APHIS considers Category I animals as those commonly kept as pets, such as dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, and reptiles. It does not include food and fiber animal species, horses, birds, farm-raised aquatic animals, all other livestock species, and zoo animals that could transmit exotic animal diseases to livestock. Even though pot-bellied pigs and certain birds may be kept as pets, they may still harbor diseases which pose significant threats to the nation’s food-producing pigs and birds, making them Category II animals. Also important to note, although rabbits can be raised for food, USDA does not consider them livestock and they are Category I animals.

While there are many types of Category I animals, this module will focus primarily on dogs and cats, but give examples of other species where applicable.

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