A strange, fatal hemorrhagic disease is killing housecats in Camarillo, California. Veterinarian Vera Barnett suspects that the illness originated in the lab of her lover, molecular biologist Noah Chamberlin, who has been investigating a hereditary feline disease at a nearby university. The infection soon appears in nearby cities and, not long after, all over the world. Senior epidemiologist Angelo Kraakmo, is assigned to investigate. The cause turns out to be a new virus. Angelo names the disease feline hemorrhagic fever, FHF for short. It did not originate in Camarillo. Newspapers report FHF mortality figures on their front pages. Rodentborne diseases become epidemic. Cat-oriented businesses suffer severe economic losses. Vera, Noah and Angelo work together to find a cure. By the time eighty percent of the world's cats have perished, scientists question whether the species can survive. Will Felis catus become extinct? What are the consequences of the demise of a species that has lived intimately with humans for twelve thousand years? How will the disappearance of our feline companions affect the human population? World without Cats By Bonham Richards iUniverse, Inc. Copyright © 2012 Bonham Richards All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4759-2601-9 Chapter One March 2020 1,099,500,000 Associate Professor Noah Chamberlin donned his gray sweats for a morning jog. As he was beginning his warm-up routine, his pocket phone sounded the "Hallelujah Chorus." Noah directed an angry glare at the device. Who the hell calls at six thirty in the morning? He opened the phone to find Gary McKeever's agitated visage. Gary was his sole grad student. Uh-oh, something's seriously wrong . "Hi, Gary, What's up?" "Morning, Dr. C. Sorry to start your day on a negative note, but we've got a big problem." Noah sighed. "You didn't prepare the culture." "No, no, the culture is fine," Gary replied. "The problem is that the cats are gone." "What are you talking about?" Is Gary setting me up for some kind of joke? "Yup, someone broke into the lab during the night and snatched them. It was those animal-liberation nuts." Noah was silent for several seconds. "They broke both locks?" he asked hoarsely. "No, they must have had keys ..." "Is Alicia in yet?" Noah asked. He wondered if the laboratory technician might have seen anyone with the cats. "No, she doesn't come in till nine." Noah was silent. His heart raced. "Right," he rasped. "I'll get there as soon as I can. Go ahead and notify the campus police." "Yeah, I already did. They should be here soon." Noah had awakened fifteen minutes earlier, anticipating the clock's alarm by seconds. He'd lain, silently marveling at the precision of his own biological clock. Bastette had pursued her morning ritual, nudging his leg and then carefully negotiating her way toward the head of the bed. The cat's whiskers had tickled Noah's chin as she'd settled down on his chest. Now Noah had a crisis to deal with—a big one. He mulled over what he'd planned for the morning. Run, shower, breakfast, bike to the university, prepare lecture on protein synthesis ... he heard the flap-flap of Bastette's private door as she went out to explore the backyard. Noah stared at the floor. Always one step forward, two steps back ... He considered skipping the run. Drawing back the bedroom drapes, Noah regarded a damp but quietly beautiful scene. Even the morning mist couldn't quite mask the vibrant reds, purples, and pinks of the bougainvilleas along the rear wall. He spied Bastette calmly grooming herself beneath a tall pine. A crow strutted across the yard, every now and then picking up a tidbit from the earth. The cat and crow eyed each other, but neither made a move. Noah smiled. The cat had learned long ago not to tangle with birds her size or larger. Noah laughed out loud. Shit! I'm not going to let this get to me. It'll take time, but I'll replace the cats . He hurried out the front door and jogged at a comfortable pace. As he ran, he mulled over the experiment he had planned for the afternoon. It's going to take several hours to set up so I better start right after the institute faculty meeting . Gary had mentioned on the phone that the bacterial culture was ready, and therefore, everything was set—except, of course, all the cats were gone. Well, cats aren't needed for today's experiment . When he stepped into the shower the needle spray drummed away all thoughts of world affairs, faculty meetings, experiments, and even the cat theft. For a few moments there was no universe outside the relaxing confines of the shower. He fed Bastette and bolted a quick breakfast himself. Because of the drizzle, Noah decided against the Sirrus twelve-speed. He threw his attaché case into the old Ford Focus and climbed in. Driving south toward the university, Noah's thoughts turned again to research. He recalled when, as a graduate student at Cal, he'd first read abou