VETERINARY practices in Tendring have taken to social media to reassure customers that coronavirus cannot be transmitted by animals.

Kinfauns Veterinary Centre, which has facilities in both Little Clacton and Dovercourt, has reiterated to its clients that cats, specifically, cannot spread Covid-19.

Haven Vets, in Holland Road, Clacton, has also been forced into publishing a similar message on its digital platforms in a bid to put its customers at ease.

The practices decided to address the growing concerns surrounding cats being able to catch and spread coronavirus after several “misleading articles” circulated online.

Some of the information suggested that cats could possibly pass the deadly strain onto humans and all pet owners should keep their animals indoors at all times.

As a result, it was feared by vets that some cats would be made to stay indoors, which could significantly harm their overall health and welfare.

“Cats do not spread Covid-19,” said a spokesman for Kinfauns Veterinary Centre.

“We want to reassure our clients that according to all expert opinions and science, the Covid-19 virus spreads from human to human and animals do not spread it.”

The theories that felines could be carriers of coronavirus have since been debunked by top veterinary professionals, but precautions should still be taken.

If a cat owner has symptoms, and is therefore self-isolating, they should keep their furry friend inside and people should avoid touching cats which aren’t their own.

It has also been advised that anyone who does play with or feed a cat, should wash their hands both before and after.

Danielle Dos Santos, who is the president of the British Veterinary Association, has now said there is no evidence that cats can pass the virus onto owners.

“We are not advising that all cats are kept indoors,” she said.

“Only cats from infected households or where their owners are self-isolating, and only if the cat is happy to be kept indoors.

“There have been a tiny number of cases of Covid-19 in animals and in all cases, it is likely that the transmission was human to animal.

“Animals can act as fomites, as the virus could be on their fur in the same way it is on other surfaces, such as tables and doorknobs.

“That’s why our main advice for pet owners continues to be to practise good hand hygiene.

“It is very important that people don’t panic about their pets. There is no evidence that animals can pass the disease to humans.”