MENDOCINO Co., 6/15/24 — The three major animal shelters in Mendocino County are not accepting kittens for surrender or adoption. On June 13, the Mendocino Coast Humane Society spread the word via Facebook that a dangerous cat disease is now circulating in the county.
Panleukopenia is highly contagious, as the virus can live on just about anything and is extraordinarily resilient: it can live in dirt for over a year, and it can be spread through feces, saliva, water and food bowls, bedding, and more. Because the disease is so contagious, the Mendocino Coast Humane Society is no longer accepting kittens.
Calls to inland shelters did not turn up incidents of the disease; those shelters are not accepting kittens because they are seriously overcrowded. A source at the Inland Humane Society in Redwood Valley said they get an occasional cat with panleukopenia, but it’s not frequent, and they have not seen an upsurge. What they have seen is way too many cats: the Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County currently is housing 160 cats and kittens and cannot take more.
It’s a similar story at the county-run Ukiah Animal Shelter on Plant Road. A source said that the shelter has not had above average cases of panleukopenia, but there is no space for kittens. “We have to prioritize strays,” she explained. Owners with a litter of kittens are expected to find homes privately.
If you are on the coast, you should vaccinate your cats against this disease; the routine FVRCP vaccine protects against panleukopenia. But given how contagious the virus is, don’t dally if you’re inland—all cats should be vaccinated against a disease that is often deadly. One thing to rest easy about: It is a feline (and ferret) disease—it does not affect humans or dogs. And of course, please spay and neuter your animals.
This is the post on Facebook from the Mendocino Coast Humane Society:
