People who live near areas where bird flu has been found in Germany are being told by authorities to keep their cats indoors and only take their dogs out on a lead (leash).
This is in response to the discovery of a bird flu infected cat found on the Island of Ruegen, just off the northern coast of Germany. Some H5N1 infected swans had also been found on Ruegen Island a few days ago.
Any state in Germany that has had infected birds will implement this order for dogs and cats, said Deputy Agriculture Minister, Gerd Lindermann. He added that there is no suitable vaccine which protects cats from bird flu.
German veterinarians believe the infected cat had eaten parts of a sick bird.
If cats can catch bird flu, this adds a new dimension to the problem of human infection. In Western Europe very few people bring their poultry indoors – but tens of millions of families have a cat at home. If humans can catch bird flu from a cat, this could add a new twist to the spread and development of the virus.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today