About 2 months ago a stray cat followed a friend and I to my friends home, my friend took her for the night fearing she may get hit by a car (she lives on a busy street). The next day she told me the cat didn't like her roommates dog and I decided to take her. After having her about a week, and no one claiming her after posting signs and on Facebook, I took her to the vet just to see if she was micro chipped. They told me she wasn't micro chipped and that she was actually pregnant. She had her kittens about a week and a half ago. They all seem fine and Luna bounced right back. I just read an article in the paper about how in my area there have been a lot of reports of rabies. I think it was like 70 in June alone. I read a little about it and sometimes cats can carry the virus for months before showing any symptoms. Because it seems she must've been a stray (not micro chipped and definitely not neutered? Spayed?), I'm concerned she may carry the virus and give it to her kittens. Also that maybe I should've gotten vaccinated. She's super sweet and affectionate, also pretty chatty. She doesn't seem sick at all. If anyone has ever been in/seen a similar situation, I would really appreciate some advice or input. I'm just not sure what to do because they can't diagnose her if she's alive. That article just really made me feel very uneasy.
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
Took in a pregnant stray, how do I know if she has rabies
- Thread starter kcat25
- Start Date
The better question would be were any of the Rabies cases dogs or cats. You can contact your local animal control, wild life and fisheries officer or, likely, even your vet to see what animals tested positive.
Yes, Rabies is a scary thing. I help run a rescue and, while there haven't been any confirmed Rabies cases in cats/dogs, there have been confirmed cases in raccoons in my area.
Ultimately, you would watch for signs of hypersalivating, disorientation, sudden aggression and other neurologic behaviors.
Overall, the chance your girl had Rabies is slim, though there is always the possibility when the virus is in your area. Most cases present themselves within 6 weeks of exposure.
Yes, Rabies is a scary thing. I help run a rescue and, while there haven't been any confirmed Rabies cases in cats/dogs, there have been confirmed cases in raccoons in my area.
Ultimately, you would watch for signs of hypersalivating, disorientation, sudden aggression and other neurologic behaviors.
Overall, the chance your girl had Rabies is slim, though there is always the possibility when the virus is in your area. Most cases present themselves within 6 weeks of exposure.
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2016
- Messages
- 40
- Purraise
- 20
Rabies virus is by and large carried in wild animal populations, as opposed to feral or stray domesticated animals-- like skunks, raccoons and bats. " It’s transmitted through the saliva a few days before death when the animal “sheds” the virus. Rabies is not transmitted through the blood, urine, or feces of an infected animal, nor is it spread airborne through the open environment. Because it affects the nervous system, most rabid animals behave abnormally."
You shouldn't need a vaccination, yourself, unless you were bitten/attacked by an unknown animal or an animal that exhibited signs of rabies. Veterinarians and those who work with/around wildlife that may have rabies and people traveling to a country where rabies is widespread will get pre-exposure rabies vaccinations, but people who do rescue/TNR work generally don't. In the US it is very rare for a person to be exposed to rabies. And it is very rare for feral/stray cats to contract or spread rabies. Since you have all the cats confined, you essentially have them quarantined and will know if they start to behave strangely. I would talk to your vet about your concerns if you still feel uneasy, though, and ask about the risk of rabies exposure to cats in your area. Cats are simply less likely to fight with a rabid wild animal-- as their instinct is to run-- and the rodents they hunt basically do not carry rabies. So they aren't very often the victims of rabies due to their very nature.
You shouldn't need a vaccination, yourself, unless you were bitten/attacked by an unknown animal or an animal that exhibited signs of rabies. Veterinarians and those who work with/around wildlife that may have rabies and people traveling to a country where rabies is widespread will get pre-exposure rabies vaccinations, but people who do rescue/TNR work generally don't. In the US it is very rare for a person to be exposed to rabies. And it is very rare for feral/stray cats to contract or spread rabies. Since you have all the cats confined, you essentially have them quarantined and will know if they start to behave strangely. I would talk to your vet about your concerns if you still feel uneasy, though, and ask about the risk of rabies exposure to cats in your area. Cats are simply less likely to fight with a rabid wild animal-- as their instinct is to run-- and the rodents they hunt basically do not carry rabies. So they aren't very often the victims of rabies due to their very nature.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Thank you both for getting back to me! I checked online and almost all the reports of rabies were in bats and raccoons. So that definitely gave me piece of mind. Like I mentioned everyone seems to be fine, and I feel fine. I've had her just over 2 months so I feel like we're out of the woods. Again, thank you so much!
