First feline SARS-CoV-2 case
Published: 3 August 2020
Researchers from the Institute's Centre for Virus Research in partnership with the School of Veterinary Medicine have identified the first pet cat to be infected with the virus, which is responsible for COVID-19, in the UK.
A team of scientists at the University of Glasgow has identified the first cat to be infected with SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the UK.
Researchers from the Institute's Centre for Virus Research (CVR) in partnership with the Veterinary Diagnostic Service (VDS) at the School of Veterinary Medicine made the discovery.
As part of their joint research programme, they have screened hundreds of samples for COVID-19 infections in the feline population in the UK.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs conducted follow up tests, which confirmed the positive result.
Researchers at the CVR have now completed a full genome sequencing of the virus found in the infected cat.
Margaret Hosie, a Professor of Comparative Virology at the CVR who works on the project, explained: “There have been sporadic reports of cats from COVID-19 households in Hong Kong, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the USA that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and were presumed to be infected from their owners, but this is the first report of an infected cat in the UK.
"All available evidence suggests that the cat was infected from its owners, who had previously tested positive.
"The cat and its owners have since made a full recovery and there was no transmission of the virus to other animals or people in the household”
William Weir, a Professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine, said: “The factors that govern why one species is susceptible to the COVID-19 virus while others are more resistant are currently unknown, but will likely reveal more about how this virus spreads and causes disease.
“At present, there is no evidence that cats, dogs or other domestic animals play any role in the epidemiology of human infections with SARS-CoV-2.
"Furthermore, the significance of SARS-CoV-2 as a feline or canine pathogen is unknown as cats and dogs with reported infections usually recover and there has been no evidence of transmission occurring between cats or dogs in the field.”
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported in cats, non-domestic cats and dogs.
Scientists have also shown that cats, ferrets and hamsters are susceptible, whereas ducks, chickens and pigs do not appear to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Enquiries: ali.howard@glasgow.ac.uk or elizabeth.mcmeekin@glasgow.ac.uk / 0141 330 6557 or 0141 330 4831
First published: 3 August 2020