Two Cats in New York Tested Positive for the COVID-19 Virus...CDC says positive tests in seven tigers and lions were found at Bronx Zoo

Thursday, April 23, 2020

NEW YORK, United States (AP) — 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 yesterday.

Corona Cats (File Photo)

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 (CDC) said.

The finding, which comes after positive tests in seven tigers and lions at 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's no indication the animals are transmitting it to human beings.

“We don't want people to panic. We don't want people to be afraid of pets or to rush to test them en masse,” said Dr Casey Barton Behravesh, a CDC official who works on human-animal health connections. “There's no evidence that pets are playing a role in spreading this disease to people.”

Still, the CDC is recommending that people prevent their pets from interacting with people or animals outside their homes by keeping cats indoors and dogs out of dog parks, for instance.

Corona virus

Coronavirus testing for pets isn't recommended unless an animal has been exposed to a person with COVID-19 and the animal has symptoms of the disease — and tests have ruled out more common possible causes, said Dr Jane Rooney of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

Veterinarians who think testing is warranted are supposed to contact state officials to decide.

Barton Behravesh said the animal tests are done at veterinary labs and use different chemicals than human tests, which have been in short supply during the crisis.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as a fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and can be fatal.

The two cats live in different parts of the state; the USDA and CDC wouldn't say where specifically.

The first cat fell ill about a week after a person in its household had a short respiratory illness, though the person's ailment wasn't confirmed to be COVID-19, Barton Behravesh said.