Can Cats Catch COVID-19 From People? What the Bronx Zoo Tiger Case Taught Us

By Dr Duncan Houston

In April 2020, Nadia, a four-year-old Malayan tiger at New York’s Bronx Zoo, became the first confirmed animal case of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the United States.

Her diagnosis made global headlines because it proved that the virus responsible for COVID-19 could move from people into big cats under natural conditions. It also sparked understandable concern among owners of domestic cats.

Years of surveillance have now given us a much clearer answer. Cats and several other mammals can become infected, usually following close contact with infected people. Most household pets develop no illness or only mild signs, and pets have not been an important driver of human COVID-19 transmission. (APHIS)

Quick Answer

Yes, domestic cats, tigers, lions and several other mammals can become infected with SARS-CoV-2, most commonly after close contact with an infected person.

Most pet infections are asymptomatic or mild. The risk of a household pet spreading the virus to people is considered low, but someone with COVID-19 should still reduce close contact with animals until they recover. A pet that develops coughing, breathing difficulty, marked lethargy or reduced appetite after exposure should be assessed by a veterinarian. (CDC Stacks)

The Bronx Zoo Case at a Glance

Question	What happened
Which animal was first diagnosed?	Nadia, a four-year-old female Malayan tiger
When was the diagnosis announced?	5 April 2020
What signs did she develop?	A dry cough and reduced appetite
Who confirmed the result?	USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories
Were other animals affected?	Yes. Five tigers and three African lions were eventually confirmed positive
Did every infected animal look sick?	No. One tiger tested positive without developing a cough
What was the likely source?	An infected zoo employee who was shedding virus
What was the outcome?	All eight big cats recovered

(WCS Newsroom)

What Happened at the Bronx Zoo?

Nadia developed a dry cough in late March 2020. Other cats in the same area, including her sister Azul, two Amur tigers and three African lions, developed similar respiratory signs.

Nadia underwent anaesthesia so veterinarians could collect samples from her nose, throat and respiratory tract while investigating several possible causes. Her SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories. (WCS Newsroom)

The initial reports focused on Nadia because she was the first cat formally tested and confirmed. Later, researchers developed a method using faecal samples that did not require anaesthetising every big cat.

That subsequent testing confirmed infection in:

• Five tigers

• Three African lions

• Seven cats that had developed respiratory signs

• One tiger that remained clinically normal

All eight animals recovered. Their appetite and behaviour returned to normal, and their coughing progressively resolved. (WCS Newsroom)

How Did the Tigers Become Infected?

The investigation concluded that the likely source was a zoo employee who was shedding SARS-CoV-2 while asymptomatic or before recognising their symptoms.

The infection therefore represented reverse zoonosis, also called anthroponosis, where an infectious agent moves from a person into an animal. (WCS)

It is misleading to interpret the case as proof that minimal distant exposure can infect a tiger. Zoo staff provide food, husbandry, observation and medical care, creating repeated opportunities for respiratory exposure even when physical contact is carefully controlled.

Later investigations of outbreaks in zoo cats repeatedly identified infected keepers as the likely source. One investigation also documented probable transmission in the opposite direction, from an infected African lion to zoo employees who had close occupational contact with the animal. (CDC)

What Did the Tiger Case Actually Prove?

The Bronx Zoo case established several important principles.

1. Big Cats Are Susceptible

Tigers and lions can become naturally infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Subsequent infections have been identified in other captive big cats and susceptible zoo species around the world. Some showed mild coughing or nasal signs, while others remained asymptomatic. (APHIS)

2. People Can Transmit the Virus to Animals

The dominant direction of transmission involving pets and zoo animals has been from infected people to animals.

Close contact with owners, keepers or other carers provides the most common route for recognised animal infections. (CDC Stacks)

3. Infected Animals Do Not Always Look Sick

One Bronx Zoo tiger tested positive without developing a cough.

