Cat antibodies can prevent re-transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 Corona virus, so animals can avoid COVID-19 for a second time.
Mentioned in research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), antibodies from cats that have been infected with the Corona virus, can neutralize re-infection of the SARS-CoV-2 Corona virus. This condition makes cats no longer infected with COVID-19.
Cited from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, from this study, the researchers suggest feline immunity could be a good model for vaccine development.
"This research suggests that cats could be an appropriate animal model to study SARS-CoV-2 infection and to advance the development of vaccines and therapies that can be applied to animals and humans," they wrote.
However, it is not yet known how long cats will maintain strong immunity due to the limited study period. In fact, this information could answer whether immunity is only temporary, or immunity is able to protect cats permanently from re -infection.
The study examined seven cats and three dogs injected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. From this sample, it was found that cats can infect other cats through direct contact. Even dogs, do not spread the virus to each other.
Cats and dogs showed no clinical symptoms of COVID-19 in this study. Research shows that cats have the ability to defend themselves more effectively than viruses. Although they can infect each other, cats can build very strong defenses against bacterial infections.
"Cats exposed to the virus become immune or immune. This immunity is much stronger than the immune responses observed in other species tested in a laboratory environment," the researchers wrote.
On the other hand, dogs or cats are unlikely to transmit COVID-19 to humans. Mink animals are the only animals believed to have spread the virus directly to humans after an outbreak on mink farms in Europe.
However, humans may also spread the virus to animals in a process known as “reverse zoonosis”. These new findings support Canadian guidelines on pets that show that cats can infect other cats, but dogs cannot infect other dogs.
The study also supports calls from public health authorities to avoid all contact with pets if their owners are infected with COVID-19.
"Infected pet cats should not be allowed to roam outdoors freely to prevent the potential risk of spreading the infection to outdoor cats or other wildlife," the researchers wrote.
In previous studies, cats were known to have a strong innate immune response to the virus and were able to spread the infection from one animal to another.
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