Rabies
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gurl2005bby
- Posts: 177
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 2:29 am
- Location: Shelby Twp, Michigan
Rabies
I found out that today my mom had to get a rabies shots cuz she got bitten by a kitten. the kitten wasnt acting right and has a symptoms of rabies. The vet told my mom that they were testing animals for rabies including cats.. my news are telling people to stay away from wild and pets. And that it was on the rise too. Now what is up with that? The vet told my mom to not to feed the cats. I told her even if i get rabies shots and i would still feed them and it not like we are going to take a cats and let them bite. So does anyone have a news going on that saying it is on the rises talking about rabies? I just think they are making way too big deal.
Re: Rabies
What happened to the kitten? Did the vet say the kitten could be quarantined for 10 days and determined whether or not rabies was present? Euthanizing domestic or feral cats is not always the answer, unless during the quarantine period, true clinical signs of rabies is determined. It's not a guessing game, many "suspect" animals have been proven not to have rabies at all. There are also numerous disease conditions that can cause neurological signs in young kittens, that should always be taken into account before suspecting rabies.
Was there confirmed rabies cases in your county or state? Is the news reporting that there were and has the county or state issued a rabies alert/quarantine? Are pet owners prohibited from leaving the county/state with their pets due to a county/statewide quarantine?
As for ferals, they often get labeled as disease carriers or rabies carriers, which is unfair because only a low percentage ever end up positive for rabies, and with the TNR efforts, spay/neuter/vaccination and feral care management has reduced this likelihood significantly.
Granted, rabies is a public health concern, and I don't want to undermine that fact. But those inexperienced should not be handling wild animals nor feral cats, etc. Bats, skunks and raccoons are the number one source of rabies carriers. Most cats, including ferals, by instinct usually do not tangle with these animals, unless it is over a limited food source or that the animal is protecting their young. So while it is possible of course for a cat or dog to get bitten by a rabies carrier animal, that percentage is relatively low. Feral cats are a small percentage of risk for rabies transmission.
The cats your mom is feeding may not be feral, if they allow her to be near them, touch them, pet them, and are not afraid, then they are not feral, but rather, strays. In any event, if she is attempting to "manage" a colony, she should ask for help from the local rescue organizations to assist in spay/neuter, vaccinations for these cats etc.
Was there confirmed rabies cases in your county or state? Is the news reporting that there were and has the county or state issued a rabies alert/quarantine? Are pet owners prohibited from leaving the county/state with their pets due to a county/statewide quarantine?
As for ferals, they often get labeled as disease carriers or rabies carriers, which is unfair because only a low percentage ever end up positive for rabies, and with the TNR efforts, spay/neuter/vaccination and feral care management has reduced this likelihood significantly.
Granted, rabies is a public health concern, and I don't want to undermine that fact. But those inexperienced should not be handling wild animals nor feral cats, etc. Bats, skunks and raccoons are the number one source of rabies carriers. Most cats, including ferals, by instinct usually do not tangle with these animals, unless it is over a limited food source or that the animal is protecting their young. So while it is possible of course for a cat or dog to get bitten by a rabies carrier animal, that percentage is relatively low. Feral cats are a small percentage of risk for rabies transmission.
The cats your mom is feeding may not be feral, if they allow her to be near them, touch them, pet them, and are not afraid, then they are not feral, but rather, strays. In any event, if she is attempting to "manage" a colony, she should ask for help from the local rescue organizations to assist in spay/neuter, vaccinations for these cats etc.
..........Traci
Re: Rabies
While racoons are the major issue, feral cats are a known rabies problem here in Florida. Cats are hunters, and they may attack an animal that has or carries rabies, thereby getting it themselves. IMHO, a feral cat can not be assumed to be safe. This is another HUGE reason why "Indoor Only" is the only way to go.
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
Re: Rabies
but I just read this article last week. Very confusing science.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domestic ... 2020070907
http://www.reuters.com/article/domestic ... 2020070907
Re: Rabies
I didn't check out the news links, because my internet is crawling slower than molasses at the moment... But, I noticed that the original poster is from Michigan. I am also in Michigan, and it has been in the news here recently that there has been a dramatic rise in the number of animals testing positive for rabies this year. Mostly, it's in reference to bats, but it's a huge increase (I think I recall them saying something like 50-something bats tested positive last year, and they're up over 200 already this year??? Although my recall for numbers could be off.). Anyway, it's definitely a huge concern in this area with the huge increase in bats testing positive this year. They are encouraging pet owners to vaccinate all pets against rabies (it's only required for dogs). They even emphasized vaccinating indoor cats, in case a bat gets inside and comes in contact with the cat. It's definitely something that "they" are concerned about.
Re: Rabies
Well, I wasn't undermining the seriousness of rabies, but in my opinion, society (and the authorities) are quick to blame ferals when I believe the statistics are relatively low. Ferals generally do not attack other animals unless it is because they are protecting their young or their food sources and their instinct is to avoid skunks/raccoons...bats however, are more of a problem, I'm not sure how agressive they are with cats, but they are more likely to nest in and around home structures where domestic pets (and humans) are nearby.
