Any person who has a cat knows how difficult it is when a beloved pet is sick. Unlike people, an animal cannot talk about its pain in words, show where and what hurts, how bad it feels and how it feels.
The main savior in this situation is a specialist - a veterinarian. This is in everyday life.
However, life in new conditions - not only self-isolation, but also general fear - makes its own adjustments. People are faced with a danger that experts themselves know little about. COVID-19 has “hung its crown” on almost the entire population of the planet.
Scientists in almost all countries are trying to study the “tricks” of the new virus in order to prevent infection. But so far few have succeeded. It is known that the death rate from coronavirus can systematically increase and reach, according to some scientists, 100 percent among those infected. Everyone is scared. And those who cannot imagine their life without pets are also afraid for them, their smaller four-legged brothers.
During the pandemic, a wave of euthanasia of pets has already swept across the world. Many were not killed, but simply thrown into the trash. Paralyzed by fear for their own lives, people quickly forgot that they were “responsible for those they tamed.”
But first things first. Tvbrics.com talks about what coronavirus is in cats, what you should be afraid of, how it manifests itself and whether it can kill a cat.
How likely are cats and other animals to become infected with coronavirus?
Two New York cats have become the first pets in the United States to test positive for COVID-19, but veterinarians are asking people to refrain from widespread testing of pets for now. Cases of cats being infected with coronavirus are rare.
A group of Chinese scientists from the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute went further. They tested other pets for infection and spread of coronavirus.
It turned out that, in addition to cats, scientists have proven that the new coronavirus infection also affects ferrets. They have previously been often used to study respiratory diseases in humans.
“Unlike influenza viruses and other human SARS coronaviruses, which replicate in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts of ferrets, we found that SARS-CoV-2 replicates only in the turbinate, soft palate and tonsils of ferrets. It may also replicate in the digestive tract, as viral RNA has been detected in rectal swabs of virus-infected ferrets."
, say Chinese researchers in their report published in Science.
How to protect people at risk?
The main task is to isolate them from crowded places:
- If possible, send your loved ones to the dacha before the summer (there is a chance that with the arrival of warmer weather, the epidemic will subside, since the virus is unstable under the influence of ultraviolet radiation).
- Stock up on medications that your loved ones take regularly (for blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) to prevent them from going to the pharmacy.
- Arrange for food and other essentials to be delivered to your home.
- If you need to visit public places, call a taxi or use personal transport.
- If symptoms of illness appear, be sure to call an ambulance (103 from your mobile phone). In older people, viral diseases often pass without fever and in a more blurred form, so try to respond promptly to even mild symptoms of ARVI.
Can cats infect each other with coronavirus?
A team of American and Japanese researchers from the University of Wisconsin in the US and Japan's National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo studied the transmission of COVID-19 between cats and found that felines are indeed capable of infecting each other with the virus.
To study how the coronavirus spreads between animals, a research team led by Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a professor of pathobiological sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, infected three cats with the virus and then grouped them with three more uninfected cats. Five days later, three previously uninfected cats became infected with the virus. The virus can spread very quickly in its environment.
“The cats we used in the study were outbreds and were susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, which effectively multiplied and was transmitted to other cats,”
- conclude Chinese experts, authors of a scientific article in Science. They are confident of the need to continue to monitor the development of coronavirus in cats.
Can cats infect humans with coronavirus?
There have been no scientifically proven cases of a cat transmitting COVID-19 to humans, but scientists say cats may be a "silent intermediate host" for the virus and they are convinced more research is needed.
There is no scientific evidence yet that the disease can be transmitted from pets to people. “This is of particular importance given the potential for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between family members in households with cats.”
, scientists write in the pages of the New England Medical Journal.
What to do if there is a person infected with coronavirus in the house where the cat lives?
Researchers advise people with COVID-19 symptoms to avoid contact with cats, recommending owners keep their pets indoors to limit their interaction with other animals and people.
“If people are quarantined in their home and are concerned about transmitting COVID-19 to children and spouses, they should also be concerned about transmitting it to their animals.”
,” recommended group researcher Peter Halfmann, a professor at the University of Wisconsin, in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Symptoms and complications of coronavirus infections
With coronavirus infection, there may be a complete absence of symptoms. The duration of the incubation period is from two days to two weeks.
The first signs of a mild form of the disease can manifest itself as loose stools, the reason for which the owner of the animal explains is a violation of the diet.
