McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Erica Elizondo and a few of her neighbors care for a community of cats in their neighborhood. Last Monday, she noticed one of the cats had gone from behaving normally to becoming extremely weak in the matter of a day.

She took the cat to the vet, where it was determined it had contracted Panleukopenia, a viral infection that lives in grass and soil. It is highly contagious and spreads through direct contact with an infected cat or contaminated surfaces.

Since then, over 35 cats and counting have died along with some dogs, birds, and squirrels.

Panleukopenia can only be contracted by cats. However, other animals have also died, which makes it unknown what could be the source of these deaths.

Elizondo reached out to McAllen Animal Care and the McAllen Pol

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