Can Cats and Dogs Get COVID-19?

Though no definitive evidence suggests dogs or cats can contract COVID-19, there are steps you can take to protect your furry family members.

COVID-19 symptoms in pets usually aren’t severe and typically resolve within days; however, some pets may have more severe disease that requires medical treatment.

Symptoms

COVID-19 symptoms may include fever, coughing, sore throat, muscle aches or pain, congestion, runny nose, headache fatigue loss of smell and taste or diarrhea – symptoms which typically appear 2-14 days post exposure to an individual with COVID-19.

People suffering from mild COVID-19 typically feel better within several days to one week; however, some individuals become incredibly sick and don’t fully recover.

At times, children and teenagers who receive COVID-19 in hospital settings develop an inflammatory syndrome called pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome (PMIS), which can have serious repercussions and sometimes occur several weeks post-administration of COVID-19.

Adults and kids must immediately address any symptoms that arise, including rest, water consumption and eating a balanced diet. Furthermore, any activities which make you feel worse must be avoided as much as possible.

For example, if they experience difficulty breathing or chest pain, call 911 immediately so they can go directly to an emergency room.

Healthcare workers need to adhere to stringent isolation guidelines when working in hospitals in order to prevent disease transmission. If possible, they should stay in one room with separate bathrooms; additionally they should utilize hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content and wear disposable gloves when handling infectious materials.

Cleaning your hands regularly with soap and water after eating, using the restroom, touching frequently touched surfaces such as toilet seats or counter tops is also highly recommended. Furthermore, when in close quarters with other people or animals as well as when traveling outside your area or to high risk zones it’s advised that a mask be worn.

CDC advises all individuals at risk of COVID-19 infection or who have had close contact with someone carrying the virus to get tested as early as possible. Testing will allow doctors and health care providers to accurately determine whether a disease exists as well as appropriate treatments.

Transmission

As a pet owner, it’s essential that you understand that COVID can be transmitted to cats and dogs; however, the risks for these animals to acquire the virus is low, with most likely no symptoms and quick recoveries after infection.

Due to confirmed cases being rare among animals, and infection occurring only through contact with an infected human or animal, cat and dog owners who suspect their pet might have COVID should seek professional advice immediately.

Simply following some basic advice can reduce the chances of your pet contracting COVID, such as regularly washing hands after handling them and following simple tips like washing hands after touching your pets can help to lower risk and help ensure their own wellbeing while helping keep everyone else in your family healthy as well.

There have been multiple reports of cats contracting SARS-CoV-2, including cases in Hong Kong and Belgium. Both cats were infected while living in households where one or both owners had become infected with it.

Researchers conducted this investigation to see whether SARS-CoV-2 could be transmitted directly between cats. Their team analyzed data from five experimental and eight observational studies which involved cat-to-cat transmission.

Researchers discovered that direct contact transmission of SARS-CoV-2 can occur even at low inoculation doses, with aerosol or droplet transmission also possible. Furthermore, felines who were exposed could transmit it via inhaling contaminated air or by touching infected cats directly or their litter boxes.

Scientists suggest that to minimize inter-species transmission risks, individuals should refrain from having their cat on their lap or petting it, and avoid feeding leftover food to it from plates.

Prevention

As a pet owner, the best way to keep your cat from contracting covid is to confine them indoors until their vet gives the go-ahead. Also make sure your feline friend has access to adequate shelter, food and water at all times.

When cats become infected with coronavirus, they can experience flu-like symptoms. While most cases will remain mild, in some instances this illness can become severe and lead to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIP). FIP causes inflammation in one or more organs including eyes, liver, brain and intestine causing various clinical signs.

Most infected cats will show no symptoms; however, some will develop the ‘wet’ form of FIP where fluid accumulates within body cavities causing swelling in abdomen or chest cavity and difficulty breathing.

FIP with little or no fluid accumulation is far less prevalent but still can lead to severe inflammation in one or more organs, producing fever, rashes, eye symptoms and breathing difficulties among other symptoms.

Infected cats will typically shed the virus in their feces, but it may also spread on clothing or objects they come into contact with when using the toilet, such as clothing or toilet paper. They may also inhale it through direct contact with infected paws and fur, or through grooming themselves directly.

There are also vaccinations available to cats to help guard them against FCoV; these should only be used under specific circumstances and should not be considered routine preventative care.

Studies conducted recently demonstrate that domestic pets, like cats and dogs, are more prone to infection by SARS-CoV-2 variant than human beings are; indeed, the virus has already spread among animals worldwide as COVID-19 cases continue to spread through this route of transmission.

Two new unpublished studies reveal that those with COVID-19 often pass it onto their pets, particularly if they share beds together. Although most pets showed no or mild symptoms of infection, in rare instances some may have developed serious diseases, according to a news release issued by the virtual European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Treatment

People infected with COVID-19 should avoid direct contact with their pets by petting, snuggling, kissing, licking or sharing food – this includes petting and cuddling as well as kisses or sharing food items with them.

Cats are domesticated pets with no natural immunity against viruses like influenza; thus it’s unlikely for them to catch it; however, some cats do become sick and need treatment from a veterinarian.

Veterinarians offer cats with FIP the best chance of survival by finding appropriate antiviral treatment; however, this process may take time, leading them to worsen before receiving necessary therapy.

If your cat has contracted this virus, it is wise to isolate and limit their contact with other animals until your veterinarian provides clearance. This could include not allowing them to roam outdoors but instead staying within one room or space so they can feel comfortable and rest.

Gloves should always be worn when handling cats and other animals, including when handling food, dishes and waste. You should also clean your hands after having handled any animal.

Researchers have discovered that cats are more prone to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 than dogs. They conducted 48 cat and 54 dog tests from 77 households that had confirmed cases within nine months and found cats more susceptible than dogs to being affected by it.

Researchers also tested samples from a stray cat who had been present at a low-cost veterinary clinic and in close contact with another animal that had survived infection with COVID-19 virus; both cats were positive for COVID-19 infection.

These findings indicate that cats could act as reservoirs for COVID-19 virus, potentially reinjecting it back into human populations after becoming sick with it themselves. Therefore, it is vital to follow all recommended prevention and care measures for humans with COVID-19, while simultaneously informing pets on how they can protect themselves against infection by protecting themselves against COVID-19 virus.