VIDEO: Kelowna's cat cafe working hard to stamp out infection during closure

It looks like a scene from the movie 'Contagion', but it's just the people at Kelowna's Catelowna Cat Cafe stamping out an outbreak of ringworm.

Still, when a few cases of the infectious skin disorder emerged, it was serious enough for the cafe to temporarily close.

"As soon as I got the test results," said Ashley Karnes, "we had to immediately close."

The problem is ringworm can be spread not just from people to cats, but from cats to people as well.

Now at the front counter, where coffee and snacks are usually sold, is an array of petri dishes instead.

"We have our eyes on these things every single day," explained Karnes.

But so far the results indicate, that the right cats have already been isolated.

The problem has forced the cafe to dispose of most of the play equipment and furniture in the cafe.

"Even my gorgeous leather chairs," said Karnes. "It was a very sad few days."

Now the infected cats have been quarantined and all the other remaining cats are being repeatedly washed and tested.

The cafe has hired a veterinary technician to oversee all the bathing of the cats which isn't always easy.

Some of them are semi-feral and not easy to handle at the best of times.

"She just has a way with them," said Karnes.

It's all added an additional financial strain on a facility that relies on public support to survive.

"What's really bringing us light is that the community has stepped up," said Karnes.

All kinds of new things have started arriving as supporters rally to support the cafe.

"I'm hoping we're going to have an even better-looking cat cafe when we reopen," she said.

"I'm hoping that we're not going to be closed for longer than a month."

For more information on the Catelowna Cat Cafe and to learn how you can help, contact them here.

And for those wanting to make a purchase to benefit the cafe there's an Amazon wish list here.