Glasgow scientists have diagnosed a cat with SARS-CoV-2.
It's the first feline case to be confirmed in the UK and experts believe it caught the infection from its owner.
The team at the University of Glasgow made the discovery as part of a joint research project after initially being diagnosed with feline herpes by a private vet.
Professor Margaret Hosie said: “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."
The professor from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, worked on the project with researchers from Veterinary Diagnostic Service (VDS) of the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine.
She explained: “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.”
The UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) conducted follow up tests confirming the finding.
And Glasgow researchers have now completed a full genome sequencing of the virus found in the infected cat.
Professor William Weir of the University of Glasgow’s School of Veterinary Medicine says it's still not known why one species is more susceptible to the virus than others.
He also pointed out that there is no evidence of transmission between cats or dogs.”
The UK's Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss went on: "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."
