OmniVira

SARS-CoV-2 infection, disease and transmission in domestic cats.

Natasha N Gaudreault1 Jessie D Trujillo1 Mariano Carossino2 David A Meekins1 Igor Morozov1 Daniel W Madden1 Sabarish V Indran1 Dashzeveg Bold1 Velmurugan Balaraman1 Taeyong Kwon1 Bianca Libanori Artiaga1 Konner Cool1 Adolfo García-Sastre3,4,5,6 Wenjun Ma1 William C Wilson7 Jamie Henningson1 Udeni B R Balasuriya2 Juergen A Richt1
Affiliations 7 institutions
  1. Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
  2. Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
  3. Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
  4. Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
  5. Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
  6. The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
  7. Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS, USA.
PMID33028154 DOI10.1080/22221751.2020.1833687 Year2020 Journal Emerging microbes & infections Emerg Microbes Infect Languageeng Publication statusActive
Active Last checked 2026-09-29 03:30:37 Source: NCBI PubMed

Abstract

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and responsible for the current pandemic. Recent SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility studies in cats show that the virus can replicate in these companion animals and transmit to other cats. Here, we present an in-depth study of SARS-CoV-2 infection, disease and transmission in domestic cats. Cats were challenged with SARS-CoV-2 via intranasal and oral routes. One day post challenge (DPC), two sentinel cats were introduced. Animals were monitored for clinical signs, clinicopathological abnormalities and viral shedding. Postmortem examinations were performed at 4, 7 and 21 DPC. Viral RNA was not detected in blood but transiently in nasal, oropharyngeal and rectal swabs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as well as various tissues. Tracheobronchoadenitis of submucosal glands with the presence of viral RNA and antigen was observed in airways of the infected cats. Serology showed that both, principals and sentinels, developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. All animals were clinically asymptomatic during the course of the study and capable of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to sentinels. The results of this study are critical for understanding the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 in a naturally susceptible host species, and for risk assessment.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
cats 135 COVID-19 470 felines 5 SARS-CoV-2 556 susceptibility 12 transmission 56 Disease Susceptibility 21 Animals 1981 Antibodies, Neutralizing 80 Antibodies, Viral 216 Betacoronavirus 79 Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid 3 Cat Diseases 68 Cats 122 Cell Line 162 Chlorocebus aethiops 70 Coronavirus Infections 172 COVID-19 427 Male 225 Pandemics 109 Pneumonia, Viral 42 RNA, Viral 194 SARS-CoV-2 456 Vero Cells 55

Evidence records

3 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Viral Detection
1 records
OVE11580 Viral Detection
Key finding

SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antigen were detected in respiratory and intestinal samples and airway tissues of experimentally infected domestic cats.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Experimental system
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Cats were challenged with SARS-CoV-2 via intranasal and oral routes. Viral RNA was not detected in blood but transiently in nasal, oropharyngeal and rectal swabs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as well as various tissues. Tracheobronchoadenitis of submucosal glands with the presence of viral RNA and antigen was observed in airways of the infected cats.

Method
viral RNA detection | antigen detection
Sample type
nasal swab | oropharyngeal swab | rectal swab | bronchoalveolar lavage fluid | airway tissues
Experimental Infection
2 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type Pathogenicity Experiment
1 records
OVE11583 Pathogenicity Experiment
Key finding

Experimental infection of domestic cats with SARS-CoV-2 caused tracheobronchoadenitis but no clinical disease signs.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Experimental system
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Cats were challenged with SARS-CoV-2 via intranasal and oral routes. Tracheobronchoadenitis of submucosal glands with the presence of viral RNA and antigen was observed in airways of the infected cats. All animals were clinically asymptomatic during the course of the study.

Method
postmortem histopathology | viral RNA detection | antigen detection | clinical observation
Experimental system
controlled experimental infection of domestic cats
Evidence type Experimental Transmission
1 records
OVE11582 Experimental Transmission
Key finding

Experimentally infected domestic cats transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to co-housed sentinel cats under controlled laboratory conditions.

Virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Host
domestic cat Felis catus Experimental system
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

One day post challenge (DPC), two sentinel cats were introduced… All animals were clinically asymptomatic during the course of the study and capable of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to sentinels.

Method
intranasal and oral inoculation of source cats | co-housing exposure of sentinel cats | viral RNA detection by RT-PCR | serological testing for antibodies
Experimental system
cat-to-cat co-housing transmission model under controlled laboratory conditions