Moderate severity is characterized by lack of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. If cat owners turn to a veterinary clinic for help in a timely manner, there is a high probability of a timely diagnosis and proper treatment.
The complex form of the disease passes, accompanied by a wide variety of symptoms, since the mutating virus affects several organs at the same time. The most common manifestations are peritonitis (infectious | fip) and gastroenteritis.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of the disease can be easily confused with the manifestations of other diseases with similar clinical signs. In the case of coronavirus infection, viral peritonitis and enteritis are concomitant diseases, which can be determined after laboratory tests of the secretions of a sick animal.
Viral peritonitis, signs of IPC
Inflammatory process in the abdominal cavity (peritonitis) is the most severe form of coronavirus infection in pets. The group of infectious agents includes several close relatives - RNA-containing viruses of cats (FIP - Feline infectious peritonitis), dogs (CCV) and pigs (TGEV).
There are two known forms of the disease:
- Wet , characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the internal cavities of the animal’s body. If moisture accumulates in the abdominal cavity, this is accompanied by expansion of the abdominal wall, and filling the pleural cavity with moisture leads to severe shortness of breath and hydrothorax.
- The dry form is not associated with the accumulation of fluid, but is fraught with damage to the liver, kidneys, organs of the central nervous system, lymph nodes and pancreas, and eyes.
With a latent form of IPC, a pregnant female gives birth to affected and nonviable kittens (mortality cannot be prevented).
The cat is ill, the following manifestations of viral peritonitis are possible:
- the animal refuses to eat;
- the pet has an enlarged belly;
- the cat is depressed and hides in a dark place;
- a sick kitten does not gain weight;
- high body temperature;
- difficulty breathing is diagnosed;
- there is a rapid heartbeat;
- dry plaque is detected on the eyelid;
- mucous membranes become yellow;
- partial or complete paralysis of the legs;
- stopping urination.
Much can be said by the appearance of a sick animal: the condition of its fur and the expression of its face. The owner is obliged to pay attention to any changes in the pet’s behavior, since timely contact with a veterinarian can save the cat’s life.
Manifestations of infectious peritonitis are easily confused with symptoms of abdominal dropsy. A professional veterinarian will definitely conduct a comprehensive examination of the pet (deciphering the tests will allow you to understand the true disease) before offering to simply remove the water accumulated in the abdominal cavity.
Coronavirus enteritis
Manifestations of enteritis (FeCov) caused by coronavirus include disruption of the intestines:
- feces are liquid, heterogeneous, with traces of blood and mucus, or foam;
- one-time profuse vomiting;
- depressed state;
- matted fur, depression;
- increased temperature;
- pain in the abdomen (the cat does not allow touching, is nervous, screams);
- bloated belly;
- whitish coating on the tongue, bad breath;
- cold symptoms (sneezing, runny nose, tears).
Symptoms of enteritis can easily be confused with signs of food poisoning. An alarming signal will be a combination of heterogeneous signs (for example, vomiting and runny nose).
In order for the cat owner to adequately imagine the pet’s condition, he should remember his own reaction to the herpes virus on the lips, accompanied by a runny nose, apathy, and burning eyes. A similar reaction occurs in a cat whose body is fighting against the coronavirus.
Can humans infect pets with coronavirus?
Scientists have confirmed that cats can become infected with COVID-19 from humans.
“We examined the susceptibility of animals in close contact with people with SARS-CoV-2. We found that SARS-CoV-2 replicates poorly in dogs, pigs, chickens and ducks, but ferrets and cats allow infection. We have experimentally discovered that cats are susceptible to airborne infections."
,” Chinese scientists write in a report in the pages of Science magazine.
Symptoms of coronavirus disease in cats
How to recognize coronavirus in cats?
In most cases, the virus is asymptomatic, but some cats have a number of manifestations that cannot be ignored. “Coronavirus infection, in addition to enteropathy (changes in stool/vomiting), can also manifest itself as lethargy, apathy, and loss of appetite. FIP: increased body temperature, jaundice, loss of coordination, ascites, shortness of breath, heart failure (if there is effusion into the chest cavity), etc. In the dry form of FIP, not only internal organs, but also the eyes can be affected,”
— Marina Mikheenko, a veterinarian, reports on the pages of kp.ru.
Caring for an infected person
During the treatment period, it is important that your pet receives appropriate care. The diet should also be reviewed. For example, if he received industrial feed before his illness, now he needs to be switched to natural food. The transition should be gradual, but mandatory. The consumption of protein contained in meat products is determined by the need to restore the tissue of the affected intestine as quickly as possible.
