COVID-19: implications of self-isolation and social distancing for the emotional and behavioural health of cats

At the time of writing, there is considerable confusion within the human population regarding whether, because of concerns regarding the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) (the virus which causes COVID-19), they should be restricting their cat's access to the outdoor environment. Many British companion cats are already labelled ‘indoor cats’, but although many companion cats live in homes where the outdoor environment may pose specific dangers to their safety (e.g. heavy traffi c), ideally, if cats are to express their natural behaviours, they would have access to the outdoors (Cats Protection, 2017). Consequently, this author believes that it is inevitable that any attempt during the current public health crisis to alter a cat's normal access to the outdoor environment will have considerable implications for their current emotional and behavioural health; implications that are likely to extend into their future welfare.

To answer this question, we need to consider whether cats are capable of acting as a vector for SARS-CoV-2 to be passed on to a greater number of humans. In an interview (Weese, 2020), Dr J Scott Weese, a veterinary infectious disease expert from Ontario Veterinary College, explained that COVID-19 was likely to be a predominantly human disease, but that it is not yet known how domestic species can be affected. Studies are finding that SARSCoV-2 replicates poorly in dogs, pigs, chickens and ducks, but ferrets and cats are susceptible to infection, with cats proving to be liable to airborne infection (Shi et al, 2020). Dr Weese (2020) stated ‘Currently there is limited evidence that companion animals can be infected with SARS-Cov-2 and no evidence that pet dogs or cats can be a source of infection to other animals or to humans resulting in COVID-19.’