Cats and coronavirus

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,018
0
Bury
Could this mean domestic cats can catch the virus off humans, and then infect other cats and maybe humans?


'A tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the new coronavirus, in what is believed to be the first known infection in an animal in the US or a tiger anywhere, federal officials and the zoo said on Sunday.

The four-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia – and six other tigers and lions that have also fallen ill – are believed to have been infected by a zoo employee who wasn’t yet showing symptoms, the zoo said.'


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/06/bronx-zoo-tiger-tests-positive-for-coronavirus .
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,018
0
Bury
The article said:

A tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the new coronavirus


The standard test has high specificity



PCR-test
The PCR-test is very specific, but has a lower sensitivity of 65-95%, which means that the test can be negative even when the patient is infected.
Another problem is, that you have to wait for the test results, which can take more than 24 hours, while CT results are available right away.
Common laboratory findings in COVID-19 are a decreased lymphocyte count and an increased CRP and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level.


https://radiologyassistant.nl/chest/lk-jg-1 .

Don't know whether this includes feline coronavirus.
 

Lawson58

Registered User
Aug 1, 2014
4,302
0
Victoria, Australia
Not cat related but to transmission of diseases with animals.

Many years ago some race horses in Queensland started dying, quite rapidly, from an unknown disease. The whole industry was shut down and the horse trainer who had been desperately trying to save his horses also died.

It was discovered to be something called equine morbidi virus and the horses became infected from eating feed that had been contaminated by bats. A lot of bats carry the virus but rarely die from it.

There were a number of vets who died from the disease until protocols were developed and owners and trainers took steps to keep feed free from contamination. It has been years since I have heard of any more cases so maybe they have developed a vaccine.

I think only one person who contracted the disease survived.
 

Starting on a journey

Registered User
Jul 9, 2019
1,166
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I have explained to my cats about social distancing , how they must stay in the garden , leave it once a day for exercise and possibly essential hunting (shopping for them).
They do not seem to retain it from one day to the next!!!
 

Melles Belles

Registered User
Jul 4, 2017
1,208
0
South east
Our cats don’t listen to good advice either. I keep telling them not to chase bees. Numerous times a day I am rescuing bees. Mind the bees keep flying around at a low level even when they are being chased.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,018
0
Bury
 

Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
17,710
0
70
Toronto, Canada
Good link @nitram. It says that so far infection seems to be from human to animal and not the other way around.

I have always kept my cats indoors. Fifty years ago people thought it was cruel but as my cats live to long, ripe old ages, I feel I have made the right decision. Also, I live in urban areas so the chances of an animal getting hit by a car or getting poisoned etc etc are eliminated when they are kept indoors. If a cat is always kept indoors, they will not miss the outdoors as such. Their innate curiosity will always make them try to bolt out the door, simply because it is a forbidden thing :).
 

Banjomansmate

Registered User
Jan 13, 2019
5,364
0
Dorset
Nothing to do with Corona virus worries but as a volunteer with a Bat Rescue group I would ask all cat owners to keep their cats indoors for an hour around dusk and dawn. Better still keep them indoors overnight if possible. This is for their own safety as well as for the bats that they catch, injure and kill every year.
In the coming months female bats in particular are very vulnerable. Cats can hear the bats in their maternity roosts and wait for them to come out at dusk. The females are carrying their baby inside them and finding it harder to fly. They drop out of the roost carrying the extra weight and are easily caught. Likewise after they have had the pup they will fly with it clinging to them, again making it easier for a cat to catch both of them.
The majority of the 135 bats that came into our rescue group last year had been cat attacked and most of the ones that died (roughly half) did so because of infection from the cat’s saliva. We can often get their injuries to heal, even torn wing membranes can repair themselves but unless they can be given antibiotics within twelve hours of being attacked there is every chance they will die of sepsis.
Unfortunately a form of bat rabies prevalent in Europe is now being found in British bats as we are discovering that more bats come across The English Channel than was realised. If your cat catches one of these bats it runs the risk of getting infected and that is something you do not want. I had to have pre rabies injections before I was allowed to handle bats and would need more if I was bitten by one, think what would happen if your cat was bitten by a bat it had caught! So please, try to keep your cat indoors at dawn and dusk and save the life of a bat and maybe more.?
 

Sirena

Registered User
Feb 27, 2018
2,324
0
I have explained to my cats about social distancing , how they must stay in the garden , leave it once a day for exercise and possibly essential hunting (shopping for them).
They do not seem to retain it from one day to the next!!!

Yes I know what you mean - one word from you and they do as they like!
 

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