According to new research being presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), people with COVID-19 can infect their pets. As per researchers, cats are particularly at risk, especially if they sleep on their owner's bed.
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The study was conducted on 156 cats and 154 dogs from 196 households, where the owners had tested positive for COVID-19. For the results, antibody tests and RT PCR tests were carried out.
Of the pets tested, 67% of household cats and 43% of household dogs tested positive for antibodies, showing they had COVID-19 at some point. This shows that the most likely route of disease transmission is from human to pet, rather than the other way round. As per the findings, the more time a cat spends with its owner, the higher the risk of infection.
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