Can you catch a cold from a cat?
Question: Can you catch a cold from a cat?
Answer:
While you can’t catch the common cold from your cat, cats can transmit other respiratory infections to humans. The cold viruses that affect cats and humans are species-specific, meaning the rhinovirus that causes human colds cannot infect cats, and the feline calicivirus that causes cat colds cannot infect humans.
However, cats can spread other diseases to their human companions. One example is Bordetella bronchiseptica, a bacterial infection that can cause respiratory symptoms in both cats and humans.
This is particularly concerning for people with weakened immune systems, young children, or the elderly, who may be more susceptible to such infections.
If your cat is showing signs of respiratory illness, such as sneezing, runny nose, or watery eyes, it’s important to take them to a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.
While you may not catch their cold, maintaining good hygiene practices like washing your hands after handling a sick cat and keeping their living area clean will help prevent the spread of any transmissible infections between pets and people in your household.