Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in a cat owned by a COVID-19−affected patient in Spain

Segalés, Joaquim; Puig, Mariona; Rodon, Jordi; Avila-Nieto, Carlos; Carrillo, Jorge; Cantero, Guillermo; Terrón, Maria Teresa; Cruz, Sílvia; Parera, Mariona; Noguera-Julián, Marc; Izquierdo-Useros, Nuria; Guallar, Víctor; Vidal, Enric; Valencia, Alfonso; Blanco, Ignacio; Blanco, Julià ; Clotet, Bonaventura; Vergara-Alert, Júlia

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of COVID-19, is considered a zoonotic pathogen mainly transmitted human to human. Few reports indicate that pets may be exposed to the virus. The present report describes a cat suffering from severe respiratory distress and thrombocytopenia living with a family with several members affected by COVID-19. Clinical signs of the cat prompted humanitarian euthanasia and a detailed postmortem investigation to assess whether a COVID-19−like disease was causing the condition. Necropsy results showed the animal suffered from feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and severe pulmonary edema and thrombosis. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was only detected in nasal swab, nasal turbinates, and mesenteric lymph node, but no evidence of histopathological lesions compatible with a viral infection were detected. The cat seroconverted against SARS-CoV-2, further evidencing a productive infection in this animal. We conclude that the animal had a subclinical SARS-CoV-2 infection concomitant to an unrelated cardiomyopathy that led to euthanasia.