Cats can catch COVID-19 from humans, but it is considered rare. There is evidence that infected people can pass the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS- CoV-2) to cats, mostly through close contact. Cats infected with COVID-19 usually show mild symptoms if any, and most recover quickly. However, there is currently no evidence that cats can transmit COVID-19 back to humans or play any significant role in spreading the virus to people. As a precaution, people with COVID-19 should limit close contact with their cats and practice good hygiene such as washing hands before and after interacting with pets.
Key Points:
- Cats can be infected by humans with COVID-19, mostly via close contact.
- Infected cats generally show mild or no symptoms.
- No evidence supports cat-to-human transmission of the virus.
- Precautions include avoiding close contact and washing hands when handling cats if someone has COVID-19.
- Cats have a feline coronavirus which is different from SARS-CoV-2 and is common in cats but not related to COVID-19 in humans.