After a typhus case in April, the city of Santa Ana in California is trying to round up and kill feral cats to prevent the disease from spreading. That might make sense if feral cats spread typhus, but they don’t — fleas do, and they don’t need cats to do it.
In a press release, cat advocacy group Alley Cat Allies cites epidemiologist Deborah L. Ackerman for the fact that in the absence of cats, “fleas are versatile parasites and will simply find another host, as dogs, raccoons, opossums, mice and all mammals as well as birds are potential hosts for fleas.” Hmm, “all mammals”…by Santa Ana’s logic, the town should start trapping humans.
Alley Cat Allies asserts that typhus outbreaks “are rare,” and in at least one case spread through fleas that made their homes on dogs, not cats. The organization urged Santa Ana to follow the example of Los Angeles County, which “advises treating pets for fleas and using humane outdoor cat deterrents to control flea infestations. Instead of killing feral cats, who avoid people by nature,” Alley Cat Allies continued, Santa Ana should “provide community resources for residents to treat and protect their pets, whom they come in contact with every day.”
Santa Ana’s strange choice of strategy should not minimize the threat typhus poses. Local residents, particularly those with young children, fear an outbreak, however unlikely it may be. Typhus can be fatal if it is not treated with antibiotics. Symptoms of the disease “include fever, headaches, chills, body aches and rashes on the chest, back, arms and legs,” MercuryNews.com reports.
1. In order to prevent typhus from spreading, the city of Santa Ana is trying to ( ).
A. killing rats B. killing wild cats
C. killing home cats D. vaccinate its residents
2. Fleas may live in the furs of ( ).
A. cats B. dogs C. raccoons D. all of the above
3. Alley Cat Allies ( ).
A. asserts that typhus will break out on a large scale
B. thinks that humans should be trapped because they are hosts to fleas
C. advocates the protection of animals
D. suggested that Santa Ana should provide community resources for residents to trap animals
4. Typhus ().
A. is an incurable disease
B. should be treated with antibiotics
C. can cause blindness
D. can cause deafness
原文：and kill feral cats to prevent the disease from spreading。
feral cats：野猫
2. D
原文：will simply find another host, as dogs, raccoons, opossums, mice and all mammals
3. C
原文：advises treating pets for fleas and using humane outdoor cat deterrents to control flea infestations.
4. B
原文：Typhus can be fatal if it is not treated with antibiotics.
