Can Pets Contract and Spread Coronavirus?

The fast spreading Coronavirus is highly contagious between people but many wonder how safe their pest are when it comes to COVID-19 and whether or not pets could pass the virus onto people.

Researchers say felines actually are at higher risk than dogs.   A research team at Harbin Veterinary Research Institute in China says other animals including chickens, pigs and ducks are not likely to catch the virus.

There have been a few isolated reports of animals getting the Coronavirus, including a cat in Belgium and a dog in Hong Kong.

Researchers say animals infected with COVID-19 don’t exhibit any symptoms.

Scientists say however, cat owners need not panic by running out to buy a surgical mask for their kitty.  And as for social distancing, we already know cats have that practice down to a science.

Lab experiments gave high doses of the virus to cats and dogs and tests showed cats don’t secrete enough of the Coronavirus to pass it on to people.

In another experiment, a cat infected with SARS-CoV-2 transmitted the virus to another cat it was put into a cage with.  Results showed all the cats produced antibodies against the Coronavirus.

Despite the fact animals can contract the virus, science says chances of humans getting the virus from a pet is negligible.