Stray kitten in Douglas County tests positive for unusual rabies variant, health department issues warning

Following the discovery of a stray kitten infected with rabies in the county, health authorities in Douglas County are advising citizens to be careful when approaching stray animals.

The Douglas County Health Department reports that the ten individuals who may have come into contact with the kitten have all started with preventive treatment.

The kitten, which was estimated to have been between one and two months old, had no known past. The kitten was found to have a raccoon-specific strain of rabies, which is uncommon.

Lindsay Huse, County health director said,

“Please make sure your pets are up to date with their rabies vaccinations.”

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Can cats spread rabies to humans?

Pets must be vaccinated to avoid infection. (Image via Unsplash/ Ray Zhuang)

Yes, although it is quite uncommon, cats may inadvertently expose people to rabies, which is a viral illness that affects the central nervous system and is frequently spread by animal bites and the saliva of an infected animal. When bitten by another rabid animal, such as a raccoon or a bat, or when they come into contact with the saliva of an infected animal, cats can become infected.

A cat that has rabies may be able to spread the disease to people by biting or scratching them, which would break the skin and allow the virus to enter the body.

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Symptoms of rabies in cats to human

It is advised to practice caution with stray animals. (Image via Unsplash/ About Shin)

It can be difficult to make an early diagnosis of the infection in humans since its early symptoms frequently resemble those of a wide range of other diseases. The infection has a variable incubation time in humans, although symptoms usually occur one to three months after exposure.

Early signs in humans frequently include the following:

• Flu-like symptoms, such as a high fever, headache, weakness, and general malaise, can also be present.
• At the site of the bite or scratch, there may be pain, itching, or tingling.
• Changes in behavior and personality are frequently seen in people who are anxious, agitated, and confused.
• Affected people may have vivid hallucinations and lose their sense of direction.
• When a person has hydrophobia (fear of water), their swallowing muscles become paralyzed, making it challenging for them to drink or swallow liquids.

The severity of the disease's symptoms worsens over time, finally resulting in paralysis and death.

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Make sure your cats and pets are up-to-date on their vaccinations. Additionally, it's important to avoid contact with stray or wild animals that may be rabid and report the incident to local animal control or health authorities so that proper steps can be taken to stop the spread of the disease.

To ascertain whether the raccoon type of infection has spread further in the neighborhood, the Health Department and its local partners will carry out expanded monitoring tests on potentially rabid animals.