Community Corner
Gwinnett Shelter Quarantines Cats For Illness
The quarantine was enacted after a dead kitten was found to have a contagious disease, county animal welfare officials said.
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — Health officials have quarantined all the cats at the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter after a dead kitten was found to have a contagious disease.
The 14-day quarantine was declared Saturday after the dead kitten was discovered at the shelter. Preliminary testing by a local veterinarian indicates the cat had feline panleukopenia, a highly contagious viral disease.
Feline panleukopenia infects and kills rapidly growing cells in cats, including those in the bone marrow and intestines.
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No cats will be taken into the shelter or allowed to leave during the quarantine.
In a news release, shelter officials said an animal welfare and enforcement officer was cleaning the shelter when the kitten was found unresponsive. The University of Georgia will perform a necropsy to confirm the diagnosis.
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Shelter staff has contacted everyone who has a pending feline adoption. Dog intake, adoptions and rescue will continue as normal, the shelter said.
Photo via Gwinnett County website
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