27 Sep, 2020 @ 17:47
1 min read

Study in Spain shows that cats may naturally develop COVID defences

cat
CAREFUL: Cats have two less lives than their European cousins

SPANISH researchers have found that cats may be able to develop antibodies that neutralise COVID-19.

Scientists studied two cats – one of which was known to have suffered from COVID-19 along with his human family – while the other showed no symptoms.

cat
Cats fight off coronavirus

They found that both had developed antibodies to the virus, with their immune systems putting up a robust response.

The first cat – Negrito – was put down for a problem unrelated to coronavirus, although the virus was viewed as an aggravating factor, with an autopsy showing he had been infected by the disease. Despite this, there were no obvious symptoms that Negrito had COVID-19.

Further tests on both cats showed they had low viral loads and were able to fight coronavirus by developing their own antibodies.

Researchers say this has given them a new insight into the virus, which may be useful in battling COVID-19 in the human population.

They added that it was extremely rare for the animals to be infected by the virus.

Dilip Kuner

Dilip Kuner is a NCTJ-trained journalist whose first job was on the Folkestone Herald as a trainee in 1988.
He worked up the ladder to be chief reporter and sub editor on the Hastings Observer and later news editor on the Bridlington Free Press.
At the time of the first Gulf War he started working for the Sunday Mirror, covering news stories as diverse as Mick Jagger’s wedding to Jerry Hall (a scoop gleaned at the bar at Heathrow Airport) to massive rent rises at the ‘feudal village’ of Princess Diana’s childhood home of Althorp Park.
In 1994 he decided to move to Spain with his girlfriend (now wife) and brought up three children here.
He initially worked in restaurants with his father, before rejoining the media world in 2013, working in the local press before becoming a copywriter for international firms including Accenture, as well as within a well-known local marketing agency.
He joined the Olive Press as a self-employed journalist during the pandemic lock-down, becoming news editor a few months later.
Since then he has overseen the news desk and production of all six print editions of the Olive Press and had stories published in UK national newspapers and appeared on Sky News.

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