How to recognise cats with rabies? What to do if bitten by rabid cats

Rabies in cats is more dangerous than in dogs, as cats can attack quickly and severely injure you. Besides, it is difficult to understand whether the pet cats are infected with rabies. The directorate of animal husbandry instructs cat owners to take extra care while keeping their cats at home. Most people take care of stray cats even if they do not keep cats at home. They feed the stray cats, and the kids in the house are often seen petting these cats. Kids are reluctant to tell the elders if they get scratched or bitten by cats, increasing the risk of rabies.

Those who own cats at home should get them vaccinated within three months after they are born. Booster doses, too, should be taken every year. It would only cost Rs 55 for the vaccine, including the certificate charges, at the government veterinary hospitals. Anti-rabies vaccinations are available at the veterinary hospitals on all working days. If you notice any wounds on the cat's body, then wash the wound after wearing gloves. The cat should then be taken to the veterinary hospital for a preventive vaccine. Those who have come in contact with the cat, too, should get vaccinated.

How to recognise cats with rabies
Animals infected with rabies could be identified by their unique behaviour. Be careful if your cat or dog gets violent and tries to attack you without any reason. The presence of the virus could be detected in the saliva of the infected animal around six days before it begins to show symptoms.

Here’s what to do if you get bitten by a cat
When an infected animal licks, scratches or bites you, the virus in their saliva enters your body through wounds. The virus would then travel to the brain through the nerves, infecting you. Human beings get rabies infected mostly through dogs, cats and foxes. The bite wound or the area where you have been scratched should be washed thoroughly under running water using soap for at least 10 minutes. You should then reach the nearby hospital for treatment. The nature of the wound and the distance of the wound from the brain are some of the factors considered to decide the dosage of the vaccine. Intra-Dermal Rabies Anti-Vaccination (IDRV) is usually administered in such cases. Besides, the tetanus toxoid vaccine is also prescribed along with IDRV.