A Michigan cat has become the first known feline in the state to test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.
The state department of agriculture and rural development said in a statement that the Ingham County cat had close contact with its owners, who were confirmed to have COVID-19 about a week before the cat got sick.
The domestic shorthair was tested for the virus after it started sneezing, the department said. It’s since recovered.
State health and human services department chief medical executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said there is no evidence that animals are spreading the virus to humans. The main source of spread is through respiratory droplets made when people cough, sneeze and talk, she said.
But Bagdasarian urged people to take steps to protect their pets from the pandemic. The number of people sick with COVID-19 is still growing in the state, especially in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.
Bagdasarian said people with COVID-19 should avoid direct contact with animals, including kissing, snuggling and sharing food.
The Michigan feline is the 99th known case of the virus in American cats, the health department said. The virus has been found in a total of 257 animals in the country.
An outbreak of coronavirus at the Bronx Zoo last year infected at least seven big cats.
Symptoms of COVID-19 in animals can include fever, sneezing, coughing, nasal discharge, eye discharge, vomiting and diarrhea, the agriculture department said.