Cats ‘highly susceptible’ to COVID-19: Study
Like pet, like owner?
A recent study suggests that your furry feline friend can be infected by COVID-19 and pass it to each other, just like their human counterparts.
However, there is no evidence to suggest that cats could pass the novel coronavirus to their owners.
According to the The Guardian, the research team at Harbin Veterinary Research Institute in China – the authors of the study – found cats are “highly susceptible” to COVID-19. But while felines can catch the fatal virus that’s infected the world, humans shouldn’t fear catching it from their pet.
Also, the World Health Organization reported on its website that there’s no evidence to suggest that dogs, cats or any pet can transmit COVID-19 to humans.
However, those who are currently quarantined indoors should stay away from their cats in an effort to protect it from getting the virus.
The Harbin Veterinary Research Institute study revealed cats are able to transmit the virus via respiratory droplets to other feline counterparts, but not to humans. The study also notes that dogs are unlikely able to catch the coronavirus.
Other animal studies such as ducks, pigs and chickens also are unlikely to be infected by COVID-19, according to the study.
The study comes on the heels of a cat reportedly contracting the virus from its owner. The owner started showing COVID-19 symptoms while the cat also began having difficulty breathing, had diarrhea and had vomitted.
In late February, another cat and two dogs tested positive to the coronavirus in Hong Kong.
The discoveries from the study – which haven’t been subjected to peer review – were uploaded to pre-print website bioRxiv on Wednesday. During the research process, tested animals were given high doses of COVID-19.
Five cats were infected with COVID-19, with three of them placed in cages next to felines that didn’t have the virus.
One of the cats who contracted the virus didn’t get it from direct injection, which suggests that it was transmitted between the animals through droplets – the same way humans spread it. According to the study, scientists were able to duplicate the result in a second grouping of cats as well as ferrets.
The Guardian report noted experts found the findings of the study credible and useful to help understand how COVID-19 spreads as the race to create a vaccine continues.
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