Avian flu - the latest

Avian influenza (bird flu) has now been confirmed in a dead swan found in Cellardyke on the east Scotland coast, the first recorded case of the disease in a wild bird in Britain. Officials have established a 3 km (1.8 mile) protection zone around Cellardyke where movement of poultry will be prevented. A further surveillance zone of 10 km has also been set up.

Cats have been identified as one of the species which can become infected with the H5N1 avian flu virus. This has been established experimentally and has been seen in several cats in Germany and Austria, mostly where it has caused their death.  Cats are among the many animals that can be infected when they come into close contact with the virus, which of course they may do if they eat birds which are infected.  However, studies that have been done so far suggest that cats are not a major reservoir of the virus and that relatively little virus is shed in their faeces (cats excrete only one-thousandth of the amount of virus that chickens do, or less). Infection in cats is rare and there has been no evidence to date that cats have been responsible for transmitting the virus to humans, although it can be transmitted from cat to cat.

FAB believes that the simple and most effective way of avoiding cats being infected is to keep them indoors, especially if they are known to wander and are in an area where infected birds are known to be present. Owners within the 3 km protection zone should consider keeping their cats indoors as recommended by DEFRA. This is being recommended in other countries in regions affected by the virus.

FAB urges pet owners not to panic and abandon or rehome their cats because of fears of infection with bird flu.