The first confirmed case of coronavirus in a pet cat has been confirmed in the UK. The cat caught the virus via their owners after they had tested positive. The entire household, including the cat have all gone on to recover fully. There is no need for cat owners to panic or for anyone to get concerned. Here’s what you need to know.

Cats Don’t Pass the Virus to Humans

All research has shown that it is not possible for cats to pass on the virus to humans. There’s no need to distance yourself or your family from your pet over concerns that the cat may have picked up the virus outside the home and may pass it to your family. There is absolutely no evidence that shows that cats or any other domestic pets can transmit the virus to humans.

According to Professor James Woods the head of veterinary medicine at University of Cambridge, only a small number of animals that have been in contact with infected humans have gone on to become infected. The data that has been collected does show that humans can pass the virus to cats but not the other way round. This is thought to be down to the size of the cats. The exhale a much smaller amount of breath compared to humans and they only produce a very low level of the virus.

Protecting Your Pet from Covid-19

The advice remains the same as it has throughout the lockdown period regarding reducing the risk of passing coronavirus to cats.

• Wash your hands frequently including before and after any contact with your pets.
• If you think you may have been exposed to the virus avoid close contact with your pets.
• Avoid contact with your pets if you have tested positive.

The updated advice to those with confirmed or suspected Covid -19 is to keep the cats indoors if they are happy to be restricted to indoor life. If the cat is likely to suffer from extreme stress related medical reasons the cat shouldn’t be forced to remain in the home.

Cats may carry the virus on the fur, in a similar way that the virus can be found on doorknobs and other surfaces. Therefore, it is imperative to continue with the frequent hand washing.

The coronavirus pandemic is not being driven by animal to human transmission, it is human to human. There is no need to banish your cats from the home. Wash your hands and follow the advice above to keep your pets as safe as possible.

Talk to us if you would like to discuss the cat containment options that provide cats with safe and secure outdoor access without free reign to roam. `