But with swine flu, veterinarians are seeing a relatively rare phenomenon: The transmission is going the other way.
And in Oregon, that has proved fatal.
Emilio DeBess, public health veterinarian, announced that a cat died on the Oregon coast after catching the H1N1 virus from its owner.
This is the second death of a cat from swine flu in Oregon, and the second nationwide.
"It's interesting that it's being passed from humans to animals," DeBess said. "We've had two cats, and both of them have died. Are cats more sensitive to H1N1? That's the question that has to be looked into."
DeBess is working with researchers at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University in hopes of unveiling clues about why cats might be susceptible to the virus.
Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2009/12/second_oregon_cat_dies_after_c.html 
