Cats with no symptoms spread virus to other cats in lab test

By Marilynn Marchione, AP Chief Medical Writer

(AP)– A lab experiment suggests that cats can spread the new coronavirus to other cats without any of them ever having symptoms.

Scientists who led the work, published on Wednesday, say it shows the need for more research into whether the virus can spread from people to cats to people again.

Health officials have downplayed that possibility and say there’s no evidence that pets are spreading the virus. But they say good hygiene is important in any case.

In the experiment, three cats infected in the lab spread the virus to three uninfected cats. The New England Journal of Medicine published the report.

©The Associated Press 2020