Srinagar: Panic swept through Kashmir’s cat-loving community after a series of viral posts sparked concern. Local veterinarians reported a surge in pet owners bringing their cats in for check-ups, all triggered by misleading social media claims.

The scare started in January, when veterinarians in Kashmir, where the cat population has surged due to increasing numbers of stray cats and the influx of expensive breeds, issued a warning about a rise in infections among cats. The vets attributed this to a lack of vaccination and improper handling of strays.

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A Kashmiri boy plays with a pet cat while waiting outside Kashmir veterinary hospital in Srinagar | AP
A Kashmiri boy plays with a pet cat while waiting outside Kashmir veterinary hospital in Srinagar | AP

What was meant to be a precautionary advisory quickly spiraled out of control. Videos and news reports began circulating, alleging that cats could transmit dangerous diseases to humans and cause miscarriages in women.

In response, the region’s animal husbandry department issued a statement reassuring the public that keeping cats as pets posed no harm as long as hygiene was maintained. However, this statement failed to calm many worried pet owners in Kashmir, where cats are revered in Islamic folklore for their cleanliness and intelligence.

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A Kashmiri man waits for his pet cat to receive treatment inside Kashmir veterinary hospital in Srinagar | AP
A Kashmiri man waits for his pet cat to receive treatment inside Kashmir veterinary hospital in Srinagar | AP 

Mir Mubashir, a local businessman from the outskirts of Srinagar, expressed his anxiety after seeing the posts and reports. Fearing for his Persian cat, Liger, he rushed her to the vet. “I felt really scared,” he said. It wasn’t until the vet reassured him that everything was fine that he was able to relax. AP