A pet cat has become the first animal to test positive for coronavirus in the UK, the Government has revealed.
The animal is thought to have caught coronavirus from its owners who had previously tested positive for the disease.
Downing Street said the cat had symptoms including shortness of breath.
The cat and its owners have since made a “full recovery”, according to the scientists who tested the animal.
It is the first confirmed case of an animal with the coronavirus strain in the UK.
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer confirmed that the virus responsible for Covid-19 was detected in the domestic cat.
A very small number of confirmed cases in pets have been confirmed in other countries in Europe, North America and Asia.
The cat’s infection was detected during tests at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) laboratory in Weybridge on Wednesday, July 22.
The Government stressed there is no evidence that pets or other domestic animals are able to transmit the virus to people.
Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: “This is a very rare event with infected animals detected to date only showing mild clinical signs and recovering within in a few days.
“There is no evidence to suggest that pets directly transmit the virus to humans. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will update our guidance to pet owners should the situation change.”