Similarly, domestic cats and dogs may become infected without showing any clinical signs. An apparently normal animal can therefore have been exposed, although routine testing of healthy pets is generally not recommended. (WCS Newsroom)

4. Animal Infection Did Not Drive the Pandemic

Despite infections across multiple animal species, human-to-human transmission remained the primary force sustaining the COVID-19 pandemic.

Current evidence does not indicate that ordinary companion animals play a significant epidemiological role in human SARS-CoV-2 transmission. (WOAH)

5. One Health Surveillance Matters

Monitoring people, animals and their shared environment allows investigators to identify spillover, detect possible animal-to-human events and watch for viral evolution in animal populations.

That is the essence of the One Health approach: human health, veterinary health and environmental health are connected rather than operating as separate little kingdoms with their own clipboards. (CDC)

Can Domestic Cats Catch SARS-CoV-2?

Yes.

Domestic cats can become infected after close contact with people who have COVID-19. Natural infections have been confirmed through PCR testing, virus sequencing and antibody testing.

Some infected cats develop:

• Sneezing

• Nasal or eye discharge

• Coughing

• Fever

• Reduced appetite

• Lethargy

• Vomiting or diarrhoea

Many remain completely well. Most recognised pet infections have been mild and have resolved with supportive care. (CDC)

Can Cats Transmit the Virus to Other Cats?

Cats can transmit SARS-CoV-2 to other cats under experimental conditions, and natural cat-to-cat transmission is biologically possible.

However, the practical risk within an ordinary household remains much less important than transmission between people. The most likely way a pet cat becomes infected is still exposure to an infected human. (WOAH)

Are Cats More at Risk Than Dogs?

Both cats and dogs can become infected.

Domestic cats appear capable of supporting viral replication and cat-to-cat transmission more readily than dogs, but an individual animal’s risk depends on its exposure, the circulating variant and host factors.

This should not be converted into panic about cats. It means that someone who is actively infected should avoid prolonged face-to-face contact with either species. (AVMA)

Which Animals Can Become Infected?

SARS-CoV-2 has a broad mammalian host range.

Animal group	What current evidence shows
Domestic cats	Susceptible; most recognised infections follow human exposure
Dogs	Susceptible; many infections are mild or asymptomatic
Tigers, lions and other big cats	Susceptible; several zoo outbreaks have occurred
Mink	Highly susceptible; large outbreaks and mink-to-human transmission have occurred
Ferrets and related mustelids	Susceptible, with efficient transmission possible in some settings
Golden Syrian hamsters	Susceptible; pet hamster-to-human transmission was documented in Hong Kong
White-tailed deer	Widespread infection and deer-to-deer transmission have occurred in North America
Great apes and some other zoo mammals	Natural infections have been confirmed
Poultry and major livestock species	Most have shown little or no natural susceptibility, although surveillance continues

Not every mammal is equally susceptible, and future viral variants may alter host range. (APHIS)

Can Cats or Tigers Transmit SARS-CoV-2 to People?

The risk from ordinary household pets is low, but not absolutely zero.

Rare suspected or probable animal-to-human events have included:

• Infected farmed mink transmitting adapted virus to workers

• Pet hamsters transmitting virus to people

• A suspected cat-to-veterinarian transmission event after an infected cat sneezed directly into the veterinarian’s face

• Probable transmission from an infected African lion to zoo employees during close occupational contact

These incidents involved particular exposure circumstances and do not indicate that pet cats commonly spread COVID-19 in the home. (CDC)

What This Means in Practice

You do not need to fear, abandon or avoid owning a cat.

The sensible position is:

• Human-to-human spread remains far more important.

• Human-to-animal transmission can occur.

• Animal-to-human transmission is possible but uncommon.

• Close exposure to respiratory secretions creates more risk than ordinary daily coexistence.

• Good hygiene and temporary distancing are appropriate when someone is infected.

