other animals (Image: SWNS)

"The virus has been about for a number of years, it happened to us three or four years ago we lost around 21 cats to it, it was horrific"

"As a precaution all the kittens have been located to a foster home in Birmingham.

"We have no idea where it came from, we think it could be carried by flies because, maybe because of the hot weather even kittens that didn't have contact with others got it.

"We need someone to come forward and offer us a new facility to use.

"Otherwise it would take us weeks to completely gut the sanctuary and clean it, and even then there's still a risk of another outbreak."

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