Investigation of the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in house cats belonging to people with COVID-19

Objective: Coronaviruses are viral agents with zoonotic potential that can cause disease in many animal species. Recently a novel coronavirus agent excited pandemia in humans. It was named SARS-COV-2. In addition to causing pandemia, it was reported that the agent has been detected in pets. Although it has reduced, its effectiveness since the pandemic, it continues to exist without losing its importance due to its potential. In this study, we aimed to research the presence of SARS CoV 2 Ig G specific antibodies in domestic cats whose owners were diagnosed with COVİD 19. Materials and Methods: SARS-COV-2 specific Ig G antibodies were searched by receptor-binding domain-ELISA (RBD ELISA) method in 88 domestic cats whose owners were diagnosed at most 3 months ago and approved by The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye and have positive COVID-19 results. Results: As a result of the study, the seroprevalence of COVİD-19 in cats was 2,27%. In the literature reviews, it was seen that there were a limited number of studies in our country. Conclusion: This study is the first article conducted in Central Anatolia. The results show that cats can carry the potential for anthropozoonotic potential.