That is a much more accurate conclusion than either “pets are dangerous” or “transmission from animals is impossible”. (WOAH)

What Signs Can SARS-CoV-2 Cause in Pets?

Reported signs include:

• Fever

• Coughing

• Difficulty breathing

• Sneezing

• Nasal discharge

• Eye discharge

• Lethargy

• Reduced appetite

• Vomiting

• Diarrhoea

Some animals show no signs at all. (APHIS)

These signs are not specific to SARS-CoV-2. A coughing or sneezing cat is more likely to have one of several ordinary feline respiratory, airway or cardiac diseases than to have clinically important COVID-associated illness.

The exposure history changes the suspicion. A cat developing signs shortly after close contact with an infected owner deserves consideration of SARS-CoV-2, but it still needs a proper veterinary examination rather than a diagnosis made by association.

What Else Can Look Like COVID-19 in a Cat?

Clinical sign	Important alternative causes
Sneezing and nasal discharge	Feline herpesvirus, calicivirus, bacterial infection, fungal disease, nasal foreign body or polyp
Coughing and wheezing	Feline asthma, chronic bronchitis, lungworm, pneumonia or heartworm-associated respiratory disease
Rapid or difficult breathing	Pneumonia, asthma crisis, pleural effusion, heart failure, pulmonary thromboembolism or trauma
Eye discharge	Herpesvirus conjunctivitis, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, corneal ulceration or irritation
Vomiting or diarrhoea	Dietary disease, parasites, pancreatitis, toxins or gastrointestinal infection
Lethargy and fever	Almost any significant infectious, inflammatory or systemic disease
Neurological signs	Toxins, FIP, brain disease, metabolic illness or severe viral infection

Do Not Forget H5N1 in a Severely Ill Cat

A cat with severe respiratory or neurological illness after exposure to wild birds, raw poultry, unpasteurised milk, raw animal products or a contaminated dairy-farm environment requires urgent consideration of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1).

That exposure pattern is currently more concerning than ordinary household SARS-CoV-2 exposure and requires prompt veterinary and public-health coordination. (CDC)

How Worried Should You Be?

Low Risk

Your pet:

• Has been around someone with COVID-19

• Remains bright and active

• Eats normally

• Breathes normally

• Has no cough, discharge, vomiting or diarrhoea

What it likely means: Exposure may have occurred, but no clinical disease is apparent.

What to do: Reduce close contact while the person is infectious, maintain good hygiene and monitor the animal. Routine testing is generally unnecessary. (AVMA Store)

Moderate Concern

Your pet has:

• Mild sneezing or nasal discharge

• An occasional cough

• Slightly reduced appetite

• Mild lethargy

• Normal breathing effort

• A recent household COVID-19 exposure

What it may mean: Mild SARS-CoV-2 infection is possible, but a more common respiratory disease may be responsible.

What to do: Call your veterinarian within 24 hours. Explain the household exposure before attending the clinic.

High Concern

Your pet has:

• Persistent coughing

• Fever

• Marked lethargy

• Refusal to eat

• Repeated vomiting or diarrhoea

• Rapid breathing at rest

• Increasing abdominal breathing effort

• Worsening signs over several hours

What it may mean: Significant respiratory or systemic disease is present, whether or not SARS-CoV-2 is the cause.

What to do: Seek same-day veterinary assessment.

Critical

Your pet has:

• Open-mouth breathing

• Severe respiratory effort

• Blue, grey or very pale gums

• Collapse

• Inability to stand

• Repeated seizures

• Coughing blood

• Minimal responsiveness

What it may mean: Severe oxygen deprivation, respiratory failure, shock or another life-threatening emergency may be present.

What to do: Attend an emergency veterinary hospital immediately.

When Is This an Emergency?

