New Studies to Address Top Health Concerns of Homeless Cats

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 27, 2009 -- Nonprofit Urges Cat Lovers to Help Homeless Felines Stay Healthy

(Denver, CO, Feb. 24, 2009)—Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) seeks to keep shelter cats healthy so they can find loving homes. Homeless cats often roam the streets, susceptible to disease and environmental dangers. Millions of them end up in shelters each year where they may lose their lives due to a common, yet easily treatable illness. In a recent survey of animal shelter veterinarians, top health issues for shelter cats were reported to be respiratory disease, diarrhea and ringworm.

Thanks to an anonymous donation of $500,000 to establish the Helping Shelters Help Cats program—part of MAF's Happy Healthy Cat Campaign—the nonprofit will fund new health research into one or more of these diseases with the hopes of preventing the deaths of many feline friends. Nine proposals were submitted, and three are currently under consideration for the Helping Shelters Help Cats program.

Upper respiratory infection (URI) topped the list, and although generally not fatal in and of itself, this disease can be a death sentence to cats in shelters. URI is a highly contagious virus that moves rampantly through shelters, causing cold-like symptoms. URI often leads to euthanasia of cats in shelters because these organizations don't have the resources to prevent the spread of the disease or to care for affected cats until they regain health. Though treatable, affected cats may have recurrent outbreaks for life whenever they are stressed.

As part of the Happy Healthy Cat Campaign, Morris Animal Foundation issued a call for feline health research proposals, which are currently under review. The funded project or projects will specifically address URI, diarrhea and/or ringworm risk factors, prevention, intervention strategies and treatments that will help shelters better manage these diseases. It will also contain a training component to introduce veterinary students or graduate students to animal health research as well as a call for feline behavioral studies for stress reduction in cats.

"These diseases affect thousands of cats in shelters each year. We are fortunate that a passionate person has stepped up to help us improve the lives of shelter cats," said Patricia N. Olson, MAF president and CEO. "This donor has dedicated her gift in honor of the veterinarians and veterinary staff; directors, operations and administrative staff; and volunteers to humane societies, animal shelters and rescue organizations."

The Happy Healthy Cat Campaign is an unprecedented effort to raise pet-owner awareness of feline health issues and increase funding for feline health research and scientist training. Hill's Pet Nutrition donated $1 million to the campaign in addition to an extremely valuable genetic database of research data that will help scientists worldwide develop diagnostics and treatments for the most serious cat diseases.

For more information, visit research4cats.org.

feline health research     feline upper respirato     Happy Healthy Cat Campaign     morris animal foundation