..........Traci
Re: Rabies
I just read the Reuters article, and it is confusing. I do not claim to be a rabies expert by any stretch of the imagination, but interspecies transfer of rabies is common. To my knowledge, there is no 'dog specific' rabies virus. Rabies can infect any mammal.
I will look into this further, and if I'm wrong, I'll certainly admit it, but I don't think it matters which strain of rabies is involved, they are all equally dangerous.
The article is incorrect in stating that the 2004 case involved the only human survivor - there was one before that (and only one). I'll have to see if I can find the info, but it was long ago.
I will look into this further, and if I'm wrong, I'll certainly admit it, but I don't think it matters which strain of rabies is involved, they are all equally dangerous.
The article is incorrect in stating that the 2004 case involved the only human survivor - there was one before that (and only one). I'll have to see if I can find the info, but it was long ago.
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
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gurl2005bby
- Posts: 177
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 2:29 am
- Location: Shelby Twp, Michigan
Sorry for so long to write you back. We couldnt find a kitten and we havent seen a kitten for a while. We are afraid that kitten didnt make it 
What happen is that my mom try a kitten laying down and the kitten wasnt moving and little while ago the kitten act like a drunk because of the way kitten was walking and also was skinny. She also told me that the mother push the kitten away while she still have a other kittens with her. She has a towel over kitten face while wearing a gloves. When she pick kitten up and she realized a kitten was fine and when she put the kitten down and kitten turn around and bite my mom 3 times and took off running.
We did have a trap for a kitten because we were worry about a kitten if she does have a rabies then we rather have kitten pick up before she would bite a child or animals but if kitten doesnt then she can get a good home or get medical help.
But I dont think kitten have rabies though. The way my mom describing me what the kitten did. The vet told her there was confirmed cases where cats has a rabies. My vet and hostipal were yelling at her cuz she feed a wild cats. But hey i told mom i would still feed them even if i got a rabies bite.
We did have a news on tv. My grandma told my mom about it from few weeks ago. News said it was on the rise and that we need to keep animals inside and get them rabies shot. And also told them dont come near pets or wild pets. I think that news said to stop feeding them but i could be wrong about that.
We do get sometime Volunteers show up and do spay/neuter feral cats and give vaccines.. But i didnt know that from last month there was one in mount pleasant which it pretty rare.
About the bats we do have a quite bats because we had like 10 times that bats get inside my parents house and even my cats caught it and holding it down. Thank goodness that my cats has rabies shots. Even one bat went straight at me when i turn light on in dining room and i saw my cats was looking at light. I look at light and bat flew right at me and i duck and scream. On vacations, bats seem to attract to me since they like to go for me for some reasons. But is it possible that wild cats could have caught a bats? Since my cats thought it was fun to play with bats and we do have alot of bats flying around in backyard.
What happen is that my mom try a kitten laying down and the kitten wasnt moving and little while ago the kitten act like a drunk because of the way kitten was walking and also was skinny. She also told me that the mother push the kitten away while she still have a other kittens with her. She has a towel over kitten face while wearing a gloves. When she pick kitten up and she realized a kitten was fine and when she put the kitten down and kitten turn around and bite my mom 3 times and took off running.
We did have a trap for a kitten because we were worry about a kitten if she does have a rabies then we rather have kitten pick up before she would bite a child or animals but if kitten doesnt then she can get a good home or get medical help.
But I dont think kitten have rabies though. The way my mom describing me what the kitten did. The vet told her there was confirmed cases where cats has a rabies. My vet and hostipal were yelling at her cuz she feed a wild cats. But hey i told mom i would still feed them even if i got a rabies bite.
We did have a news on tv. My grandma told my mom about it from few weeks ago. News said it was on the rise and that we need to keep animals inside and get them rabies shot. And also told them dont come near pets or wild pets. I think that news said to stop feeding them but i could be wrong about that.
We do get sometime Volunteers show up and do spay/neuter feral cats and give vaccines.. But i didnt know that from last month there was one in mount pleasant which it pretty rare.
About the bats we do have a quite bats because we had like 10 times that bats get inside my parents house and even my cats caught it and holding it down. Thank goodness that my cats has rabies shots. Even one bat went straight at me when i turn light on in dining room and i saw my cats was looking at light. I look at light and bat flew right at me and i duck and scream. On vacations, bats seem to attract to me since they like to go for me for some reasons. But is it possible that wild cats could have caught a bats? Since my cats thought it was fun to play with bats and we do have alot of bats flying around in backyard.
Re: Rabies
more information on bats and rabies
http://www.batconservation.org/content/Batsrabies.html
http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats.html
and to learn more about bats in general....because they really are AWESOME creatures
http://www.batcon.org/home/default.asp
as well as more information in the first link above...
I have a bathouse on my property and encourage bats to live here...they eat mosquitoes especially...they have never bothered us and we do not bother them!!
http://www.batconservation.org/content/Batsrabies.html
http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats.html
and to learn more about bats in general....because they really are AWESOME creatures
http://www.batcon.org/home/default.asp
as well as more information in the first link above...
I have a bathouse on my property and encourage bats to live here...they eat mosquitoes especially...they have never bothered us and we do not bother them!!