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Between ten and 15 percent of cats tested for coronavirus in Wuhan — ground-zero for the Covid-19 pandemic — had caught the disease, according to a new study. 

The findings come as researchers try and work out what risk the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes Covid-19 as well as the hyperinflammatory condition MIS-C in children, poses to pets. 

Blood samples taken from more than 100 felines between January and March in the Chinese city reveal the pets likely caught the virus from humans. 

Researchers advise that Covid-19 patients should quarantine themselves away from their companion animals, such as cats and dogs, to prevent spreading the disease.  

None of the cats that were infected with SARS-CoV-2 in this study showed symptoms, but it is believed the virus can be deadly to pets. 

According to public records in the US, there are only 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in pet cats.

But the latest findings out of Wuhan, by researchers at Huazhong Agricultural University, indicate the level of infection in companion animals is likely much higher.

Researchers took blood samples from 141 cats in total - 102 after the COVID-19 outbreak and 39 prior to the disease emerging, for comparison. 

Of the 102 that had blood taken, as well as anal and nasal swabs, 46 cats came from three animal shelters, 41 were from five pet hospitals, and 15 were from a household where at least one member of the family was known to have Covid-19. 

COVID-19 antibodies were found in 15 (14.7 percent) cats and 11 (10.8 percent) had SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies. 

The three cats with the most antibodies to the virus were owned by a human who had Covid-19, the scientist revealed. 

Like other studies looking at the transmission of the coronavirus from one species to another, this paper is observational and is therefore unable to conclusively prove that cats infect humans, or vice-versa. 

However, the researchers point to a piece of research published last week, which found SARS-CoV-2 can transmit between cats via respiratory droplets.

They say more research is needed to find out if this mechanism spreads the virus between species.

But when the researchers interpreted the data, they found enough cause for concern to encourage pet owners to be careful.