Seek immediate veterinary care if your pet develops:

• Open-mouth breathing

• Pronounced abdominal breathing effort

• Blue, grey or white gums

• Collapse or near-collapse

• Severe weakness

• Inability to stand

• Coughing blood

• Repeated or prolonged seizures

• Rapid deterioration

• Minimal responsiveness

• Complete food refusal in a kitten or medically fragile animal

Call the hospital before travelling. Tell the staff if anyone in the household currently has COVID-19 so that the team can plan safe admission and infection-control procedures.

Do not force food, water, oral medication or inhalers into an animal that is struggling to breathe.

What Should You Do If You Have COVID-19 and Own Pets?

1. Ask Someone Else To Provide Routine Care

Where possible, another household member should feed, exercise and clean up after the pet while you are unwell.

This reduces the animal’s exposure without compromising its welfare. (WOAH)

2. Reduce Close Face-to-Face Contact

Temporarily avoid:

• Kissing your pet

• Allowing face licking

• Sharing food

• Sleeping with the pet against your face

• Prolonged cuddling close to your mouth and nose

You do not need to avoid the pet forever. This is a short-term precaution during the period when you are infectious. (CDC Stacks)

3. Wear a Mask if You Must Provide Care

When another caregiver is unavailable:

• Wear a well-fitting mask where practical.

• Wash your hands before and after handling the animal.

• Avoid coughing or sneezing towards the pet.

• Clean food bowls, leads and frequently handled equipment normally.

(WOAH)

4. Keep Cats Indoors

An exposed cat should not roam through the neighbourhood or interact with unfamiliar animals.

Keeping the cat indoors also makes appetite, breathing and activity easier to monitor. (AVMA)

5. Do Not Put a Mask on Your Pet

Masks can impair breathing, cause distress and be chewed or swallowed.

They should not be placed on cats, dogs or other animals. (CDC Stacks)

6. Do Not Disinfect the Animal

Never wipe or bathe a pet with:

• Household disinfectant

• Alcohol

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Hand sanitiser

• Bleach

• Surface-cleaning wipes

These products can cause skin injury, poisoning and respiratory irritation. Normal species-appropriate grooming is sufficient. (CDC Stacks)

7. Do Not Abandon or Euthanise the Pet

A positive or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection is not a reason to abandon, surrender or euthanise an otherwise manageable animal.

Animal welfare must remain part of the risk assessment. (WOAH)

What Should You Do if Your Pet Becomes Sick After Exposure?

Call the Veterinary Clinic First

Tell the clinic:

• Who in the household has COVID-19

• When the pet was exposed

• When signs began

• Whether the animal is coughing or breathing abnormally

• Whether appetite, vomiting or stool have changed

• Whether other pets are affected

The clinic may arrange a specific entrance, remote history-taking or other infection-control measures.

Keep the Pet Away From Other Animals

Until veterinary advice is received:

• Keep the affected cat indoors.

• Avoid dog parks, daycare, groomers and boarding facilities.

• Use separate bowls and bedding where practical.

• Prevent close contact with other pets.

Monitor the Important Clinical Details

Record:

• Resting respiratory rate

• Breathing effort

• Appetite

• Water intake

• Temperature, if you are trained to measure it safely

• Coughing or sneezing frequency

• Vomiting and diarrhoea

• Energy level

• Videos of abnormal breathing or coughing

Do Not Give Human COVID Medication

Do not administer human antivirals, decongestants, cough medicine, ivermectin, antibiotics or corticosteroids unless a veterinarian has prescribed a specific medication for that animal.

The pet may have a completely different disease, and several human medications are dangerous to cats and dogs.

Should Pets Be Tested for SARS-CoV-2?

Most pets do not need testing.

Testing is most likely to be considered when an animal:

• Has compatible clinical signs

• Has had a relevant human or animal exposure

• Has already been assessed for more common causes

• Is part of an unusual cluster or outbreak

• Has unexpected severe illness or mortality

• Is a zoo, farmed, wildlife or other epidemiologically important animal

The decision should involve the attending veterinarian and, where required, animal-health and public-health officials. (APHIS)

Can You Use a Human Rapid Test on a Pet?

