I was bitten by a stray cat; handling my squirrel questions.

[ClutterQueen]

Hello all!

I was feeding a stray cat bits of cheese today; she is a friendly cat, and I've been working on getting her used to interaction so that I can have her spayed and have her shots administered. She got a bit excited with the cheese, and ended up catching my finger with her teeth. I have one puncture wound, and one scratch. It wasn't done aggressively, but I know that cat bites can be bad news for people, especially since she hasn't had shots. I cleaned it very well and am keeping a close watch on it so that if there are signs of infection, I can be treated immediately.

However, my question is, should I avoid handling my squirrel until I know for sure if the wounds are safe? I don't know if it's possible to transmit anything to him just through my own wound, and maybe I'm being silly by asking...but I'd really rather be safe than sorry. :eek:

[stepnstone]

Hello all!

I was feeding a stray cat bits of cheese today; she is a friendly cat, and I've been working on getting her used to interaction so that I can have her spayed and have her shots administered. She got a bit excited with the cheese, and ended up catching my finger with her teeth. I have one puncture wound, and one scratch. It wasn't done aggressively, but I know that cat bites can be bad news for people, especially since she hasn't had shots. I cleaned it very well and am keeping a close watch on it so that if there are signs of infection, I can be treated immediately.
However, my question is, should I avoid handling my squirrel until I know for sure if the wounds are safe? I don't know if it's possible to transmit anything to him just through my own wound, and maybe I'm being silly by asking...but I'd really rather be safe than sorry. :eek:
The bacteria cats carry that harms squirrels is in it's slava, you cleaned your wound, no worries...
I have known and heard of people that are also sensitive to cat bites as well as scratches and can become
infected, get sick. Glad I'm not one of them! I've dealt with farrel cats that have opened big cans of whoop on me.:hurt

[ClutterQueen]

The bacteria cats carry that harms squirrels is in it's slava, you cleaned your wound, no worries...
I have known and heard of people that are also sensitive to cat bites as well as scratches and can become
infected, get sick. Glad I'm not one of them! I've dealt with farrel cats that have opened big cans of whoop on me.:hurt

Thanks so much! I'm a first time squirrel momma and I've found that I tend to fret a lot over the little guy :gigg I'm hoping I'm not one of those people who are sensitive to cat bites! But knowing my luck, I wouldn't be surprised!

[BCChins]

I am not sure where you are from but since this is a stray cat you should think about going to your DRS and discussing this. Unvaccinated animal could carry rabies. Rabies is fatal. The only thing is you might want to consider telling them you have no idea where the cat is cause they will want you to trap it and have it tested and that means death to the cat. Just a thought.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Yes....good post....unfortunately, the last girl to catch rabies and survive....maybe only the second one to do so....was bit by a feral cat that lived in a feral colony near her school :( but, BCChins is right....they will want details and they will hunt this cat down and destroy it :shakehead if she is behaving normal and healthy and there haven't been confirmed cases in your area....I wouldn't worry :hug

[Carol Lynn]

I agree with Sweeper. It's very unlikely that the cat is infected with rabies. Clean the wound out well and you'll in all likelihood be fine. If by chance you do develop an infection, antibiotics are an easy fix.

[BCChins]

I very well doubt it has Rabies too but ust wanted to throw it out there just in case.

[astra]

I am not sure where you are from but since this is a stray cat you should think about going to your DRS and discussing this. Unvaccinated animal could carry rabies. Rabies is fatal. The only thing is you might want to consider telling them you have no idea where the cat is cause they will want you to trap it and have it tested and that means death to the cat. Just a thought.

If you do decide to go for a rabies shot, it's easy to avoid having the cat trapped if you give them some random opposite location of where you were and tell them that You don't even remember what the cat looked like - just weren't paying attention. Just an ordinary tabby or something.

Once I got bitten by a stray dog - no one asked me any details because I said that it was some dark little mongrel who jumped out of bushes (which was true) and then ran away. I know for sure it was not a rabid dog (just got spooked while he slept in the bushes because I was running by).
So, they gave me shots and that was the end of it.

