MONTREAL -- Two Montreal cats are the first felines confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 on the island.
Researchers from the Universite de Montreal's veterinarian department made the discovery after a study launched in January.
"They were most probably infected by their owners who had confirmed infection with COVID," said lead researcher Cecile Aenishaenslin.
The study was launched to analyze the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats living with a pet owner who contracted the novel coronavirus.
Cats were recruited from around 30 different households in the greater Montreal area in collaboration with public health authorities.
The study's goal is to estimate the proportion of cats infected with COVID-19 in households where at least one person contracted the virus and "determine whether these infections in cats are rare or frequent events."
The study also looked at the characteristics of COVID-19 infection in cats and the factors that might influence the risk of infection for the animals.
"Both cats are in good health, they didn’t need any treatment," said Aenishaenslin. "We still know little about COVID infection in cats, but it doesn’t seem to create severe clinical manifestations in most cases."
Aenishaenslin added that there are no reported cases of human infections from their cat, and the cats with a positive test "had a low quantity of virus in their samples."
Researchers cannot rule out the possibility of cat-to-human transmission, Aenishaenslin said, but they feel the risk is low.
"There is no reason to worry for pet owners," she said.
Health Canada reminds pet owners who have tested positive for COVID-19 to avoid the following:
- Letting pets lick you
- Snuggling or kissing them
- Sharing food with them
- Letting them sit on your lap
- Letting them sleep in your bed
In addition, it is recommended to wear a mask at all times while near your animal and to keep your pet away from people and animals outside the household.
