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So let's talk, realistically, about how your pets (so far cats, not dogs) can potentially get infected with Covid-19 and how you can protect them and yourself and your loved ones. https://twitter.com/natashaldaly/status/1246900371706036228
First, some background info. What I have. Same access as you, the average joe. https://twitter.com/V2019N/status/1246903297954308096
More background info. https://twitter.com/V2019N/status/1246911364905357312
Okay, so here's the deal.
If you're
- appropriately doing social distancing AND
- your cats are indoor cats, which they should be, especially on Turtle Island (that is, North America) for a large number of reasons
your cats' exposure to Covid-19 = the same as yours. Ish.
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If you're
- appropriately doing social distancing AND
- your cats are indoor cats, which they should be, especially on Turtle Island (that is, North America) for a large number of reasons
your cats' exposure to Covid-19 = the same as yours. Ish.
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I mean, you have a greater chance of exposure to Covid-19 if you leave the house for essential errands, etc.
Which also means you could expose your cats to Covid-19 when you get home.
BUT you shouldn't be afraid of your cats making you sick.
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Which also means you could expose your cats to Covid-19 when you get home.
BUT you shouldn't be afraid of your cats making you sick.
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There's still no evidence that cats can infect humans. There is evidence that cats can infect other cats.
So... be responsible about your cats. If they MUST go outside, put them in a good harness and leash. Get an enclosure specially made for that purpose.
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So... be responsible about your cats. If they MUST go outside, put them in a good harness and leash. Get an enclosure specially made for that purpose.
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If you don't have a way to make that happen, there are tons of interactive playtime activities you can do with your cats.
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If you're concerned about a multi-cat household, there are lots of guides out there about cleaning and disinfecting in multi-cat households because cats have lots of illnesses that they can share among them.
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These are all thoughts based on just basic knowledge about cats, cat illnesses, cat behavior, and Covid-19.
I'm not a vet. I'm sure vets and animal behaviorists will be sharing a lot of important information over the coming days.
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I'm not a vet. I'm sure vets and animal behaviorists will be sharing a lot of important information over the coming days.
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I'm going to share links to some resources that might be helpful. I think (and I'm confident most vets will think) the very best thing you can do to minimize your cats' risk of exposure to Covid-19 is keep them where you can monitor them, though.
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So I have to say that #TheDailyBelly is an extremely indoor cat. She likes looking at the outdoors but she doesn't like BEING in the outdoors.
So I won't have tried most of the resources I'm sharing. Google is your friend.
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So I won't have tried most of the resources I'm sharing. Google is your friend.
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She does have a leash and harness for traveling.
She doesn't like them.
https://twitter.com/EbThen/status/809166374455148548
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She doesn't like them.
https://twitter.com/EbThen/status/809166374455148548
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Here is a guide I found last year about harnesses and leashes for cats. There might be an updated one with better options.
It's very important to get a harness and leash that work for your cat. Some harnesses are easy to slip and can be a problem. https://twitter.com/EbThen/status/1114000972316053509
It's very important to get a harness and leash that work for your cat. Some harnesses are easy to slip and can be a problem. https://twitter.com/EbThen/status/1114000972316053509
Here's just one of MANY best-of lists for cat enclosures. This one was last updated in January of 2020. https://petlifetoday.com/best-outdoor-cat-enclosures/
Here's a list of cat enclosures by a Marin County animal shelter. https://www.marinhumane.org/oh-behave/cats/enclosures/
And Wayfair weirdly has cat cages and enclosures 50% off. https://www.wayfair.com/pet/sb0/cat-cages-playpens-c409570.html
If you're bringing a new cat into your home OR are concerned about an existing cat having Covid-19, consider following new cat quarantine guidelines.
You can find lots of them and they're best practice regardless. Here's one from Best Friends in Utah.
https://resources.bestfriends.org/article/new-pet-bringing-home-new-family-member
You can find lots of them and they're best practice regardless. Here's one from Best Friends in Utah.
https://resources.bestfriends.org/article/new-pet-bringing-home-new-family-member
Here's a thread @ellle_em wrote about their procedures of bringing new cats into their home. https://twitter.com/ellle_em/status/1244028458478551040
I didn't spell it out, but obviously the reason you want to keep an eye on your cats and not let them wander the neighborhood if you're concerned about Covid-19 (and I'd say you should be at least a little bit) is because you don't know with whom or what they're interacting.
Not only that, but if your cat HAS Covid-19 and interacts with other cats or ferrets (?) your cat could be spreading the virus that way.
I'm not saying that's likely, but it's at least a little bit possible.
It's just way safer to keep your cats where you know what's up.
I'm not saying that's likely, but it's at least a little bit possible.
It's just way safer to keep your cats where you know what's up.
You can't make your cats wash their paws with soap and water (and you don't want your cats ingesting soap anyway) but you can make sure you wash your hands when you interact with something that might have Covid-19 on it before you touch your cat.
We'll surely learn more over time about Covid-19 in cats and how best to protect and care for everyone.
In the meantime, I think just taking some practical precautions is probably best.
In the meantime, I think just taking some practical precautions is probably best.
There are also plenty of guides for transitioning outdoor cats to indoor cats. Here's one from 2012. https://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/making-an-outdoor-cat-into-an-indoor-cat/
If your cat needs veterinary care, plenty of vets are still open.
Belly's vet is having humans stay in their vehicles and only having the patients come inside.
Belly's vet is having humans stay in their vehicles and only having the patients come inside.
As for the other pet species we know the virus likes, I don't know much about keeping ferrets. I think ferret people don't tend to let their ferrets roam the way a lot of cat people do.