[TubeDriver]

In order for a mammal to be activly shedding rabies virus from their saliva glands, the virus has to first travel to the brain (and only then to the saliva glands). So the cat would already be acting very ill (either clumsy, lethargic, sickish or aggressive, crazy). If the cat was acting normal, it almost certainly (99+%) was not actively shedding the virus (ie contagious).

However, if you continue working with feral cats it might be worth talking to your doctor about prophlactic rabies vaccine even though the chances are extremely remote.

[stepnstone]

Hello all!
I was feeding a stray cat bits of cheese today; she is a friendly cat, and I've been working on getting her used to interaction so that I can have her spayed and have her shots administered. She got a bit excited with the cheese, and ended up catching my finger with her teeth. I have one puncture wound, and one scratch. It wasn't done aggressively,


In order for a mammal to be activly shedding rabies virus from their saliva glands, the virus has to first travel to the brain (and only then to the saliva glands). So the cat would already be acting very ill (either clumsy, lethargic, sickish or aggressive, crazy). If the cat was acting normal, it almost certainly (99+%) was not actively shedding the virus (ie contagious).
However, if you continue working with feral cats it might be worth talking to your doctor about prophlactic rabies vaccine even though the chances are extremely remote.

Thank you TD!! :bowdown
I so dislike the way a rabies (scare) card can get pulled without consideration to whats already been stated.
Usually the bandwagon picks up riders and just keeps rolling without anyone presenting the facts. :shakehead
My God if rabies were that unpredictable I'd be long dead by now....

[BCChins]

Sorry I did not mean to scare anyone just was erroring on the side of caution. It will not happen again. :bricks

[astra]

Sorry I did not mean to scare anyone just was erroring on the side of caution. It will not happen again. :bricks

actually, I decided to check a few things and found some info in several sources, including department of health sites of a few states, that indicate that the shedding of the virus in dogs and cats happens/begins a few days before the well-known symptoms become visible. I think, it said 4-9 days or so before.
So, turns out it is possible to get a virus from an animal that may not appear "rabid." Thought this might be a good piece of info to share just in case.

As for this particular case, it was what is considered a provoked bite (i.e., a human initiated a too close of a contact with the animal), and since the cat didn't appear to have been in a fight with a potentially rabid animal, no wounds (although, even a not-readily visible tiny teeth mark by a virus-carrier is sufficient), the likelihood of the cat carrying the virus is very small.

But as it has already been suggested - when one deals with animals, especially, wild/feral/etc. animals, it might be best to have one's shots updated, just in case.

[TubeDriver]

That is interesting to know. So there can be a window between active shedding and visible symptoms? Death for a cat at this stage would be within a week at the most, if the OP can find her cat (which she said she had been working with to make more friendly) during the next week and it is still healthy with no symptoms then she is almost certainly in the clear!

I found a reference that states:

Laboratory studies have established that, in dogs, shedding begins
at most 3 days before signs occur—in cats, it is 1 day before. Many animals will die BEFORE actively shedding the virus.

https://public.health.oregon.gov/DiseasesConditions/CommunicableDisease/ReportingCommunicableDisease/ReportingGuidelines/Documents/rabies.pdf




actually, I decided to check a few things and found some info in several sources, including department of health sites of a few states, that indicate that the shedding of the virus in dogs and cats happens/begins a few days before the well-known symptoms become visible. I think, it said 4-9 days or so before.
So, turns out it is possible to get a virus from an animal that may not appear "rabid." Thought this might be a good piece of info to share just in case.

As for this particular case, it was what is considered a provoked bite (i.e., a human initiated a too close of a contact with the animal), and since the cat didn't appear to have been in a fight with a potentially rabid animal, no wounds (although, even a not-readily visible tiny teeth mark by a virus-carrier is sufficient), the likelihood of the cat carrying the virus is very small.

But as it has already been suggested - when one deals with animals, especially, wild/feral/etc. animals, it might be best to have one's shots updated, just in case.