A household human rapid test should not be relied upon to diagnose or exclude SARS-CoV-2 infection in an animal.

Sampling techniques, viral distribution and test validation differ between species. Even in zoo investigations, researchers have stressed that rapid testing methods require specific validation for the animals being tested. (CDC)

How Are Animals Tested?

Veterinary laboratories may use PCR on samples such as:

• Nasal swabs

• Oropharyngeal swabs

• Respiratory samples

• Rectal or faecal samples

• Other tissues or fluids in selected cases

In the United States, animal testing and reporting are coordinated through veterinary diagnostic laboratories, APHIS and public-health partners. Confirmed infections are reportable because SARS-CoV-2 remains an emerging disease in animals. (APHIS)

How Is SARS-CoV-2 Infection Treated in Pets?

Most mild pet infections resolve with supportive care.

Treatment may include:

• Rest

• Maintaining hydration

• Good nutrition

• Monitoring breathing

• Management of fever or nausea where indicated

• Treatment of any secondary or unrelated disease

Animals with significant breathing difficulty may require oxygen, imaging, hospitalisation and more intensive supportive treatment. (AVMA)

There is no standard household-pet equivalent of a human COVID antiviral protocol. Treatment should be directed at the animal’s actual clinical abnormalities rather than copying medication used in people.

Antibiotics do not treat SARS-CoV-2. They are only appropriate when a bacterial infection is independently diagnosed or strongly suspected.

What Is the Prognosis?

The prognosis for most recognised domestic cat and dog infections is good.

Most infected pets are asymptomatic or develop mild illness and recover with supportive care. The Bronx Zoo tigers and lions also recovered fully. (CDC Stacks)

The outlook becomes more guarded when an animal has:

• Significant respiratory disease

• Advanced age

• Important concurrent illness

• Immunosuppression

• Severe neurological signs

• An unusual host-adapted viral outbreak

• Another serious disease mistaken for SARS-CoV-2

A positive PCR result does not automatically mean that SARS-CoV-2 is the primary cause of every clinical problem. The complete veterinary investigation still matters.

Could Animals Become SARS-CoV-2 Reservoirs?

This remains an important One Health surveillance question.

Sustained animal-to-animal transmission has occurred in:

• Farmed mink

• White-tailed deer

• Some other susceptible animal populations

Virus circulation in animals can create opportunities for adaptation, mutation and possible spillback into people. Nevertheless, human-to-human transmission has remained the dominant epidemiological driver, and companion animals have not become a major source of human infection. (WOAH)

The sensible response is continued surveillance, not fear of pets.

What Should Zoos and Animal Facilities Learn From the Case?

Facilities housing susceptible animals should maintain policies that reduce transmission in both directions.

These may include:

• Keeping symptomatic or infected staff away from susceptible animals

• Using appropriate masks and protective equipment

• Restricting unnecessary access

• Maintaining dedicated clothing and footwear

• Improving ventilation where possible

• Cleaning shared tools and equipment

• Developing plans for animal testing and isolation

• Coordinating veterinary, occupational-health and public-health teams

(APHIS)

The Bronx Zoo case was not simply an interesting tiger story. It showed why keeper health and animal health are part of the same biosecurity system.

Common COVID-19 and Pet Mistakes

Assuming Every Cough Is COVID-19

Asthma, feline respiratory viruses, pneumonia, heart disease and parasites are often more likely explanations.

Diagnosing the Pet From the Owner’s Test

Household exposure increases suspicion but does not prove that the pet’s signs are caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Testing Every Healthy Pet

Routine testing of clinically normal household animals is generally unnecessary.

Saying Animal-to-Human Transmission Is Impossible

It is uncommon, but rare suspected and probable events have occurred.

Putting a Mask on the Animal

Masks can harm or distress pets.

