Local cat owners in Carletonville, Fochville, and the surrounding regions are being urged to vaccinate their pets following an outbreak of a deadly disease known as Feline Panleukopenia.

Wanda Kramer, the office manager of the Carletonville SPCA, noted that many owners recently reported their cats losing their balance before eventually dying. While people initially feared the animals were being poisoned, a veterinarian has since confirmed the presence of the virus.

Dr Wolf Staude, a vet in the area, warns that the disease is now widespread across the region. He explains that vaccination is highly effective but notes that the virus frequently strikes kittens younger than eight weeks old. Owners should consider this disease a likely cause if a kitten dies suddenly.

Common signs of infection include extreme weakness and vomiting alongside severe stomach pain and bloody diarrhoea.

Affected cats will lose their appetite and suffer from rapid dehydration.

The disease is incredibly dangerous, with a mortality rate in kittens of around 90%. However, between 60% and 90% of older cats can survive if they receive professional hospitalisation and supportive treatment.