Shelter Virus hits lots of cats, by Silvia Phenora

The Humane Society of Southern Arizona(HSSA) was hit with a cat virus know as Calicivirus recently. It causes Upper Respitory Infection, and can be very hard to spot. Many cats who are infected act perfectly normal. There is no specific treatment, and it spreads extremely easily. Some of the virus can be killed by bleach solution, but that is about as far as treatment can go. It survives for a long time.

Some of the cats at HSSA were euthanized, and all others with the virus were put in quarantine.
For about a month, no cats were allowed to go to foster homes, and HSSA could not accept cats from the outside, such as those being surrendered.

Now, certain cats are being allowed to be put into foster homes, but many cats are still in quarantine.

Yesterday, my parents and I went to see the quarantined cats. Volunteers are allowed to pet the cats, keep them company, take them out of their kennels, etc. in an attempt to lift the cats' spirits. Most of the cats, despite having Calicivirus, are active.

When we arrived inside the building where the cats are being kept, we were shown to a table where Latex gloves and disposable gowns were, as well as towels and a bleach solution in a spray bottle. We were instructed the following: Put on a disposable gown and gloves before handling any cats. In between cats, throw away your gloves in the trash bin provided, and wipe down your gown using the bleach solution and the towels. Should your gown become torn, either by being caught on a cats claws or something else, change it as you do you gloves.

You may sit down with a cat if you have a towel in your lap.

They had a sign hanging nearby with numbers on it. The numbers showed which cat kennels had cats that needed extra attention. None of the cats were known to bite, but some swat.

Some of the cats in quarantine, in their carriers and kennels.

The cats inside were either in typical cat kennels, or dog carriers, and many meowed at us as we walked by, and stuck their paws out of their cages, at each other and at us. Aw.

I picked out the cat in kennel 1, while Mom and Dad went for the cats whose numbers were on the sign. The cat whom I handled later on turned out to have one eye. The weird thing is, I didn't even realize I was handling a one-eyed cat until Mom said "Oh! That cat has only one eye."

 It took a few cats, but we eventually realized that we were not picking up the cats we thought we were("Is this cat 48, or is that number referring to the cat above it, not below?") After we realized how the system actually worked, we got it right, and lots of cats got handled. Thanks to the fact that other people there were handling the cats too, all the quarantined cats got attention, which we were told never happened before. Every single cat. (Give or take a kitten or two. It's hard to tell, with so many cats there.)

One of the cats I handled. A big cat, plush, and quite the lover. Didn't want me to leave,  and frankly, I didn't want to leave her.
Such a good kitty. Wanted rubs, rubs, rubs. Oh, and did I mention rubs? Purr..purr..purr..purr.

Mom, handling a kitten.

The three of us, ready to pick up cats.