Cleaning the Pet With Disinfectant

Surface disinfectants are toxic and should never be applied to fur or skin.

Giving Human Medication

Human COVID treatments should not be improvised for animals.

Ignoring More Important Current Exposures

Severe respiratory or neurological disease after raw milk, raw meat or wild-bird exposure should raise urgent concern for H5N1 and other serious diseases.

Abandoning the Pet

The risk from ordinary companion animals is low, and infection is not a reason to compromise animal welfare.

Can SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pets Be Prevented?

Risk cannot be reduced to zero, but practical precautions are effective.

• Avoid close contact with animals while actively infected.

• Ask another person to provide care where possible.

• Wear a mask if close care cannot be avoided.

• Wash hands before and after handling animals or their supplies.

• Keep exposed cats indoors.

• Do not allow exposed pets to visit boarding facilities, groomers or crowded animal settings.

• Maintain ordinary veterinary preventive care.

• Seek veterinary advice if signs develop.

• Use appropriate infection-control policies in shelters, farms and zoos.

(WOAH)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my cat catch COVID-19 from me?

Yes. People can transmit SARS-CoV-2 to cats during close contact. Most recognised feline infections have occurred after exposure to an infected owner or carer. (CDC Stacks)

Can my cat give COVID-19 to me?

The risk is low. Rare suspected cat-to-human transmission has been reported, but household cats are not considered an important driver of human infection. (CDC)

Should I test my cat when I have COVID-19?

Usually not when the cat remains healthy. Testing may be considered if the cat develops compatible illness and the veterinarian, animal-health officials or public-health officials believe the result would affect management. (AVMA Store)

Did the Bronx Zoo tiger recover?

Yes. Nadia and all seven other infected tigers and lions recovered. (WCS Newsroom)

Should I stay away from my pet while I am sick?

Reduce very close contact where practical and ask another household member to provide care. When that is impossible, wear a mask, practise good hand hygiene and avoid kissing, face licking, shared food and sleeping face-to-face with the animal. (WOAH)

Final Thoughts

The Bronx Zoo tiger case was scientifically important because it confirmed that SARS-CoV-2 could move naturally from people into big cats.

The most important points are:

1. Nadia was the first confirmed animal SARS-CoV-2 case in the United States.

2. Eight Bronx Zoo big cats were eventually confirmed infected.

3. One infected tiger never developed clinical signs.

4. All eight cats recovered.

5. The likely source was an infected zoo employee.

6. Domestic cats can also become infected by people.

7. Most recognised pet infections are asymptomatic or mild.

8. Companion animals have not played a significant role in sustaining human COVID-19 transmission.

9. Animal-to-human transmission is possible but uncommon.

10. Routine testing of healthy pets is not recommended.

11. A coughing or sneezing cat still needs assessment for more common diseases.

12. Severe respiratory disease after raw-animal-product or bird exposure raises urgent concern for H5N1.

13. People with COVID-19 should temporarily reduce close contact with animals.

14. Masks and household disinfectants must never be applied to pets.

15. A positive animal result is not a reason for abandonment or euthanasia.

16. Open-mouth breathing, collapse, abnormal gum colour or seizures requires emergency care.

17. Continued animal surveillance remains important for One Health and viral-evolution monitoring.

The mistake that causes the greatest harm is choosing one of two extremes: assuming pets are dangerous disease reservoirs, or assuming cross-species transmission cannot occur.

The more accurate answer sits between them. People can infect susceptible animals. Animals can occasionally transmit the virus back under particular conditions. Ordinary household pets, however, remain a low public-health risk and should be protected rather than feared.

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ASK A VET™ can help you organise your pet’s exposure timeline, breathing videos, appetite changes and questions for your veterinary team. A pet with severe breathing effort, open-mouth breathing, collapse, blue or grey gums, coughing blood or seizures still requires immediate hands-on emergency veterinary care.