CATS WITH INFLUENZA

Evening Star, Issue 21711, 4 May 1934, Page 11

CATS WITH INFLUENZA

WOMAN NURSES STRAYS How a young woman wore herself into a state of exhaustion nursing ten cats suffering from influenza was revealed at Nottingham, when she asked for help a few weeks ago at the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals. An assistant who went to the address given found a woman of about eighty with ten cats in an advanced stage of illness. All the animals had to be destroyed. Mr H. R. Bolton, superintendent ot the dispensary, stated that the woman had kept nine cats, all strays, to which she was devoted, and she lived with them and her young woman companion in a room about 10ft by 12ft. “ Last Thursday," he said, “she gave shelter to another homeless cat, which apparently was suffering from influenza, because within twenty-four hours all the other animals had been affected. “ Our official found the cats wrapped in flannel jackets and mufflers. The only humane thing was to put them out of their misery. The young woman who had been looking after them all '.ho week-end was in a state of exhaustion." The elder woman afterwards called at the dispensary for a last glimpse ot the tan bodies. She addrsssed each cat by name and caressed it before she was led away sobbing. Professor G. H. Woolbridge, of the Royal Veterinary College, stated that in his opinion “ cat influenza ” was a kind of distemper.