What are you doing about your pets?

[TrickyD]

DH thinks if an infected person strokes our cat, she can bring the virus into the house on her fur.

She is a young rescue cat and we only let her out for half an hour or so twice a day.She does not appear to leave the garden and comes back as soon as she is called .

Is DH’s fear really justified? Can the virus be transmitted like this? I am sceptical.

If she stays in your garden then I think he is worrying over nothing. The risk anyway is minute I imagine.

The chance of anyone stroking your cat is so low , never mind someone carrying the infection.
Most people wash their hands after stroking their pets anyway .
What an odd thing to fixate on.
Is he pulling your leg do you think ?
I suppose you could give her a quick wash with a pet friendly shampoo.
Is your dh anxious in general ?

Don’t lick the cat?
DH seems over anxious.

Your DH sounds deranged!

I’m a dog sitter and I am a tiny bit concerned, but what’s the alternative, getting ride of our pets? I’m so worried about the animals that may end up abandoned because people are over reacting to the tiny tiny potential risk. I’d be more concerned about wiping down my bins, after they’ve been emptied, to be honest. There has been absolutely no evidence to show a link between those with the virus and pet ownership. The one dog they were slightly concerned about is still in good health and they think it had a very very low reading was because it was in close daily contact with its owner.

Is he going to strip and shower every time he speaks to someone out of the house? Because he’s probably at greater risk of carrying it home.

At time’s like this well really appreciate our pets for comfort, so make sure you’ve bought in extra food for kitty and enjoy your cuddles.

rid* please don’t ride your pets, unless they’re horses.

We are doing nothing because one cat will go no more than a few metres from the back door, and besides haven't you noticed it is not summer yet. The other one has taken years to grudgingly accept some strokes so unless possible coronavirus victims want to put some serious effort into befriending him over the next few weeks, then him being within a few metres of an affected individual isn't going to happen. He even runs away from us if he is outside.

We have got cat litter (alongside our loo roll!), and desperately trying to convince them that sheba cat food slices in gravy is not too different to sheba cat food flakes in jelly which seems to be sold out. If James Wellbeloved comes down with the virus and is too ill to make his Turkey dry food then we are truly doomed.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say he is deranged, but he can certainly be obsessive, and going to great lengths to avoid our catching the virus is keeping him happily occupied.
To be fair, I am old with loads of health issues so he is just trying to protect me.

If we get to the point where that's got any significant probability of happening, then your husband will have already brought home the virus through brushing against an infected person with his own coat or shoes or something an infected person has touched. What about his hair? Has he thought about what might happen if an infected person breathes on it?

Perhaps he should go out naked, so that he can easily disinfect himself upon entering the house.

If he's not prepared to do that, then let the poor cat alone. And if he is prepared to do that, then it's time for him to look at anti-anxiety medication.

Unless you are completely isolating the whole family in the house, then your risk of picking the virus up somewhere out and about is what he should be worried about - you won't get it from your cat's fur!

He has suspended his gym and swimming membership and is not going to shops, no one, even sons and grandchildren allowed over the threshold. Trip to Florence at the end of the month cancelled, money refunded as flights were cancelled anyway. Trip to stay with DS1 at the weekend postponed.

My own view is that if I am going to catch it I would sooner do that while hospitals etc can still deal with my weedy lungs.

But anything for a quiet life. He is remarkably sensible under normal circumstances.

He doesn’t sound all that sensible TBH. He sounds extremely anxious.

I think he would say he is affectionately concerned rather than over anxious . We will have been married for 49 years if we make it until June, and I can’t say I would swap him for any of the horrible men who are described on here.

I think it is very different when you are in a higher risk category so I can see why he is concerned, however I think that your cat will be fine, and a good distraction for you both. I hope you both stay well and they find a vaccine for you soon.

He needs to give his head a wobble!!

I’m not saying you should swap him!
I am immunosuppressed and also have poorly controlled asthma. I’m very much in a vulnerable group.
But the advice is not to avoid all people and activities and hide at home. That’s overkill.

I understand his motivation @TrickyD and yes it is rather sweet.

His execution is bordering on batshit though. Not allowing your children or grandchildren in the house?

Won't go to the shops?

I think he would say he is affectionately concerned rather than over anxious

Well, no, with all due respect OP if he's worried to the extent he's stopping your own children/grandchildren visiting on the back of a few hundred cases in a population of 60 odd million I'd argue he absolutely is over anxious

So are you going to the shops OP or are you getting everything delivered?

There are less than 400 people diagnosed in the UK. Yes I know that there are likely a lot more undiagnosed, and I know that the number is set to rise significantly, but in a population of over 60 million people what do you think the chances are that one of the people with cv is going to stroke your cat? Your cat that doesn’t leave the garden? And then that said cat is going to carry the virus into your house? Seriously.
Who the fuck strokes random cats in the street anyway?!

I do.

Thanks, TW2013

Oh, Ok. rottiemum and crunchymum Maybe I should LTB.

Who the fuck strokes random cats in the street anyway?!

Errmmmm....

What are you doing about your pets
I’m doing nothing, they will continue to free range around our estate and sleep on my bed.
What is your husband doing? Because he sounds unhinged! Honestly, this is a variant of flu. Does he worry every other year that Tiddles might bring home a new disease instead of a dead rodent?
Barricade yourselves indoors, get Ocado to leave your groceries on the drive, self isolate from work, school, gyms, clubs and pubs and hope thatthis all blows over.
Now, I’m off to the Winchester for a pint!

ok I accept other people stroke random cats in the street.
I am not a cat person.