A study from China has revealed that coronavirus can be transmitted between cats, and another report has surfaced of a cat in Belgium having been infected by its owner.
Professor Eric Fèvre, chair of veterinary infectious diseases at the University of Liverpool, said: “People should take the usual precautions of hand washing when handling their pets ... especially if sick with Covid-19. It is important to add that this says nothing about how the virus coming out of a cat may or may not be infectious to humans.”
Professor Jonathan Ball, a virologist at the University of Nottingham, said similar observations of transmission in cats had been made in relation to Sars, which is genetically closely related to Covid-19. “However, it should be remembered that cats are not playing much, if any, role in the spread of this virus,” he said. “Human to human transmission is clearly the main driver, so there is no need to panic about cats as an important source of virus. Obviously, if you think you have Covid-19 and share a house with a cat, then it would be sensible to limit close interactions with your furry friend until you are better.”