SEOUL, April 19 (AJU PRESS) – Pet lovers in Korea have been shocked as almost 60 cats have died of a mysterious sickness since March, which they speculate to be linked to native cat meals.
As of Friday, at the least 152 circumstances, together with 57 fatalities, have been reported, in line with Life, an animal rights activist group.
Affected cats confirmed acute neurological and muscular signs, together with kidney failure and problem standing or transferring. Sick cats have been discovered throughout the nation no matter breed, vaccination historical past, or dwelling surroundings.
The Korean Veterinary Medical Association (KVMA) is presently conducting an investigation to determine the reason for the illness.
Owners’ communities on the messenger app Kakao Talk and different websites have recognized a typical issue among the many sick cats: They had been fed cat meals produced by a significant Korean pet meals maker between January and April.
The firm produces round 15 forms of cat meals below varied manufacturers via unique tools producer (OEM) and unique design producer (ODM) contracts.
It additionally exports pet meals to the North American market, with preliminary gross sales exceeding $700,000 after it expanded to cities like New York and Vancouver in 2023.
“We can’t touch upon the state of affairs relating to cat meals right now,” an official of the pet meals producer advised Aju Press on Thursday, declining to reveal her identify and title. “An investigation is underway, and we’re ready for check outcomes earlier than making any bulletins.”
The results of the investigation is anticipated inside per week or two, the veterinary affiliation mentioned. It has suggested cat homeowners to stay watchful and promptly search veterinary care if their pets exhibit signs of nervous or muscular ailments.
“While investigation outcomes are pending, we suspect a possible widespread issue amongst sick cats, however conclusions will solely be drawn upon receiving lab outcomes,” a KVMA official mentioned.
Shin In-seob, head of Life, mentioned the Busan-based animal rights group has collaborated with veterinary clinics that handled affected cats and {that a} thorough investigation is being carried out. “We can’t disclose something in the mean time. Any unverified feedback we make may cause injury to the pet meals firm or different organizations,” Shin mentioned.
Kevin Drouin, the industrial attaché on the Offices of the Quebec Government in Seoul, is without doubt one of the many determined cat homeowners.
His cat named Shara was hospitalized on April 10 after displaying signs of vomiting, limping, and shaking. The cat’s situation continued to deteriorate even after she was handled at a veterinary clinic.
Drouin and his partner Sarana Lkhasaranova quickly discovered that there have been dozens of households who’ve sick cats with related signs, lots of them burdened with pricey clinic charges. “Some homeowners resorted to taking out loans to cowl hospital charges,” Drouin mentioned.
They hope Korea and its society will implement stricter requirements to stop related tragic occasions from occurring once more.
“Amidst the despair, I held onto hope that collective motion and accountability from accountable events may forestall such tragedies sooner or later. I enchantment to the energy and unity of Korean society to enact significant modifications and implement stronger requirements for the pet animal trade,” the partner mentioned.
