Does My Cat Have Rabies?

[Lil Dude]

My cat is a three year old manx tom. He kinda just does his own thing since I live out in the country. I haven't seen him in the last 3 or 4 months, but he suddenly showed up today. His mouth was opened and he was panting so I assume he was looking for a "friend". I brought him inside and locked him in a dog crate in my bedroom. I gave him a can of wet cat food and left him in the room alone while I ate dinner. After I had eaten, I let him out to wander about the house. He was very vocal. A constant meowing that I responded to with my own meowing. I thought it was pretty funny at first. I sat down with my brother to watch a show and Nemo, the cat, climbed up into his lap. He's never liked my brother, so when Nemo randomly bit his arm, it was no surprise to either of us. I called him over to me and he climbed up to perch on my shoulder. I scratched his head and he liked it for a moment, but then he suddenly growled and bit my face near my temple. Nemo has never been aggressive with me. Not once. It was really weird and I was afraid he would bite me again, so I went to put him back in the cage. When I returned to the living room, my brother pointed out that he had a hole in the side of his face. I went back and examined it, and it looked like a fluid filled hole, maybe a bit, it wasn't too bad. My dog, who is the sweetest dog you will ever meet (Boykin spaniel), started to bark and growl at him. I'm assuming she thinks something is up with him. She's now lying on the floor in front of his cage just watching him. I'm afraid that something is seriously wrong. It's a Saturday night, and I can't just take him to a vet, especially since my funds to do so are..lacking. Any help and/or advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[neely]

Welcome to TCS! Unfortunately since your cat has been missing for three to four months there's no telling what kind of adventures or dangers he may have experienced. Your description of the hole in the side of his face concerns me and I really feel he needs veterinary medical intervention. I sympathize with your financial situation and thought this Article would help with some options:
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

Regarding your question about rabies and cat bites, here is an Article that may be helpful: Cat Bites - What Every Cat Owner Needs To Know

Good luck! I'm glad your cat returned home. Please keep us posted on his health.

 

[Willowy]

Since he's been missing so long, who knows what kind of experiences he's had in the past few months? I suspect he's just a bit overwhelmed and hormonal.

Anyway, the standard protocol for suspected rabies is to keep the animal indoors under watch for 10 days. If he has rabies, he'll be dead by then. So if he dies or disappears in the next 10 days, you and your brother definitely need to get a rabies shot. If he's still alive and healthy in 10 days, you're clear. Rabies is pretty rare in cats so everything is probably fine.

After that, you should get him neutered and vaccinated so you don't have to worry about it any more. If you need help finding a low-cost neuter and vaccination clinic, let us know your general location and someone should be able to dig something up.

Oh, I just realized you mean the cat has a bite wound. It's probably abscessed and very painful (the pain may explain his behavior!). He needs antibiotics. If you live in a rural area, call the vet. Farm vets tend to be practical and sometimes they can work something out so it's not too expensive. If you live in a city, call an animal rescue group. They can usually point you toward what you need.

 

[dustydiamond1]

What news?

 

[inkxpencil]

He could be biting and acting out of sorts because he is in pain from the mark on his face. I hope you can find a way to take him to the vet, if not then keeping him separated is a good move.

Has he had a rabies shot before?

 

[Sandy Beach]

From my understanding, the rabies virus incubation period can vary from ten days to more than a year in some cases, although rare. Incubation in a cat is generally less than that of a dog, and is typically noticeable in 3 to 8 weeks. A 10 day quarantine will only tell you if the virus is being shed, but not if they actually have it as it could still be in the incubation phase. If an animal has bitten you and lives beyond the 10th day of quarantine, it can be said with certainty that the rabies virus was not being shed at the time that the bite occurred. An animal shedding the virus will typically die within 10 days of showing symptoms. After 10 days, a living animal can be given a rabies vaccine if the animal is not showing any signs of rabies, but generally needs to be observed for another 30 days after the vaccine is given, usually in quarantine. An animal that has the virus, but currently unsymptomatic, will ultimately die from the vaccine. At this time they would examine the brain to verify if it is indeed rabies. Unfortunately, the only sure way to know if an animal is infected is to directly examine the brain...This cannot be done on a live animal.


However, your cat could be suffering from an abscess in the mouth due to a tooth or gum infection. Your best bet is to seek medical attention for your cat as soon as possible. He will need antibiotics for the wound. He could have bitten you due to being in pain. I’ve lived all over an an exam in most places generally range from $30 to $50...then the price of meds. At least get him seen.

 

[Lil Dude]

Sorry for the late reply. I think I'm just gonna say that he's tired. He's sweet as can be in the daytime, but as soon as it gets dark, he bites. I think he just gets grumpy when he's tired. He's come around more often now and he seems fine, so I know that it isn't rabies. Thank you all for the replies.