Maui veterinarians are warning cat owners about deadly virus

At least three confirmed cases of a highly contagious and life-threatening feline viral disease that’s rare in the islands have Maui veterinarians on alert.

The virus, known as feline panleukopenia, attacks cells that divide quickly, such as those in the intestines and bone marrow. It can also lower a cat’s white blood cell count, leaving it vulnerable to other illnesses and infections, according to Dr. Danielle Dewey, a veterinarian at the At Home Animal Hospital, who says the disease is about 90 percent fatal to young and unvaccinated cats.

Symptoms of the disease include vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, lethargy, fever and sudden death. Dewey said a cat could start to show symptoms between seven to 10 days after coming into contact with the virus.

Dr. Miyo Miyasaki-Kim, director of veterinary services for the Maui Humane Society, said there have been three confirmed cases of the disease at the society’s facility. In each case the cats came from the Kahului neighborhood bounded by Queen Kaahumanu Shopping Center and Lihikai Elementary. All three were euthanized.

"We just could not risk having that disease in our shelter," she said. The society also picked up an infected dead cat in the island’s Upcountry Kula area.

Miyasaki-Kim said she could not pinpoint an islandwide tally.

Coe Huston, co-owner of At Home Animal Hospital and Mobile Veterinary Services, said feline panleukopenia can be spread without any physical contact with an infected cat. The virus can live in an environment for a year and be transmitted through feline saliva, blood and feces. People can even unknowingly bring the virus home through their clothes or shoes.

Jeffry Morrison, a veterinarian at the Wailuku Pet Clinic, said, "It’s a bad disease, and it just pops up from time to time in unvaccinated cats." He advises cat owners who suspect that their pet may have the disease to see a vet right away.

Depending on its age and the intensity of illness, a cat may be successfully treated with fluids and antibiotics.

The best protection for cats is a vaccination that may be given to kittens in their first few months, then at one year, and about every three years thereafter.

Other preventative measures include keeping house cats away from feral cats, trapping feral cats if they look sick and bringing them to the Humane Society, and washing hands often and taking shoes off in the house if there are other cats in the area.

SPCA Maui will hold a mass vaccination clinic for cats 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday at 355 Hukilike St., Suite 112, in Kahului. Vaccines will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Cats must be in hard-sided carriers and covered with a clean, dry towel.

For additional information, call 380-0738 or visit spcamaui.org.