Detection and Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in a Domestic Cat with Respiratory Signs in Switzerland

Abstract

Since the emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in late 2019, domestic cats have been demonstrated to be susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) under natural and experimental conditions. As pet cats often live in very close contact with their owners, it is essential to investigate SARS-CoV-2 infections in cats in a One-Health context. This study reports the first SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cat in a COVID-19-affected household in Switzerland. The cat (Cat 1) demonstrated signs of an upper respiratory tract infection, including sneezing, inappetence, and apathy, while the cohabiting cat (Cat 2) remained asymptomatic. Nasal, oral, fecal, fur, and environmental swab samples were collected twice from both cats and analyzed by RT-qPCR for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA. Both nasal swabs from Cat 1 tested positive. In addition, the first oral swab from Cat 2 and fur and bedding swabs from both cats were RT-qPCR positive. The fecal swabs tested negative. The infection of Cat 1 was confirmed by positive SARS-CoV-2 S1 receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody testing and neutralizing activity in a surrogate assay. The viral genome sequence from Cat 1, obtained by next generation sequencing, showed the closest relation to a human sequence from the B.1.1.39 lineage, with one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) difference. This study demonstrates not only SARS-CoV-2 infection of a cat from a COVID-19-affected household but also contamination of the cats’ fur and bed with viral RNA. Our results are important to create awareness that SARS-CoV-2 infected people should observe hygienic measures to avoid infection and contamination of animal cohabitants.

Current State of Knowledge about Role of Pets in Zoonotic Transmission of SARS-CoV-2

“…Including European countries, feline cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Belgium [ 25 ], Italy [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ], the Netherlands [ 30 ], Spain [ 31 , 32 ], France [ 33 , 34 ], Germany [ 18 ], Switzerland [ 35 ], Russia [ 36 ], Croatia [ 37 ], Latvia [ 38 ], Greece [ 39 ] and the United Kingdom [ 40 , 41 ]. The first case of SARS-Co-V-2 isolation in pet cats in Europe was reported in Belgium.…”

Do Dogs and Cats Passively Carry SARS-CoV-2 on Hair and Pads?

“…Further investigation is needed to assess the potential role of pets in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 [9]. To the best of our knowledge, the data on SARS-CoV-2 contamination of hair and pads of pets are limited and mostly refer to dogs or cats infected by SARS-CoV-2, as demonstrated by PCR positive oropharyngeal, nasal, and/or rectal swabs [10][11][12]. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether hair and pads of pets from COVID-19 positive households are contaminated by their owner(s) and/or indirectly by the environment in order to determine if pets, even if they are not actively infected, may passively carry the virus.…”

An in vitro study regarding an animal model for the attenuation of SARS-CoV-2: Are cats possible candidates?

“…The human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been proven (Pagani et al, 2021;Klaus et al, 2021;Carlos et al, 2021). However, the following questions remain: (i) Can SARS-CoV-2 transmit naturally from infected cats to susceptible cats?…”