[astra]

I thought it was interesting, too.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/diseases/cdrab-faq.shtml#q7
http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/cd/rabies/docs/Incubation_vs_Shedding.pdf
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/nervous_system/rabies/overview_of_rabies.html
http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/rabies.pdf
https://www.elsevier.com/connect/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-rabies-but-should
https://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/what-is-rabies-and-frequently-asked-questions/exposure-prevention-treatment#Can%20I%20get%20rabies%20from%20an%20ani mal%20showing%20no%20clinical%20signs%20of%20rabie s?

these are just some of the links.
Looks like the incubation period and the onset of the symptoms may depend on the type, location and depth of the wound, as well as individual susceptibility. The closer it is to the brain, the faster everything will happen.
In some shedding of the virus can happen at the onset of symptoms, but in others - a few days before the onset. Again, whether the shedding starts at the onset of symptoms, or before the onset, or how many days before the onset (1-5 or so) it will all depend on the animal, type of virus, proximity to the brain etc. etc.
The incubation period may vary, but once the onset of symptoms began, the animal will be gone very fast.
Some are gone before the shedding, indeed, but some live to shed.

It's just good to be aware that not all rabid animals may appear so when they can be infectious. Just in case.


FOr this particular cat, personally, I don't think it is infected or anything. She was feeding the cat with her hand - that happens a lot when feeding animals off one's hand. That's why it is advised not to feed squirrels with one's hand. I think this cat is fine. If this cat is fine within the next 10 days, it has no virus - that's for sure :)



That is interesting to know. So there can be a window between active shedding and visible symptoms? Death for a cat at this stage would be within a week at the most, if the OP can find her cat (which she said she had been working with to make more friendly) during the next week and it is still healthy with no symptoms then she is almost certainly in the clear!

I found a reference that states:

Laboratory studies have established that, in dogs, shedding begins
at most 3 days before signs occur—in cats, it is 1 day before. Many animals will die BEFORE actively shedding the virus.

https://public.health.oregon.gov/DiseasesConditions/CommunicableDisease/ReportingCommunicableDisease/ReportingGuidelines/Documents/rabies.pdf

[JLM27]

If you have insurance, it should pay for the shots. (There are three of them) They do not hurt. I am a worry wart, so I would just go and get the shots and say you were feeding the cat in a park and have no idea where it came from or where it went.
A puncture wound also raises the issue of tetanus. If you are up to date, no worries, but if not, I'd get one of those too.

[Cesta]

Your local health department may be the place to get the shots, if you decide to. A good friend of mine was seriously bitten by a kinkajou at her job, the animal had questionable shot records, and even tho she saw her PCP that's where she was sent for the injections.

Honestly, I think I'd be more worried about infection in the bite. I have two uncles who are vets and they've both contracted 'cat scratch fever' at work. :eek

[island rehabber]

Honestly, I think I'd be more worried about infection in the bite. I have two uncles who are vets and they've both contracted 'cat scratch fever' at work. :eek

I agree -- I know two people who were hospitalized for bites from rescue cats; in both cases, intravenous antibiotics were needed. I'd be far more worried about pasturella and salmonella than rabies.

[Pickles]

I know it's been a few days, but I just want to chime in with though the chances are small, the consequence is DEATH if the cat did carry rabies. I had a client get bitten in the face by a small suddenly aggressive kitten, her DOCTOR dismissed the chance of rabies. She brought the kitten in days later and it was neurological so we euthanized it and she was informed by a veterinarian that she needed medical attention ASAP. It was positive. She then went in for the immunoglobulin but with days passing and the fact that it travels along nerves to the brain the emergency room told her they were very worried she wasn't vaccinated in time. She didn't develope rabies luckily, but it was a situation I felt she would have been perfectly justified if she had filed a suite against a doctor.
Never feel like a fear monger when rabies is concerned because IT IS a big deal. Indoor cats DO need vaccinated because they are the first ones to quietly play with a sneaky little bat and store its body under the sofa to hide the evidence.
A rabies vaccine doesn't last forever either, I can hold my titers for three years but on year 4 they will be undetectable.

[HRT4SQRLS]

:goodpost Excellent post. While squirrels are not considered rabies vector species, cats certainly are capable of transmitting rabies as are all mammals. I would much rather be bitten by a squirrel than a cat. :tilt Thanks for the reminder about a very real and serious issue.