The cat should drink a sufficient amount of clean water. On the recommendation of a veterinarian, the patient is given decoctions of rosehip or stinging nettle. The doctor prescribes vitamins that help boost the pet’s immune system. Regular deworming is mandatory to maintain a normal standard of living.
Unsanitary living conditions negatively affect a cat’s recovery, so cleanliness is needed not only for the cat itself, but also among bowls, trays, various hygiene items, and toys. When two or more relatives live together in the same territory, they are provided with separate plates and toiletries.
Intestinal infections are treated only under the supervision of a veterinarian. Only a specialist can monitor the patient’s condition or change the treatment conditions during regular examination of the infected patient.
How to treat coronavirus in a cat?
To begin with, the disease needs to be diagnosed.
You need to contact a veterinarian. If your cat has coronavirus, at what stage does it develop? Based on this, the veterinarian selects the appropriate treatment. “Diagnosis of coronavirus infection is not difficult - take a stool or scraping from the rectum using the PCR method or take an ELISA test, detecting antibodies in the blood. But diagnosing infectious peritonitis is difficult, because even a high titer of antibodies to coronavirus does not indicate with 100% accuracy that it is FIP,”
- notes veterinarian Marina Mikheenko.
Treatment of coronavirus at home
If a person is diagnosed with coronavirus but is not taken to the hospital, he is asked to sign a consent to receive medical care at home. The address where the citizen will stay for the entire period of treatment is indicated there. The document contains the phrase: “In case of violation of the isolation regime, criminal charges will apply.”
Doctors act in accordance with the memo from the Ministry of Health. When treating coronavirus at home, the main medications should contain lopinavir and ritonavir. They contain:
- Kalidavir is a Russian drug for the treatment of HIV;
- Kaletra is a German drug for the treatment of HIV.
Symptomatic treatment is also prescribed - paracetamol, expectorants.
Once again, we note that only a doctor should prescribe treatment. Self-medication is strictly unacceptable.
What does WHO say about the transmission of coronavirus from animals to humans?
The World Health Organization, World Organization for Animal Health, other public health authorities and experts agree: There is no evidence that animals transmit the virus to humans or have played a role in its spread. The American newspaper Washington Post writes about this on its pages.
But scientists still still consider this possibility as one of the main ones.
“No evidence does not mean no risk. It just means we couldn't figure it out. We can just be more confident that humans are the main drivers of this, and perhaps there is a small animal component."
says Scott Weese, chief of infection control at the University of Ontario College of Veterinary Medicine.
Scientists point out that previous viruses of the SARS-CoV-2 group have not previously been detected in animals. Therefore, the situation that has arisen requires closer attention.
In April of this year, at the height of the pandemic, it became known that a tiger was infected with coronavirus. The representative of the cat family is an inhabitant of the Bronx Zoo. Zoo workers suggest that the tiger contracted the coronavirus from a human keeper.
The patient had a dry cough and decreased appetite. As a result, two other tigers and three African lions also became infected. Animals are monitored by specialists to study the specifics of the disease in felines. Employees hope for their recovery, and scientists hope for clarification of the specifics of coronavirus in felines.
9) The walls are pressing on me. Children are constantly naughty. I'm going crazy in quarantine. Help!
Many people are stressed due to the forced transition to remote work, quarantine after traveling to areas with a high risk of infection, and the flow of negative information. If you are afraid of getting sick, you should remember that it is normal to worry about the whole situation. You are not alone. In case of severe anxiety, consult with a psychotherapist online - this is the best solution. Moreover, there are quite a lot of services offering such a service.
Please know that the situation is not hopeless, and good behavior in the community can go a long way in combating the spread of this disease. China has now closed all of its temporary hospitals as the number of cases continues to decline. But the social and economic impacts of this pandemic could last for months, so mentally prepare for it.
Treat the situation as a new opportunity for self-development - take online courses in a new profession, learn a foreign language. In the end, the pandemic will end - and new knowledge will remain with you.
Many services have become available for free, so you can entertain yourself or engage in self-development and knowledge acquisition.
What questions remain unanswered?
Can viruses, including COVID-19 and other common viruses, be transmitted to animals as carriers?
