Question
I recently tested positive for Covid and I’ve been isolating myself in one of the bedrooms. This is the same room where my kitty sleeps and basically calls it her own territory.
She meows, yowls and scratches on the door to be let inside. Is it safe for her to be inside here? My wife is the other person in the house, along with my three other cats. None of the other cats have been trying to get inside. Also, this one is very attached to me. It’s heartbreaking to hear her yowl outside the door.
EDIT: My wife has also tested positive. We along with our cats are now isolated in our apt. They are indoor cats and we are taking precautions by sanitising beds we/they sleep on, using gloves and masks while feeding them and not petting them at all (they aren’t happy about that) and generally maintaining physical separation from them. So far none of them have shown any unusual behaviour. Thank you for all your immensely useful answers and comments!
EDIT 2: We have since recovered and tested negative (tested via RT-PCR tests and not the rapid antigen test). We didn’t test our cats but from what we see, they seem to be fine. No abnormal fluid discharges etc. The two older cats (5 and 6 yo) were quiet for a few days but they have since returned to their normal activity levels. The two younger ones (8 mos and 1 yo) were relentlessly active through our entire ordeal. All in all I think the older ones may have been infected but have since recovered and the younger ones were not. Again, this is purely based on empirical evidence and no tests. All in all we lived through this to tell the tale!
Answer
TLDR: Not really.
While the risk is low - COVID-19 seems to be fairly indiscriminate, with documented cases of dogs, cats, zoo otters and farmed minks getting it. Most corona virus (There's a whole family of similar viruses like SARS and MERS) outbreaks are pretty certainly zoonotic (they come from animals in the first place), so extra caution is a good idea.
The CDC advices you don't - and interestingly advices safe distancing for animals
Keep cats indoors when possible and do not let them roam freely outside.
Walk dogs on a leash at least 6 feet away from others to protect them from interacting with people outside the household.
They also indicate that the symptoms are at worst mild, or affected animals may be asymptomatic
Pets infected with this virus may or may not get sick. Pets that do have symptoms usually have mild illness that can be taken care of at home.
Which of course leads to the possibility of it being spread via your pet to other people and animals
The Mayo clinic concurs - advising
Isolate yourself from everyone else, including your pet. If possible, have another person in your household care for your pet.
Essentially - please treat any mammalian pet as at risk of contracting COVID-19. While you love your cat - waiting for the necessary time is both for your safety as well as for your cat.
Answered By - Journeyman Geek