Police Say Cat Tests Positive for Rabies

The Fairfax County Police Department released the following statement:

Animal Control Officers responded to the area of 4200 Lees Corner Road for a report of an animal bite Friday.  A. 25-year-old man and an 11-year-old girl were both bitten by a stray cat at around 7:45 a.m. Animal Control Officers captured and euthanized the cat; it subsequently tested positive for rabies.

The cat was a brown tabby (brown with black vertical stripes), with yellow eyes, and was behaving strangely. If you, someone in your family, or one of your pets has had contact with a cat meeting this description within the last 3 weeks (after May 12th, 2011), please contact the Fairfax County Animal Services Division at 703-691-2131 for further guidance. Exposure to a rabid animal consists of having one’s skin broken by means of a bite or scratch.

The cat also, reportedly, has kittens and residents are advised not to handle any stray kittens they may encounter. Please report stray kittens in this area to 703-691-2131, as well.

Animal Control Officers will be in the Chantilly area this evening distributing rabies information to residents.

According to experts at the Fairfax County Health Department, people normally get rabies after being bitten by a rabid animal.  It is also possible to get rabies through contact with the saliva of rabid animals.  Rabies is not transmitted by petting, or contact with blood, urine, or feces. Although rabies is a very serious illness, vaccinations given after a bite or other exposure are very effective at preventing the disease.

The Fairfax County Health Department recommends that you do the following to protect yourself, your children, and your pets from this serious disease:

•           Teach children to avoid unfamiliar animals;

•           Keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date on dogs, cats, and ferrets;

•           Supervise pets so they do not come into contact with wild animals;

•           Call animal control to remove strays, or sick or injured wildlife;

•           Enjoy wild animals from afar;

•           Never adopt wild animals;

•           Prevent bats from entering living quarters.