This Caturday, we discuss what TV show returns we’re looking forward to the most, the bird flu outbreak in NYC and how salt lamps are a no-go for cats.
Hello, humans! What an exciting two weeks 2017 has already been. Hidden Figures knocked Rogue One off the top spot at the box office, Joe Biden got the Presidential Medal of Freedom and we’re less than a week away from inaugurating a new president.
But that has little to do with cats. Because no matter who’s president, a cat’s going to do what a cat’s going to do. Now, here are the cat highlights of the week:
In New York City, 500 shelter cats were quarantined after a bird flu outbreak…
Out of what seems like nowhere, nearly 400 shelter cats in New York City contracted a rare avian flu, a milder form of the H7N2 virus. The outbreak started in November, and led to the relocation of nearly 500 cats to a shelter in Queens. While reports say that it’s difficult to transmit the virus to humans, one veterinarian working closely with the affected cats has tested positive. It’s unclear how the virus spread so quickly. But if you’re in the New York City areas, be aware of symptoms like “runny nose, congestion, coughing and lip smacking” in your cats.
In other news, The Expanse returns to television soon, as do several other shows…
Syfy’s hit show, The Expanse debuted at the end of 2015 to favorable reviews. Set in the future, the show follows Joe Miller from the planet Ceres tasked with finding a missing woman. The cast and visuals were fantastic. However, only ten episodes aired and the show went on a long hiatus. On Feb. 1, Season 2 returns. And if you need a refresher of the first season’s events, here’s a reenactment:
Other shows we’re looking forward to (and recapping again) are Supergirl, the return of TGIT, Colony, Victoria, The Walking Dead and several others.
And finally, let’s talk salt lamps…
This Christmas, I received a salt lamp. It’s exactly what it sounds like, except I think it looks like a moon rock. Of course, the lamp is made out of salt, which happens to be very toxic to cats.
Image via Buckie Wells
As detailed by the Pet Poison Hotline, “Salt poisoning in dogs and cats results in clinical signs of vomiting, diarrhea, inappetence, lethargy, walking drunk, abnormal fluid accumulation within the body, excessive thirst or urination, potential injury to the kidneys, tremors, seizures, coma, and even death when untreated.” Yikes!
Obviously, you should be wary of anything that your cat has the potential to consume. Since they’re such curious animals, they almost give everything a lick at least once. The recommended amount of salt intake for a cat is 16.7 mg. So if your cat demonstrates any worrisome signs, contact your local vet immediately.
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In summation: birds and salt are bad, and TV rocks. Have a good weekend, everybody!