BVA Advice about cats

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Jennifer Whybrow — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 23:53:18 GMT

[quote userid="9239" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/29023/bva-advice-about-cats/221581"]

Maybe the correct approach:

icatcare.org/.../

[/quote]

Cats sense of smell has returned and both are back to normal now. Has anyone else noticed this symptom in their cat?

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Dinu Catilina — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 22:19:07 GMT

Maybe the correct approach:

icatcare.org/.../

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Jennifer Whybrow — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 21:25:41 GMT

[quote userid="4367" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/29023/bva-advice-about-cats/221566"]An infectious person who is in close contact with their own cat will probably contaminate their fur.[/quote]

They will possibly infect their cat. They should keep their living spaces well ventilated, to try to decrease viral load. Both my cats back to normal now apart from seem to have some loss of smell. Does anyone know if anyone studying it yet in cats?

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Beats — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:36:20 GMT

I think it was couple of days ago that the government instructed for a fomite to be posted through every letter box in the country. probably puts the cat in perspective (albeit no-one is likely to sleep with their mail on their pillow routinely).

I have met plenty of cats that two different households believe own them and each has been shocked to discover that their cat is so fickle. It's got to be a genuine biosecurity risk in some instances, but for the majority there are likely bigger biosecurity risks...

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Julian Earl — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:08:13 GMT

[quote userid="4367" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/29023/bva-advice-about-cats/221566"]Re saliva and virus - don't know, but given the 1 million plus cases, if animals were significant, it would probably have come to light.[/quote]

Hi Iain, I think that this sort of epidemiological data will only emerge whe the pandemic is analysed afterwards and all cases are accounted for? Until then, we only have educated guesses and logic. I agree completely with your assessment by the way but proof of feline-fomite-transmission or otherwise will come later.

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Iain Richards — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 13:09:26 GMT

Right, I see where you are coming from!

So, IF your cat visited an infectious (ie shedding) person's house and IF the contact was with that peson and IF it was close close enough to have palced virus on its coat, and IF that cat came straigh back to you and IF you handled your cat and IF you didn't then wash your hands before handling your face, then it might be possible that enough virus survives to produce an infective dose.

I'm not trying to be sarcastic, just laying out the steps that would have to occur for virus to survive and be transmitted. An infectious person who is in close contact with their own cat will probably contaminate their fur.

So I'd say the realtive risks are very different, hence the BVA advice which is if you have Covid-19 and you have a cat, and the cat is OK inside, then keep it inside. Otherwise there is no reason to restrict the cat.

Re saliva and virus - don't know, but given the 1 million plus cases, if animals were significant, it would probably have come to light.

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Anthony Todd — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 12:54:55 GMT

Can the virus survive in cats' saliva, even if the virus will not cause disease in the cat would be my obvious question.

Of all the things going into and out of a cat-owning house the thing most regularly and repeatedly touched/stroked is the family cat.

So a fairly sensible question, me thinks??

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Richard Carter — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 11:47:34 GMT

more of an issue with owners wiping down their cats with bleach or phenols such as dettol (handy in wipes!) we put a warning on our website

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Lindsey Edwards — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 11:29:38 GMT

My reading of the statement was not all cats, only if you are infected/suspect/self isolating, then you should keep your cat in to prevent them from (v rarely) spreading it to neighbouring, uninfected households? Is this the essence of the advice?

Well if that is true, and I'm not infected, especially if any of my household is older or vulnerable, then surely I should be keeping my cat in to ensure it can't possibly bring it back from anywhere else?

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Iain Richards — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 10:40:02 GMT

I'm confused with your confusion! A cat can be a fomite, like any surface, so if it goes somewhere, gets virus on it and goes back, it could, possibly, if improbably, pass the infection.
However, with a millon cases worldwide, it's a route that isn't of great concern. Even less if you observe decent hygiene

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Lindsey Edwards — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 10:25:28 GMT

I'm confused, if you could potentially contaminate your cat and they could take it across the fence to your neighbours...how come it couldn't happen in reverse and the cat bring it into your non infected household?

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Neil Wheadon — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 10:19:24 GMT

The lesson surely is twofold and feel David has a point

'Less is more'

'If you are in a position, be very careful what you say to the press' Journalists are not professional vets and are looking for a story

I've posted twice on facebook in the past week where ill informed people have been telling the world in general that 'animals give COVID19 to people' Regrettably now, I posted saying there was no evidence aside be careful with indirect transmutation as the chief vet in Ireland mentioned last week.

Feeling a bit daft now and almost certainly the people I replied to are feeling a bit smug now, because the retraction won't be noticed

Neil

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Iain Richards — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 09:46:25 GMT

BVA statement:

The British Veterinary Association has clarified its position in light of a report on the BBC news website relating to cats and coronavirus. The headline of the article suggested that veterinary advice was to keep all cats indoors, but BVA has explained this advice is only in relation to cats in infected households or where people are self-isolating.

In response to questions from the BBC about general advice for pet owners, BVA had given information that related to both general advice and specific advice for those in infected households, but not made the distinction clear.

BVA President Daniella Dos Santos said:

“It’s incredibly important that information and advice for the public is clear and we regret that this story will have caused worry and upset amongst cat owners.

“We are not advising that all cats are kept indoors. Only cats from infected households or where their owners are self-isolating, and only if the cat is happy to be kept indoors. Some cats cannot stay indoors due to stress-related medical reasons.

“There have been a tiny number of cases of Covid-19 in animals and in all cases, it is likely that the transmission was human to animal. There is no evidence that pets can pass Covid-19 to their owners.

“From the small number of cases it appears that dogs do not show symptoms, but cats can show clinical signs of the disease.

“It is also the case that animals can act as fomites, as the virus could be on their fur in the same way it is on other surfaces, such as tables and doorknobs. That’s why our main advice for pet owners continues to be to practise good hand hygiene.

“And, as a precaution, for pet owners who have Covid-19 or who are self-isolating we are recommending that you keep your cat indoors if possible, during that time.

“It is very important that people don’t panic about their pets. There is no evidence that animals can pass the disease to humans.”

For further information visit www.bva.co.uk/coronavirus

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Iain Richards — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 09:30:12 GMT

David, I don't quite see the point of your post. Is ti the BBC you are concerend about or the BVA? Daniella has been misquoted and we are working on BVA correcting it. There is a BVA release, but the BVA site as crashed.

RE: BVA Advice about cats

Lesley Strong — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 09:24:55 GMT

Yes I expect we will get a rush of calls from panicking owners and requests for possible PTS ,not to mention blocked cats and increase in behavioural issues. Are owners allowed to go out and purchase a litter tray? Is this considered "essential travel" !

RE: BVA Advice about cats

vetbl.locum — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 09:23:23 GMT

Poor cats

Wash hands after handling your cat

Cats must be loving having their "owners" home all the time and now having their own lockdown suggested!

Rgds