Pocatello Animal Shelter euthanizes entire cat population

The Pocatello Animal Shelter is in the process of euthanizing around 100 cats — its entire cat population — after several tested positive for an upper respiratory infection.

According to shelter officials, they started to notice a number of cats at the shelter with symptoms of the illness in mid-August. After a week of treatment, officials found that the shelter’s entire population of cats weren’t responding to treatment and started blood work, which indicated the cats had the feline herpes virus and a mycoplasma infection.

After talking with local veterinarians and the Idaho Humane Society, officials found that the entire population of cats at the shelter were likely infected and the best course of action was to euthanize the animals.