The Humane Society of Cambria County has officially shuttered its cat room to the public following an outbreak of a highly contagious respiratory illness. Kennel lead Michael Marino reportedly confirmed that several feline residents fell ill, with one case so severe it required emergency veterinary care. Staff believe the culprit is feline calicivirus, a virus that causes upper respiratory infections and oral disease. While the virus is resilient, it only affects cats and poses no risk to humans or dogs. To contain the spread, the shelter has implemented several emergency protocols. Cat adoptions are still being processed, but only for households without existing cats to prevent cross-contamination. Also, the facility is currently not accepting any new cat surrenders or rescues. Furthermore, the cat kennel area is strictly off-limits to visitors while a deep-cleaning process is underway. The humane society says it will probably take about 2-3 weeks before the cats stop showing symtoms. While the cat wing is under lockdown, officials emphasize that dog adoptions remain unaffected.
