COVID-19 is a new respiratory illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, and has constituted a global public health emergency. Cat is susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. However, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in cats remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the infection of SARS-CoV-2 in cats during COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan by serological detection methods. A cohort of serum samples were collected from cats in Wuhan, including 102 sampled after COVID-19 outbreak, and 39 prior to the outbreak. Fifteen sera collected after the outbreak were positive for the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 by indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Among them, 11 had SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies with a titer ranging from 1/20 to 1/1080. No serological cross-reactivity was detected between SARS-CoV-2 and type I or II feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV). In addition, we continuously monitored serum antibody dynamics of two positive cats every 10 days over 130 days. Their serum antibodies reached the peak at 10 days after first sampling, and declined to the limit of detection within 110 days. Our data demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 has infected cats in Wuhan during the outbreak and described serum antibody dynamics in cats, providing an important reference for clinical treatment and prevention of COVID-19.

COVID-19 是由 SARS-CoV-2 引起的一种新型呼吸道疾病，已构成全球突发公共卫生事件。猫对 SARS-CoV-2 很敏感。然而，SARS-CoV-2 在猫中的流行情况仍然很大程度上未知。在这里，我们通过血清学检测方法调查了武汉 COVID-19 爆发期间猫中 SARS-CoV-2 的感染情况。从武汉的猫身上采集了一组血清样本，其中 102 份是在 COVID-19 爆发后采集的，39 份是在疫情爆发前采集的。通过间接酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA），疫情爆发后收集的 15 份血清显示 SARS-CoV-2 受体结合域（RBD）呈阳性。其中，11人具有SARS-CoV-2中和抗体，滴度为1/20至1/1080。SARS-CoV-2 和 I 型或 II 型猫传染性腹膜炎病毒 (FIPV) 之间未检测到血清学交叉反应。此外，我们在 130 天的时间里，每 10 天持续监测两只阳性猫的血清抗体动态。他们的血清抗体在第一次采样后10天达到峰值，并在110天内下降到检测限。我们的数据表明SARS-CoV-2在疫情爆发期间感染了武汉的猫，并描述了猫的血清抗体动态，为临床治疗和预防COVID-19提供了重要参考。