Wenatchee Valley Humane Society Resumes Cat Adoptions

After a two-week moratorium, the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society has resumed cat adoptions.

Adoptions were halted earlier this month when five felines contracted an illness called panleukopenia.

This highly contagious virus attacks white blood cells.

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For many adult cats, panleuk is unpleasant but not fatally serious, according to interim Humane Society director Jane Provo.

"Panleuk is the cat version of parvo," she says. (She means canine parvovirus.) "An adult can survive panleuk if they're in good health. In kittens, however, it can be deadly because of the dehydration that occurs so quickly."

"Once a kitten has been identified as having the disease, we start with fluids and other kinds of care to hopefully get them through the epidemic."

Provo says the creatures in her care were asymptomatic at first.

"It's kitten season - we get litters of kittens that come in on a very regular basis. Although we give them medical exams when they arrive, those five kittens undoubtedly came in with [panleuk] and didn't begin showing symptoms for a few days."

Volunteers were barred from the areas of the shelter that house cats. Only credentialed staff were permitted in those areas; they had to wear "personal protective gowns and gloves."

"[Panleuk] is very, very contagious," Provo says. "We take great care to not spread the disease to any other cats throughout our shelter."

But things are looking up.

The Humane Society is hosting an adoption event. Starting Tuesday, "all adult cats will be offered at $25," Provo says. "Folks can check out the cats up for adoption at our website: wenatcheehumane.org."

"All cats will have been spayed or neutered and have their updated vaccinations and so on. They're ready to go home."

"We have many cats to choose from and we're eager to get them to their forever homes."