Two cats in New York state become first US pets to test positive for coronavirus
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Two pet cats in New York state have tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first confirmed cases in companion animals in the US, federal officials said Wednesday.
The cats, which had mild respiratory illnesses and are expected to recover, are thought to have contracted the virus from people in their households or neighbourhoods, the US Department of Agriculture and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The finding, which comes after positive tests in some tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo, adds to a small number of confirmed cases of the virus in animals worldwide. US authorities say that while it appears some animals can get the virus from people, there is no indication pets are transmitting it to human beings.
The agencies emphasized that there is no evidence pets play a role in spreading coronavirus in the United States. “There is no justification in taking measures against companion animals that may compromise their welfare,” they said.
Asked about the cats on Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci said “it’s not surprising” they could have been infected.
But Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease specialist, emphasized that “there is no evidence whatsoever that we’ve seen, from an epidemiological standpoint, that pets can be transmitters within the household.”
