COVID-19 and Pets: Cats Shed the Virus, While Dogs Do Not

Although there have not been any cases of COVID-19 passing from domestic animals—such as cats and dogs—to people, our furry friends can contract the virus. A new study looked at the susceptibility of dogs and cats to SARS-CoV-2, which is a zoonotic virus (infection derived from a pathogen that has moved from animals to humans). The researchers found that cats shed the novel coronavirus for up to 5 days, while dogs did not appear to shed any virus. Neither the dogs nor cats in the study developed any symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Cats that no longer tested positive for the virus were then re-exposed, and the group demonstrated an effective immune response, with none being re-infected. Researchers suggest that cats may provide a viable model for the study of vaccine efficacy. Read more here.