A cougar at In-Sync Exotics in Wylie has tested positive for COVID-19 and is the first of its species to catch the virus.
While sedated for a routine medical check-up, In-Sync Exotics' veterinarian performed a nasopharyngeal swab to test for the presence of COVID-19. The test results came back positive.
Three tigers tested positive as well, but this is the first time this species of cougar has caught COVID-19.
All four cats are being closely monitored and are doing well with no symptoms, according to In-Sync Exotics.
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Safety measures such as mandatory face masks for everyone except visitors under the age of three and weekly COVID-19 tests have been ongoing since the start of the pandemic.
In-Sync Exotics is an outdoor experience for all visitors, with two fences between visitors and the cats with no direct contact allowed.
There have been zero cases of transmission of the COVID-19 virus from feline to human or interspecies from feline to other species have been documented.
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The way the four cats caught COVID-19 is believed to be via droplets in the air through sneezing or coughing.
