FAQ: Can my cat catch my cold?
Friday April 18, 2008
A reader asks:
I have a 9 month old cat So far she seems pretty healthy and up to date on her vaccinations. But my question is (and I haven't seen it addressed anywhere), right now I'm sick with a cold As other humans can, are cats able to catch colds/the flu from humans too? I wouldn't want this to cause any problems for her. If you could answer this I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
Please read my reply to this interesting question, then post your comments below.
Comments
No
yes cats can get a cold
no,because cats and humans are a different reality altogether so…no.
You’re best bet is to ask your Vet about this. He/She can tell you the actual reality about this question. I have wondered about this as well.
I think the next time I go to my Vet I will find this out too. Good Question!
YES! Your cat can, in fact, catch your cold. My cat Wiskerbiscuit DIED from catching my cold as a result of sharing a spoonful of food. I would feed her a spoon full of my dinner when she would sit next to my dinner plate. I live alone and getting on in years so I welcome any kind of affection and what is more loving than that?
Wiskerbiscuit caught a fatal cold that my vet said was likely transmitted from me to her while I had the stomach flu. I still think about it to this day.
Ethel, that is a sad story. Did the vet say HOW Wiskerbiscuit may have contracted the sickness? I’d like to avoid making the same mistake.
ethel-
i’m so sorry about your cat. but cats can not catch colds from humans and vice versa.
ethel-
i forgot to mention that although cats cannot catch colds from humans,they do catch colds.they sneeze just like us too.infact,it’s not uncommon especially for outdoor cats. it only becomes a problem if they have discharge from their nose or eyes, then they will need antibiotics. our cat was sick last year and he sneezed out blood (we were worried sick)but antibiotics did the trick.good luck.
Ethel,
Very Very sorry about Wisker. Just like human, as my vet tells me when am worried when my elderly cats are sick, life and death are in the hands of our Creator – God. You say you are alone/lonely – why not welcome another one or two cats – there are alot needing a home – they are lovely unconditionally loving creatures. Plus this will alleviate the grief. I live alone too, had two cats, one passed last year in October due to age related kidney failure,now have one also aged cat but will this weekend adopt two homeless ones.
no she con not get the flu nore con she get the flu because they have a spechal subtens in there body i know because my mom and dad are doctors and i have the cold and i have a cat.
My cat Melvin caught my arthritic joints.
I’ve always heard that cats cannot catch a common cold from humans because their normal body temperature — about 104 degrees — is too high for the bug to thrive. I’m kind of suspicious about the stomach flu, though, after hearing Ethel’s story. That’s just awful.
Some commenters seem to be confusing “cold” and “stomach flu”.
I truly recommend cats as cuddling company when recovering from an illness. I needed a mastectomy in 2000; my two cats HobieCat and Sophie offer careful cuddling when I got home. I’d been concerned they might cause some damage as I was healing but they seemed to know where to sit or lay down beside me and were never a problem, but rather kept my spirits up when I was feeling low. Eight years later, I still have Sophie (we lost Hobiecat just a year after my surgery) and she’s still great company at age 15.
Hello! I think its interesting I see alot of people are 50/ 50 about this question… I have three cats and one dog and my fiance was sick last week from a cold he caught from a co worker a few days later Cloe the baby was sneezing up a storm and would cough and lost her “meow” it sounded all rusted… few days went by and I got a cold and Cloe sleeps right above my head in between me and my fiance, few days went by and Mosh had it too sneezing up a storm like me. my fiance and cloe are better now but Lucas and Mosh still have it I hope they get better soon as well as myself… Anyways to answer the question.. Yes, I do believe cats can catch our cold… although I cant say that I have caught it from them..
Hi,
My story is a bit different. I recently decided to adopt a pet from our local animal shelter wanting to save a life and provide a pal for our 8-year old cat. CoCo was sneezing a bit so we took her to the vet. She had an upper respiratory infection and was sent home with medication. I also had to syringe feed her since she wasn’t eating. When cats can’t smell, they won’t eat/drink. My vet suggested that I keep CoCo seperate from Tigger for a few days since URI is very contagious. Well, Tigger got the infection anyway and I took her to the vet. It turns out that not only did Tigger have the infection, but she also had caught something from my husband. He was sick for about a week, in bed, with 102 fever. I believe that due to both factors, Tigger got even more sick. The vet was able to get the URI under control but unfortunately, she developed pneumonia and was not able to fight it. My kitten is fine and doing “kitten” things but I am still in shock/disbelief over Tigger. Be very careful when getting a new kitten and make sure it gets to the vet immediately for shots and a check-up. I do believe that all lives are in the hands of God and that I did everything possible to help Tigger get better.
I don’t know about that because I have two cats with respirtatory infections and now I an feeling sneezy and crappy with a head cold or something….they have been sleeping with me and sneezing all over the place…i think it’s a possibility. What are the chances?
