First UK cat diagnosed with coronavirus following lab tests

The UK’s chief veterinary officer has confirmed that Covid-19 has been detected in a pet cat for the first time, following tests at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) laboratory in Weybridge on Wednesday, July 22.

Although this is the first confirmed case of an animal infection with the coronavirus strain in the UK, there is no evidence to suggest that the animal was involved in transmission of the disease to its owners or that pets or other domestic animals are able to transmit the virus to people.

Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: ‘Tests conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency have confirmed that the virus responsible for Covid-19 has been detected in a pet cat in England.

‘This is a very rare event with infected animals detected to date only showing mild clinical signs and recovering within in a few days.

‘There is no evidence to suggest that pets directly transmit the virus to humans. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will update our guidance to pet owners should the situation change.’

The cat had initially been diagnosed with feline herpes by a private vet, but the sample was also tested for SARS-CoV-2 as part of a research programme.

The case has been reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health in line with international commitments.

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