With a global pandemic amongst us, and rumors circulating that animals can give you COVID-19, people have begun asking if their cat will give them the virus and what to do.

Some people have even begun asking if they need to rehome their cats or have started the process of rehoming their cats, leaving shelters overwhelmed all across the world.

Thankfully, health experts are here to tell you that abandoning your cat is NOT the answer.

Fear not, feline lovers! According to the World Health Organization, there is no evidence that pets can be infected by Covid-19.

However, one woman in Belgium may have passed COVID-19 onto her cat.

According to a recent daily Public Health press conference in Belgium, “the veterinary medicine faculty in Liège reported that a coronavirus infection has been determined in a cat. The cat lived with her owner, who started showing symptoms of the virus a week before the cat did,” said Professor Steven Van Gucht.

Van Gucht reminded the public that this incident is entirely uncommon and they should not be alarmed.

They should not be concerned that their dogs or cats are bringing them COVID-19, but rather a human gave their animal COVID-19 and the risk is still minimal. However, it can still be mitigated.

Veterinarians have decided to offer advice to pet owners to minimize the risk of human-to-animal transmission and prevent the flow of misinformation. It is incredibly important that before and after touching their pet, pet owners practice frequent and thorough hygienic measures. This would prevent their pets from becoming infected.

“Animals are not vectors of the epidemic, so there is no reason to abandon your animal,” the National Council for Animal Protection reacted in the aftermath. However, it advises sick people to “respect the usual rules of hygiene,” to wash their hands before and after stroking their pet, and to “not rub their nose against their pets.”

With no cause for concern about your animal bringing home COVID-19, now may be the perfect time to swing by a shelter.

Shelters like Iris’s Cats in Need said they are running low in volunteers due to a quarantine and food donations are getting scarce.

“There are a lot of nervous people out there, but we need to be clear your pets are not going to get you sick,” Volunteer Claire Jones told the BBC. “Now is the time to get a pet because you’re going to be home a lot.”

So, in other words, be sure to visit your local shelter.

During this pandemic, there’s a lot we can do as cat lovers to help the animals in need. Whether it’s volunteering your time or dropping off some extra food, the help is welcomed.

Even better, sharing articles about how COVID-19 is spread and bringing awareness is something free and easy you can do. With a lot of misinformation circulating the internet, ensuring your friends and family know their pets won’t give them COVID-19 is a great place to start.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family. It could keep a furry friend in the only home they’ve ever known.

Source: World Health Organization, BBC, The Brussels Times, American Veterinary Medical Association