A lot of people believe that colds and similar viruses can be passed between humans and cats. However, speaking from a biology degree, such viruses are species-specific. Meaning, human cold viruses affect only humans, and cat cold viruses affect only cats. It is a coincidence if you both get sick. There are many viruses in our environment, both human and animal variety. So you both can get sick, but from separate viruses.
Thanks, Carissa!
It’s like saying, “It’s raining today and I have a sore throat. Therefore, rain must cause colds.”
The wife and I have both got flu, hers is in her bones, mine in my stomach, and our 14 year old puss is very quiet at the moment, not his usual friendly smothering self. I have read that the virus needs to be at normal body temperature to thrive, which is why we get a fever as part of our body´s defence. But then this bug is extremely adept at mutation, so if temperature is the only barrier then I suppose it could overcome this fairly easily?. I think maybe yes.
Okay, I’m not convinced either way since vets have always told me that viruses are indeed species specific but here’s my question. If I have been sick and I have all indoor cats that never go outside and they can’t catch it from me or my husband, do we bring it in on our shoes or clothes because now my cat is sick?!! I haven’t been around any other animals and it makes me wonder if there is something to what the other folks are saying. Biologists, should you go back to the drawing board? I’m not sure, just puzzled.
Zoonosis
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Zoonosis
Classification and external resources
MeSH D015047
A zoonosis (pronounced /ˌzoʊəˈnoʊsɨs/) or zoonose is any infectious disease that is able to be transmitted (in some instances, by a vector) from other animals, both wild and domestic, to humans or from humans to animals (the latter is sometimes called reverse zoonosis). The word is derived from the Greek words zòon (animal) and nosos (ill). Many serious diseases fall under this category.
The simplest definition of a zoonosis is a disease that can be transmitted from other vertebrate animals to humans. A slightly more technical definition is a disease that normally exists in other animals, but also infects humans.
The emerging interdisciplinary field of conservation medicine, which integrates human and veterinary medicine, and environmental sciences, is largely concerned with zoonoses.
***This is what happened to our family after taking in a sick kitten. Many tests and money spent on all or pets and family we were all diagnosed with a zoonotic illness.***
Emily:
Thanks for letting Wikipedia confirm (or obfuscate) what I already said in my linked article.
:=)
Twice now one of my cats has caught a cold from me, the full on sneezing and watery eyes. The first time I didn’t believe it, the second time I realised it had actually happened again. Now I go on the assumption that human colds do transmit to cats. I don’t care what the experts say, I have watched this happen in my own household.
I agree Susan. My husband came home the other day with cold/flu symptoms. Yesterday, I began coughing and sneezing and last night my cat began sneezing all night(she sleeps next to my head) I’ve never seen her sneeze before.
This is all very interesting. My cat is sick right now, not eating or drinking. My hsb. has been sick the last couple of weeks. It’s the weekend and I haven’t been able to take my cat to the vet. I didnt’ know there was a emergency clinics for pets here until tonight while do an online search. Chelsea (my cat) hasn’t been eating or drinking. I have been able to get some water into her and I think she’s a bit better and moving around a little. I have heard her sneeze before but not today. I plan to take her to the vet in the morning to get checked out. At first, I thought she’d gotten into something outside. She goes out to go to the bathroom and sun bathe. She not strictly an indoor cat. But now I’m wondering if she didnt’ catch what my hsb. had. It flu/like symptoms though and not a stomach bug. Chelsea was throwing up too a couple of days ago. I didn’t think much about it at the time because she hacks up hair balls every once and a while. She’s never been sick before this week.
I have a cold or flu( dont know the difference) and feel terrible. One day later my cat starts sneezing and licking his nose a lot. He is a house cat. How else could he of got sick? I have also given it to my boyfriend at the same time. There must be another explaination, does the virus mutate into a cat version?
In answer to your question, and in correction of many of these answers….the answer is no. ‘cold’ virus’ have been stated to be species specific….which means they are not zoonotic (or transferable) between you and your pet.
Animals can become ill for a variety of reasons….as a certified vet assistant, i urge people to seek Veterinary advice on these issues because the ‘minor cold’ you cat is exhibiting can be due to a much more severe underlying problem. As far as ones cat dying from catching your cold…that is completely a farce, and this person needs to look at the facts of perhaps the cat had an underlying disease to begin with..
I further encourage you to seek a vet for information, and not the internet as misinformation can be critical to your pets recovery.
Yes, some viruses are zoonotic. Meaning yes they can be transferred b/w different species such as people and cats. Parasites are easiest to transmit, such as ringworm. I recently had a viral infection in my eye, most likely from a patient who was sneezing all over me (patient meaning cat). However in order to prove it dna testing on the virus would be required, and viruses are successful because they mutate rapidly.
So always assume you can make your pets sick, wash your hands before touching or feeding them. Don’t sneeze/cough on them, and take them to the vet if they are sneezing or have a greenish-yellowish discharge from their nose or eyes.
Ever hear of Swine flu, or bird flu? therefore some flu’s are transferred from other species!