The new coronavirus, penetrating the human body, can cause a whole range of clinical manifestations: from asymptomatic carriage to death. How does this happen in animals? Could new data on the feline coronavirus help develop a vaccine? And should the new vaccine be tested on felines as well? All these questions have yet to be answered by scientists, doctors and animal specialists. Now researchers around the world are looking for answers to these questions. Most scientists are convinced of the need for further research of the virus in animals. “Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in cats should be considered as an adjunct to eliminating the COVID-19 virus in humans.”
, they conclude.
Prevention
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine against feline coronavirus for mass vaccination. There are experimental drugs, but they have not yet been tested or are not effective. WSAVA (International Small Animal Veterinary Association) does not recommend either of these for use.
Therefore, measures to prevent coronavirus enteritis and infectious peritonitis are identical to the general rules for caring for animals:
- good living conditions;
- complete balanced nutrition;
- monitoring the state of the gastrointestinal tract, because it is there that the immune system is able to fight back the virus at the stage of its entry into the body;
- ensuring timely treatment in the event of any disease;
- lack of overcrowding of pets;
- timely deworming and flea treatment;
- prevention of stressful situations;
- providing conditions for obtaining physical activity according to age;
- removal of kittens after birth from a mother with a positive reaction to coronavirus within 4 weeks;
- immunization in accordance with age and vaccination schedule;
- lack of contact with stray animals.
Based on the fact that feline coronavirus is not stable in the external environment and is easily destroyed by simple disinfectants, it is recommended to carry out timely disinfection and cleaning of trays.
What all cat owners should remember: to summarize
The virus enters the environment and space of many cats, but animals with weak immunity will become infected.
The weaker an animal's immune system, the faster it can become infected, and the more dangerous the virus mutates into. An animal with strong immunity will develop antibodies, and the insidious virus will not be able to multiply. As a result, the pet owner may not notice that the cat is sick. However, the cat can remain a carrier of the virus. The coronavirus itself is very dangerous for cats. If an infection occurs, veterinary help is urgently needed. To protect the animal, its owners must learn to recognize the symptoms immediately, while the pet can be helped.
Photo: pexels.com
Sources of infection
Young cats under two years of age, as well as older animals, are most at risk of contracting the virus. Only born kittens can receive it from their mother, which is why the death of the babies will be almost inevitable. Low immunity, poor heredity, unsanitary living conditions become factors that provoke the disease.
It has been established that the main source is contact with an infected individual living in the same territory, encountered on a walk or provided for mating. It is not for nothing that the disease is called a problem for all nurseries, since overcrowding has a beneficial effect on the spread of infection. There is evidence that from 50 to 85% of nursery inhabitants are sick or are passive spreaders of the strain.
Don't forget about this when buying a kitten. You must ask the seller for veterinary documents reflecting the results of tests performed and information on primary comprehensive vaccination.
The penetration process is facilitated by:
- eating excrement;
- use of shared hygiene items or utensils;
- unsanitary conditions of detention;
- constant close contact of cats with each other.
Pets that exist separately from their relatives are least susceptible to infection. If a cat lives alone with its owner, gets little walks, and encounters with other cats are kept to a minimum, then the likelihood of contracting an infection is practically non-existent. However, there have been cases of the bacteria entering homes through infected feces, particles of which end up on the wheels of a bicycle, baby stroller or the sole of a shoe.
Signs do not appear immediately. The incubation time for development within the body is about three weeks, but in weakened or old animals, manifestations will begin within 3-4 days.
Probability of infection
Veterinarians are still arguing about why some cats become infected with coronavirus, while others are spared the disease. Many experts are of the opinion that the animal’s immunity plays a major role. As a rule, the strongest organism is found in young healthy individuals aged 2 to 8-10 years. Accordingly, the risk group includes:
- kittens up to 1 year, large breeds – up to 1.5 years;
- elderly individuals - from 10 years and older, thoroughbreds - from 8 years and older;
- albino and allergic animals;
- animals with a chronic disease or recently recovered from it.
Of course, even a young, healthy cat can catch the coronavirus. Its susceptibility will be determined not only by the strength of the immune system, but also by the type of virus.
Danger to humans
Much to the relief of many owners, the coronavirus is not transmitted to humans. But this does not mean that precautions do not need to be taken - people can become carriers of the infection.
If your cat is sick with coronavirus, try to limit your contact with other animals so as not to transfer the strain to them. Disinfect the room – and more than once. Maintain a strict cleaning schedule.
If you have other pets, if possible, temporarily relocate them to another house or apartment to prevent them from becoming infected. This applies not only to cats, but also to dogs.
