A domestic shorthair cat from Ingham County has tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, making it Michigan’s first case of …
A domestic shorthair cat from Ingham County has tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, making it Michigan’s first case of a pet that has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The cat had close contact with its owners, who were confirmed to have COVID-19 about a week before the feline became ill, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said in a release Tuesday. The cat was tested after it began to sneeze and has recovered. “Given the other reported cases of SARS-CoV-2 being found in pets throughout the world, this detection is not unexpected,” State Veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland said. “The cases in animals generally have involved direct contact with an owner or caretaker who was ill or tested positive for COVID-19.” State officials said as of Monday, there have been 257 confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in animals throughout the U.S., including 99 cats, since the start of the pandemic more than 19 months ago.
