Prospective SARS-COV2 Surveillance in Shelter Cats Undergoing Ovariohysterectomy at a Veterinary Teaching Hospital

A total of 113 intact female shelter cats between approximately 5 and 18 months of age presented to a veterinary teaching hospital for ovariohysterectomy were surveilled for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serology in an observational cross-sectional design to preliminarily assess risks of animal-to-human transmission. Swabs were obtained from the conjunctiva, oropharynx, rectum, and haircoat for PCR analysis. One cat (0.9%) had a low-positive rectal PCR result for SARS-CoV2, but was negative on subsequent testing and did not seroconvert. All other cats were negative on all PCR samples and serology. In the study population, the risk of COVID-19 transmission, both conspecific and zoonotic, appears low.