Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 16, 2006 15:17:36 GMT -5
Howdy folks: Just a heads up for all you cat lovers. Went to a wildlife rehab veterinary symposium a couple months ago and one of the topics was the new bird flu. It's traveling with the ducks and other migratory birds now and is expected to hit the US sometime between spring and fall of this year and it's suggested you turn your cats into indoor pets as they apparently do catch this particular H5 strain. Right now this flu likes to jump straight from bird fecal material or other fluids to humans but it also likes to bridge the species gap by going through a mammal ( esp pigs) and pigs apparently help it mutate to a human to human strain. It's thought there's also a good chance if your cats come in contact with birds or drink outside water fouled by birds, that the cats may catch the flu and possibly transmit it to your family. The cat thing is not a big deal for me as I'm not a feline fancier and, apparently doing raptor rehab work, I get to be one of the first to contact this flu, but all you cat lovers should be careful where you let your beesties roam....mel
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Post by Cher on Mar 16, 2006 15:47:43 GMT -5
Nice kitties y'all got there. My grandson has one that looks just like Franklin, named Cubby. He's such a cool cat, I just love the markings like that. Elly's pretty too ... oh heck they all are pretty.
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Post by Alice on Mar 16, 2006 16:03:39 GMT -5
Thanks for the heads up Sabre. I've only heard about the bird flu, but don't really know how a person would get infected with the virus. Is it handling animals who are infected with it? is it coming into contact with it's droppings? Will it be safe to go outside and garden? (birds tend to poop anywhere). Should one be concerned if a bird "goes" on them? What about drinking spring water from up in the mountains? If it gets into the city water, does the city have a way to kill off the virus?
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 16, 2006 19:55:44 GMT -5
Alice: because of micro-organisms I think most city water is treated. Vet didn't say about wild water sources. Main method of transmission at present is through contact with bird fecal material or fluids from a sick bird. Viruses are pretty readily killed on exposed surfaces so I'd think the gardening thing is not a worry. All current human cases are from lots of direct contact with sick birds and their droppings. I tell ya though, if it mutates to human to human transmission, we're all going to be in one scary situation. In 1918 this same bug specialized in killing strong young men and women in their teens and 20's. Very unusual for a flu bug and mortality now, ( mainly in third world situations though) is still running 50% on healthy folks!...mel
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offbeat
no posts
Member since May 2010
Posts: 0
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Post by offbeat on Mar 16, 2006 21:14:45 GMT -5
Mel, As I understand it, the bird flu will hit the US on the west coast first. Do you think if/when it does come to our shores there will be warnings not to have bird feeders and bird bathes? From the map I saw it will make it here to the great lakes region with the ducks/geese that will be returning from the south west region of the country when/if it gets here. Bill
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 16, 2006 21:59:33 GMT -5
Bill, Actually the scientists tracking the migration of ducks etc have said the flocks will cross northern Europe east to west and combine with our flocks over the Atlantic and drop down the east coast of north America. There is some debate about this though, as the Asian flocks which also look to have the flu combine with our migrants over the Alaskan region and drop down the west coast so no one really knows for sure. The main hope is that it will mutate to a more mild form rather than a worse form. Again, no one can know for sure what the bug will do. So far the species mainly carrying the flu are not bird feeder or bird bath types of birds ( mainly ducks, geese, gulls etc) but that can change too. Since this disease virtually exterminates chickens, turkeys etc, I expect that's where the first warnings will come from. I expect when the poultry ranchers get hit we'll all be hearing lots of warnings, news etc. If it starts going from human to human, make sure you've got ammo for your guns cause in this country we're not used to infrastructure breakdowns and poorly set up to deal with it. ( look at what happened during the hurricanes and that was small scale compared to a pandemic) I suspect if a pandemic does come, all heck is gonna break loose real fast.....mel
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offbeat
no posts
Member since May 2010
Posts: 0
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Post by offbeat on Mar 16, 2006 22:03:00 GMT -5
I guess we can hope that maybe it will go the way of the Sars..... Take care, Bill
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Post by Alice on Mar 17, 2006 8:46:49 GMT -5
so much for taking my kids to go and feed the wild geese and ducks this year. They come right up to you and pick your pockets (every nook and cranny in your clothes actually... they go up your sleeves, down your neck, your shoes, etc...) in hopes to find food. my oldest really looks forward to it every year
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Mar 19, 2006 0:56:39 GMT -5
This is Tiger. Tiger doesn't like snow.
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Apr 4, 2006 22:01:56 GMT -5
Milo is an indoor sunny california kitty so he doesn't even know how much he hates snow but he does have that "curious cat" look down
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Post by BAZ on Apr 4, 2006 22:40:18 GMT -5
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Post by krazydiamond on Apr 6, 2006 15:46:41 GMT -5
what a beautiful photo, Baz! cats in the sun are so pretty.
Don, i LOVE the expression on ol' Tiger's face! and Milo looks like one gorgeous kitty, Rally....i love this thread!
KD
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Post by cookie3rocks on Apr 6, 2006 21:08:30 GMT -5
AHHH, Tiger should be an inside kitty when it snows. Poor pussums.
cookie
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Apr 7, 2006 2:15:07 GMT -5
Cookie, no need to worry about Tiger -- she literally spends about 98% of her time indoors during winter. The pic was taken during one of her daily, but brief, excursions outdoors to see if there were any signs of Spring in the air. She is much happier in summer, when she still spends over half her time indoors, but can also go outside in comfort for as long as she wants.
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Post by BAZ on Apr 8, 2006 23:24:16 GMT -5
Thanx KD! It was as peaceful of a day as the photo conveys.
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Post by mrbrett on Apr 9, 2006 7:47:52 GMT -5
This is Nolte. He is a Himalayan/Persian purebred. He is 14 years old. Last summer he was diagnosed with chronic renal failure. But, he is doing good. I give him IV fluids 2-3 times a week and he purrs when I do it. He knows it makes him feel better.
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Post by BAZ on Apr 9, 2006 12:26:23 GMT -5
Good lookin' Kitty Brett! We had a kitten named Bobcat who had the same problem, we gave him fluids also but he never purred! Just tried to scratch our eyes out!
Good Nolte, he is looking good for 14 Brett!
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Apr 9, 2006 14:08:21 GMT -5
What a great looking cat! In the second pic, it looks like Nolte was sleeping in the drawer when you opened it, and now he's really PO'd.
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