The COVID-19 Pandemic and Your Cat
The COVID-19 pandemic brings many questions to cat owners on the table, such as what should I do with my cat if I catch the virus and how should I and my pet cope with the pandemic? Today, your questions will be answered so let’s get right to it!
Can your cat get infected with the virus?
You may have heard of the multiple cases in which dogs, cats, and even tigers were tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. But before you jump to conclusions, it is important to understand that these cases are rare and most of the pets had only mild COVID-19 symptoms. The chances for an infected person to infect your cat are low and the same can be said vice versa. This is because in order for a human to infect a cat with COVID-19, this would require the virus to undergo a mutation which would allow it to infect cats instead of humans. From this logic, this would also mean that in order for a cat to infect a human with the COVID-19 virus, the virus must mutate to be able to infect a human.
How do I know if my kitten caught the virus?
Since there have not been a lot of cases in which cat’s contracted the COVID-19 virus, we cannot be certain of the symptoms. However, based on a few cases, symptoms seem to include gastrointestinal and respiratory issues: an infected cat in Belgium developed gastrointestinal and respiratory issues and two cats from New York both developed mild respiratory illness.
Can the virus be passed on your cat’s fur?
It is possible that the virus could live on your pet, similar to how the virus lives on any other surface. But because pet fur is a porous surface, this means that it can absorb and trap the virus which makes it harder to spread by touch. What this means is that it is very unlikely that you would contract COVID-19 by interacting with your pets. Regardless, it is still a good idea for pet owners to wash their hands before and after you pet them as a cautionary measure as recommended by the CDC (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). It may also be a good idea to bathe your cat more frequently -but not to an unhealthy extent- than you normally would.
What if I catch COVID-19?
If you or a feline caretaker is diagnosed with COVID-19, the CDC recommends for the infected person to quarantine themselves from other people and animals. They also highly recommend for the person to leave their cat in the care of other individuals who are not infected with COVID-19. However, if you cannot find anyone to take care of your kitten for you, the current recommendation -from outside sources- is to avoid as much contact with your cat as possible, wash your hands thoroughly before and after interacting with the cat, and to wear a face mask. The person must also refrain from allowing the cat to breathe or lick their faces to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to your feline friend.
Should I keep my cat indoors?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a good idea to keep your kitten indoors as it can reduce their chances of being infected with COVID-19 and can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 to fellow felines. Keeping your cat indoors can also help protect native wildlife as well!
I hope this blog post helped clear up some questions that you had regarding your cat and the COVID-19 pandemic. Make sure to wear a mask and wash your hands thoroughly to avoid contracting and spreading the virus to others. Thank you for your time and I will see you next time!
Citations:
[1] Care, International Cat. “International Cat Care.” COVID-19 / Coronavirus Advice for Cat Owners | International Cat Care, 28 July 2020, icatcare.org/covid-19-advice-for-cat-owners/.
[2] “Frequently Asked Questions COVID-19 and Feline Health.” Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 14 May 2020, www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/coronavirus-update/frequently-asked-questions-covid-19-and-feline-health.
[3] Wong, Brittany. “Worried About Your Dog Or Cat And Coronavirus? Here's What To Know.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 18 Mar. 2020, www.huffpost.com/entry/dog-cat-coronavirus-what-to-do_l_5e7156cbc5b63c0231e42a4c.