Susceptibility analysis of companion cats and dogs to SARS-CoV-2 virus

ABSTRACT

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19). During the global coronavirus pandemic, there have been reports of cats and dogs being infected with SARS-COV-2. In order to effectively prevent and control COVID-19 and alleviate the panic among pet lovers, this study systematically reviews and comments the cases of human companion animal infections in cats and dogs during the COVID-19 outbreak, and summarizes and forecasts them. Existing studies have shown that cats are susceptible to novel coronavirus while dogs are less susceptible to virus infection. Cats and dogs are close "friends" of humans, and understanding their susceptibility to SARS-COV-2 will not only help humans to be "friendly" to them during outbreaks, but also help develop prevention and control strategies for COVID-19 and provide a basis for animal management models.