According to besthealthmag.ca, dogs can’t: “There’s no concern with dog-to-human, or human-to-dog, transmission,’ says Scott Weese, the Canada research chair in zoonotic diseases and an associate professor at the Ontario Veterinary College. Dogs get viruses from each other.”

But it says, “a cat can catch cold or flu from you. ‘The virus attaches to cells in the respiratory tract of felines similarly to how it does in humans,’ says Weese. He points to reports of H1N1 found in cats in the United States. Cats also get cat-to-cat viruses that are similar to a cold, but humans can’t catch those.”

However, that message is contradicted by pet360.com which states: “A cat can’t catch a human cold any more than you can catch distemper. The viruses that cause cat colds have no effect on humans and vice versa. Many times, everyone in a household, including the cat, will be sick with a cold at the same time, but such events are just coincidence. Cold viruses for both animals and humans are more prevalent and active during the winter season, and if both you and kitty are sick at the same time, consider it an opportunity for mutual commiseration through your misery.”

So which is correct?  We suggest that, whichever, avoid risks by taking your cat to have a flu injection by the vet.