INGHAM COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Michigan’s first case of COVID-19 in a domestic pet has been reported. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says a cat in Ingham County tested positive for the virus.
The domestic shorthair was in close contact with its owners who had also tested positive for COVID-19. The cat had suddenly been sneezing a lot, which led to getting it tested for the virus. It has since recovered.
Around 250 cases of COVID-19 in domestic pets, including about 100 in cats, have been confirmed in the U.S. during the pandemic, so it’s relatively rare. Animal experts say cases in animals generally have involved direct contact with an owner who had the virus. Symptoms in pets include fever, sneezing, coughing, nasal or eye discharge, vomiting, or diarrhea.
MDARD says there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in transmitting the virus to people.
— The photo of the cat is a stock image and not the one that was infected–
