Evening star., 1945-10-24
This and That
BY Charles E. Trace,ueH.

COLLEGE PARK, Nd.
Dear Sir:
Il had two black mother cats and
eight kittens. The middle of September
they were taken i'll suddenly, stopped
eating. etc. One kitten died over night.
I called a veterinarian, and he said it
was a disease which was wiping out
cats, and especially kittens, in whole
sections.
II saved two kittens When it was too
late, I learned that there is a vaccination
which is fairly sure If given in time. A
woman called me to say one OF her cats
had died, the other was i'll, and what
did I know about it?
''The vet she called was not very en-
couraging. 1t made me think. So many
animal lovers seem to know nothing Of
this epidemic and cannot take steps to
prevent 1t. It seems 1t was around all
summer and I didn't know of it.
Cordially yours, F. B. L."
This is probably the terrible disease
known as infective enteritis. Sometimes
it is called typhus, and at other times
typhoid fever.
It is more or less common in cats,
sometimes rising to the pitch of an
epidemic, but there is always some of it
around.
Quite yellow vomit gives this disease
one of its common names, yellow vomit.
Terrible thirst, lack of appetite, and
vomiting are symptoms.
Sometimes poisoning, irritating the
inf0cfiYHne Jr,n an cfr rif Al tot1 L.
a forerunner Of the infective enteritis
If cat is lost by it, new one should
not be taken on within year.
incubation is fairly effective before
the disease, but does no good after it
is acquired.
There is always danger in bringing in
strange cat, especially from a place
where there have been numbers of
animals.
If this disease gets started in a
neighborhood, 1t may kill all the cats
for blocks. since the germs may be car
ried on the feet, and picked up from
the grass.
The first thing to do is call a reliable
veterinarian. The diet is very little, no
more than egg white in water.
Some animal doctors will not take
these cases, since they endanger whole
hospital
Sick cats should not have access to
water, since the more they drink the
more they throw up.
Warmth and careful nursing are the
only real remedies.
There is an enteritis which is not in
fectious. This may result from in
judicious diet, or from poison.
Distemper, another terrible disease of
both dogs and cats, can cause enteritis.
Cats vomit freely with distemper, but
they also have the sneezing and cold
symptoms.
its own merits. It is essential for per-
sons fond of their cats to inquire of
some wet" in neighborhood whether
the disease is widespread, and then to
arrange for Shot" If this is advised
AS to what part diet plays, little is
known, but it may be suspected that
many cat and dog disease have been
caused by persons trying to make them
live on foods lacking in the elements
which they need. Cats, in particular,
are carniverous, and need fresh meat
or fresh fish every day. Several years
OF not having the right sort of diet
win make them susceptible to many
diseases, without a doubt. but the cause
and effect are seldom traceable.
DDT, the new insecticide, should not
be used around cats, since they get it
on their feet, and thence into their
system.
Animal friends should be very careful,
IN petting strange animals, to wash their
hands thoroughly before touching their
own animals. This is very easy to over
look. but should never be neglected.