How To Help Protect Your Cat From The Coronavirus

As you may have heard, it's been discovered that cats can contract the COVID-19 coronavirus that's currently causing a pandemic across the planet. While you yourself should be taking steps to protect yourself from this disease, you may also want to do something to help protect your cat. Here are some ways to do just that.

Make Sure Your Cat Is Vaccinated

There currently isn't a vaccination for the coronavirus for cats or humans, but that doesn't mean that you can't get your cat's other shots up-to-date. Making sure that their vaccinations are up-to-date will protect them from getting any other illness that could weaken their immune system and make it harder for their body to fight off the coronavirus. If your cat hasn't received booster shots in over a year or if they've never had their vaccinations, now is a good time to get them done.

Keep Inside

Next, you should strongly consider keeping your cat indoors for the duration of the pandemic. In the same way that humans are expected to socially isolate, the best thing you can do right now is to keep your cat away from other humans and cats. While it's unlikely that your cat would come across someone who was sick, you don't want to risk it, especially since all they would have to do is cough or sneeze near your cat or be friendly enough to pet your cat.

Isolate If Sick

On the offhand chance that you think you're coming down with the coronavirus, you should do everything that you can to isolate yourself from your cat. This can be difficult if you live alone, but if need be, call friends or family members for help. There's currently no evidence that cats can make humans sick with the coronavirus, but it does seem to go in the other direction.

If you think you're sick with the coronavirus, keep your face covered, don't touch your cat, and isolate in a room your cat doesn't have access to. If at all possible, have someone else feed your cat and clean the litter box. 

With these tips in mind, you should be able to protect your cat from contracting the coronavirus. However, if your kitty starts to show any symptoms, like having a fever or difficulty breathing, contact a veterinarian for help right away. Your cat will need assistance getting through the illness.

For more information, contact a veterinarian near you. 


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