The British Veterinary Association has urged households and people who are self isolating to keep their cats indoors during the coronavirus pandemic.

This is everything you need to know.

Should I be keeping my cat indoors during the lockdown?

A tweet from the British Veterinary Association said: “Contrary to some news reports, we’re NOT advising that all cats be kept indoors during the #COVID19 pandemic.

“Only cats from infected or self-isolating households should be kept indoors as a precaution, if possible.”

BVA President Daniella Dos Santos added: “We are not advising that all cats be kept indoors. Only cats from infected households or where their owners are self isolating, and only if the cat is happy to be kept indoors.

“Some cats cannot stay indoors due to stress-related medical reasons.”

At the end of the statement, the BVA President urged: “It is very important that people don’t panic about their pets.”

Can pets pass the virus on to humans?

Talking to the BBC, Dr Angel Almendros from the City University in Hong Kong, said: “There isn’t a single case of a pet dog or cat infecting a human with Covid-19.”

While there have been cases of animals testing positive for the virus, research shows that the virus may be passed from cat to cat, but not cat to human.

Santos said: “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. There is no evidence that pets can pass Covid-19 to their owners.”

The PDSA has also made a similar statement, saying: “The virus is most commonly passed from person to person through coughing and sneezing.

“There is evidence that the virus can live on surfaces for some time, depending on the type of material, temperature and other factors.

"This could include your pet's fur, so if you are showing any symptoms it’s important to minimise contact with your pet as much as possible.”

What should I do if my cat shows signs of sickness?

The statement from the BVA President said: “From the small number of cases, it appears that dogs do not show symptoms, but cats can show clinical signs of the disease.”

If you think your cat is showing signs of illness, the PDSA advises calling your usual vet.

“They will advise you on the best course of action based on your circumstances, but please be aware that most vet practices will be operating very differently from usual,” the PDSA says.