Cat got rabies vaccine... aggressive/irritable behavior?

[emmaleesmith90]

We had a scare with a bat about 9 days ago. My 8 month old cat caught it in the basement. Well my boyfriend managed to catch the bat and we had it sent for rabies testing by a local vet because our cat had not gotten his vaccination yet. I called the vet about 4 days ago (5 days after the incident) and they said the health department just called them and the bat tested negative. So that was a HUGE relief because our cat had been quarantined the whole time (I'm pregnant and didn't want to take any chances). He was a bottle baby, we raised him from 1 day old, so he is very important to us. I didn't want to take another chance, so we went today and got him and our dog their rabies vaccines. The dog is acting fine, but our cat has seemed more aggressive/irritable since about 3 hours after his shot. He is usually pretty crazy and has some anger problems. But he doesn't hiss at us and tonight he has been hissing at my boyfriend, my brother and my cousin. He doesn't ever hiss at my boyfriend. My brother and cousin don't come around often, so he will sometimes hiss at them. But tonight it has been more than normal. I mean he was standing on the counter hissing at them and trying to smack them. Not normal behavior for him. And he just seems generally more crazy than usual. He's being VERY playful and trying to "attack" us more than normal too. He is running around being all crazy. I'm just worried about the hissing and being aggressive towards people part. Is that a possible side effect? Has anyone else experienced this? Do you think the vet could have been wrong about the results of the bat? I would assume they would be careful about that, since it's a very serious disease, but sometimes people mess up... [emoji]9785[/emoji]️

 

[Willowy]

It could be a side effect of the vaccine, or he may just feel out-of-sorts from all the stress of being quarantined and going to the vet and getting injections. Either way, just give him his space and he should feel better within a few days. Vaccines can cause whole-body soreness for some people/cats, and that would make anyone cranky!

Rabies aggression is not like normal aggression at all. It's aimless and desperate. He's just in a bad mood .

 

[emmaleesmith90]

He just keeps going after my brother, hissing at him and smacking at him. For no apparent reason. This isn't really like him and it's freaking me out.

 

[emmaleesmith90]

Also, he has been out of quarantine for 4 days now and has been his normal self, so I don't think that has anything to do with it. And he is normall just fine when he goes to the vet and gets shots, so this really isn't normal behavior for him. [emoji]128533[/emoji]

 

[Willowy]

I'd put him in a spare bedroom or bathroom by himself for a while. The stress is probably just too much for him right now.

The rabies vaccine can cause side effects that the others don't. I assume this is his first rabies shot? Or he wouldn't have needed another one so soon. So my guess is that he's sore from the vaccine and that's got him in a bad mood. Of course, if this continues for much longer, get him back to the vet to see if they can figure out what's wrong.

 

[emmaleesmith90]

Yes it's his first rabies vaccine. I have him locked in the bathroom for now. I'm really hoping he calms down and knocks this behavior off because it's scaring me. Thanks for the input, I appreciate it!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

You've gotten good advice. I'll just add to try to be calm and confident around him. Cats are good at sensing our emotions and can take their ques from that. 

 

[Ema Emz]

Hi Emma, would you please update us on your kitty’s condition.
My 4 month old kitten got his first rabies vaccine and is being pretty aggressive with me and the kids. He also hisses and wakes up starlted and hissing from his sleep! This is abnormal behavior for him.
Please update us!!

 

[OliverCook]

We had a scare with a bat about 9 days ago. My 8 month old cat caught it in the basement. Well my boyfriend managed to catch the bat and we had it sent for rabies testing by a local vet because our cat had not gotten his vaccination yet. I called the vet about 4 days ago (5 days after the incident) and they said the health department just called them and the bat tested negative. So that was a HUGE relief because our cat had been quarantined the whole time (I'm pregnant and didn't want to take any chances). He was a bottle baby, we raised him from 1 day old, so he is very important to us. I didn't want to take another chance, so we went today and got him and our dog their rabies vaccines. The dog is acting fine, but our cat has seemed more aggressive/irritable since about 3 hours after his shot. He is usually pretty crazy and has some anger problems. But he doesn't hiss at us and tonight he has been hissing at my boyfriend, my brother and my cousin. He doesn't ever hiss at my boyfriend. My brother and cousin don't come around often, so he will sometimes hiss at them. But tonight it has been more than normal. I mean he was standing on the counter hissing at them and trying to smack them. Not normal behavior for him. And he just seems generally more crazy than usual. He's being VERY playful and trying to "attack" us more than normal too. He is running around being all crazy. I'm just worried about the hissing and being aggressive towards people part. Is that a possible side effect? Has anyone else experienced this? Do you think the vet could have been wrong about the results of the bat? I would assume they would be careful about that, since it's a very serious disease, but sometimes people mess up... [emoji]9785[/emoji]️

My cat is about to be 5 years old and yesterday her and her sister (a i from the same litter) got rabies vaccines her sister is acting completely normal but she’s running around hissing at nothing and like you said your cat is normally not the most nice cat Sophia is pretty aloof but she never hisses like this her and he sister play fight all the time and it’s normally just a counter and some lazy swats but she found her sister and attacked her and like was hissing and I’m really concerned I’m glad this isn’t only me. Do you think it could have something to do with her normally not being the sweetest because her sister is supper sweet and always cuddles and she’s fine. But I’m just concerned since humans can get the flu from flu vaccines so it wouldn’t be too far fetched..