Purrfect Pets

Last week, when I was signing my new lease, my landlord asked me if my cats were current on their rabies shots, and of course they are, so I told him they are, and he mentioned that they should be wearing their rabies tags, even though they are indoors only cats. I was kind of surprised because I had never really worried about putting their tags on them.

However, I found out that if my cats get out and either bite someone while they are out or act suspiciously, and are not wearing their rabies tags, animal control might determine they need to be tested for rabies.

In order for a cat to be tested for rabies, his or her head must be removed in order to test certain parts of the brain. Obviously, I don’t want my cats euthanized if the situation were to ever occur, so as soon as I find my cats’ rabies tags in the mess of boxes in my living room, they are going on their collars with their identification tags!

If you don’t have your cat’s rabies tag on him or her, I encourage you to put it on your cat as well.

Rabies generally has three pahses with unique symptoms at each stage. Rabies is transmitted from one animal to another when one animal bites another. In the first stage of rabies, animals may have a fever, and changes in behavior are usually noticed, such as a previously aggressive animal becoming more affectionate or a previously friendly pet becoming shy. During this stage, animals will usually lick their bite wound a lot.

Some animals with rabies enter the furious phase of the disease, and cats are especially at risk for entering this phase. Aniamsls become aggitated, irritable, and aggressive during this stage, often attacking and biting anything in their way. Animals also have seizures during this stage of rabies, which may lead to death.

Some animals also enter the paralytic phase of rabies. An animal can enter this phase either after initial symptoms present or after the furious stage. In the paralytic phase of rabies, animals become weak and lose the ability to use their muscles. You may see labored breathing and excessive salivation as a pet cannot swallow in this phase. Eventually, an animal will go into respiratory failure and pass away.

As you can see, it is extremely important to keep your cat up-tp-date on his or her rabies vaccinations and to put his or her rabies tags on your cat’s collar.

Source:

Doctors Foster and Smith: Pet Education.com: Rabies in Cats: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, & Vaccination

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