COVID-19: Nearly One in Two Cats Exposed to the Coronavirus in Peru

A study conducted in Lima, Peru, reveals that a surprisingly high proportion of domestic cats were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 during the first wave of the pandemic. Published in *Frontiers in Veterinary Science* , the study indicates that nearly 44% of the cats tested had antibodies against the coronavirus, highlighting the extent of transmission between humans and pets. Between 2020 and 2021, 544 blood samples from cats were collected at veterinary clinics in Lima. The researchers used a highly specific (100%) ELISA test to detect antibodies against two coronavirus proteins. In total, 43.8% of the cats showed an immune response consistent with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, 95.5% of cats living with humans who tested positive for COVID-19 were themselves seropositive. This finding reinforces the hypothesis of direct human-to-animal transmission, which has already been suggested in other studies conducted in Europe and Asia. Furthermore, the study shows that certain groups are affected more frequently:

• females (63.9% seropositive);
• kittens under one year of age (51.3%);
• short-haired cats (up to 93.2%).

These trends could be explained by differences in behavior, proximity to humans, or biological susceptibility, but they warrant further research. Despite this high seroprevalence, infected cats showed few visible symptoms. Only 15.6% of them showed clinical signs (coughing, sneezing, lethargy), and severe cases remained very rare. No confusion with other feline coronaviruses was observed, confirming the test’s specificity. The authors note that while animal-to-human transmission has not been demonstrated here, the close proximity between humans and pets is a factor that should not be overlooked in epidemiological surveillance strategies. This study underscores the need for a “One Health” approach, which integrates the links between human health, animal health, and environmental health. This is the first study of this scale on the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in cats in Latin America. It reveals a much broader exposure than previously assumed in a region marked by high human mortality linked to COVID-19.