Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has identified the first confirmed case of staggering disease in a North American mountain lion, according to a recent news release. Staggering disease, a neurologic syndrome typically fatal in domestic cats in Europe, is caused by the rustrela virus and is characterized by abnormal behavior and difficulty walking.
The sick mountain lion was initially reported in a residential area of Douglas County on May 12, 2023, where it exhibited severe hind leg impairment and mobility issues. Despite testing negative for other diseases, wildlife officials suspected staggering disease due to its clinical presentation resembling European cases. Tissue samples were subsequently sent to the Friedrich-Leoffler-Institut in Germany, confirming the diagnosis.
Lead author Karen Fox, a research scientist at Colorado State University and former CPW wildlife pathologist, emphasized the need for continued vigilance and collaboration to monitor the virus’s spread among domestic cats and wildlife in Colorado.
“With this knowledge, we are better equipped to identify and study new cases as they arise,” Fox stated. CPW encourages the public to report any sightings of mountain lions displaying abnormal behavior to local wildlife authorities for further investigation.