BALASORE: At least 31 cats have reportedly died of an unknown disease in Bhograi block of Balasore district in the last couple of days. Harish Chandra Das, a resident of Gajipur village in Hooghly gram panchayat, said he has lost 20 of his cats. The cats became sick and stopped eating before dying, he claimed.
Similarly, Bhagirathi Sahu of Jagannathpur village said seven of his cats have died. Srihari Jena of Batsarisha village in Sahabajipur gram panchayat has also lost four of his cats. With the Covid-19 pandemic not yet over, locals are in panic over the deaths. While some believe the cats died due to an intense cold wave, others suspect that the felines may have succumbed to airborne infection.
Veterinary doctor of Bhograi Tapan Jena said the symptoms suggest that the cats may have died after getting infected by a virus. Jena said he has informed the authorities concerned about the matter. Meanwhile, the local administration advised the owners of the cats to bury the carcasses and not dump those in the open.