Blood - Rabies - Total Fear - Need Help Asap!

msaimee

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I forgot to comment on the water issue. Many outdoor cats don't initially like the taste of tap water because it's an unfamiliar taste to them. They are used to drinking from streams or rainwater. It would be helpful if you could give your cat canned food once or twice a day, and add a little water to it. Most cats get their hydration from their food.
 
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4theloveofcats

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If a raccoon had attacked your cat, there would not be much left of your cat--he would likely be dead. On my block, feral cats and raccoons have always co-existed peacefully, neither want to enter into conflict. Also, a cat can easily out-run and out-climb a raccoon if necessary. In the highly unlikely event that a raccoon had bitten your cat, the bite wound would be obvious. Finally, rabies is transmitted through a bite, not a scratch.

Are you planning to keep the cat? Once you get him neutered, he will stop crying and will settle down. He is likely anxious to get out of the house so he can find a mate. It sounds like he is a stray and not a feral cat, so he will adjust to being indoors, or perhaps you can keep him as an indoor and outdoor cat. If your scratch is healed up by now, then no need to be concerned about infection. Cat bites, not cat scratches, tend to get infected, because bites are deep puncture wounds.

I hope you will consider keeping the cat inside your home. You'll want to get him to a vet in the next week for the neuter and vaccinations. The first rabies vaccination is a one-year shot, after that, most vets are willing to give the 3-year shot. When you take the cat to the vet, I would advise against mentioning anything about him having scratched you, or having rabies in your neighborhood. Some misinformed, novice vet mhat might panic and want to take the cat from you and quarantine him for 30 days or longer. This would be an unnecessary trauma for the cat. Even if you decide not to keep him indoors as a pet, I do hope you will get him neutered and vaccinated. Male cats who are not neutered often only live only a few years outdoors. Male cats who are not neutered will roam and fight other male cats for mates, and sometimes they fight to the death. Your cat will very likely calm down after he is neutered and will have a much longer, happier and healthier life as your pet.

Thanks.

Have several cats right now, so I will have to see how they would adjust to him after I get him fixed/vaccinated.

The cat is pretty and seems to be a tabby/bengal mix. Since he can't be more than 5/6 months old, it shouldn't be hard to find him a good home if my cats don't warm up to him.

This neighborhood is full of cat haters and I've had too many heartbreaks after all the TNR I have helped with over the years here.

So nope, he's not going back outside.

Our tap water is pretty bad here, so he's enjoying water from deer park.
 

trudy1

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The key to rabies outbreak is have they actually found it in an animal population? Positive lab test? Yes, I know you have to dispatch the animal, slides, negri bodies, etc. I.e. Fox, skunk, racoon...most common. Bet not...just media hype...just like snows or thunderstorms..”we’re all going to die” journalism!
Besides the animals usually display aberrant behavior like nocturnal animals out in mid day, aggressive behavior instead of flight...stuff like that.
Hope you keep him..sounds like another somebody’s baby they just decided to turn out! He picked you because he sensed something in you. Nothing happens by accident. Just enjoy him and love each other.
Put out lots of water sources for him. Get him neutered. I’ve found that being scratched or bitten by a cat who is overly friendly is because he only has one way of saying “ I really need to smothered in attention because I’m starved for it”. Once he’s fixed and you provide that love, things will settle down.
IMO guys and gals like him make the best companions.
Keep us updated as you can.
 

1 bruce 1

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The key to rabies outbreak is have they actually found it in an animal population? Positive lab test? Yes, I know you have to dispatch the animal, slides, negri bodies, etc. I.e. Fox, skunk, racoon...most common. Bet not...just media hype...just like snows or thunderstorms..”we’re all going to die” journalism!
Besides the animals usually display aberrant behavior like nocturnal animals out in mid day, aggressive behavior instead of flight...stuff like that.
Hope you keep him..sounds like another somebody’s baby they just decided to turn out! He picked you because he sensed something in you. Nothing happens by accident. Just enjoy him and love each other.
Put out lots of water sources for him. Get him neutered. I’ve found that being scratched or bitten by a cat who is overly friendly is because he only has one way of saying “ I really need to smothered in attention because I’m starved for it”. Once he’s fixed and you provide that love, things will settle down.
IMO guys and gals like him make the best companions.
Keep us updated as you can.
I love cats like this too. The cool thing about them is they have a history that we don't know, and they're street smart, have worldly wisdom, and are happy with us and hang out with us on the couch, play toys with us, and greet us when we arrive home, etc., but there's something completely mysterious about them. There's a side to them that we never know about.
I'm obsessed with big cats, but wouldn't own one as a pet, ever, and to me a smart, tough, confident but not aggressive or arrogant street cat is the closest thing to that I'll ever live with!
 
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4theloveofcats

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The key to rabies outbreak is have they actually found it in an animal population? Positive lab test? Yes, I know you have to dispatch the animal, slides, negri bodies, etc. I.e. Fox, skunk, racoon...most common. Bet not...just media hype...just like snows or thunderstorms..”we’re all going to die” journalism!
Besides the animals usually display aberrant behavior like nocturnal animals out in mid day, aggressive behavior instead of flight...stuff like that.
Hope you keep him..sounds like another somebody’s baby they just decided to turn out! He picked you because he sensed something in you. Nothing happens by accident. Just enjoy him and love each other.
Put out lots of water sources for him. Get him neutered. I’ve found that being scratched or bitten by a cat who is overly friendly is because he only has one way of saying “ I really need to smothered in attention because I’m starved for it”. Once he’s fixed and you provide that love, things will settle down.
IMO guys and gals like him make the best companions.
Keep us updated as you can.

The county I live in does have reports of rabid raccoons. The county is huge, so the nearest rabid report is 15 miles away and separated two highways.

I have a great service that will neuter him and give him all shots for 50 bucks.
Just have Uber there when I have more funds.

I'm sure this guy will be a good cat, just have to figure out if my current cats could handle him.

I have a former feral that was going to be put down, that an ex managed to save from extermination at my behest, he is a total lovebug.

Plus another former feral who is now 10, who I captured 3 years ago after he was TNR'd. He has visions issues and would've been dead in this neighborhood. He chirps and is the happiest guy, but it took 2 years to form a bond.

So I know how great strays and ferals can be, wish I could rescue them all.
But I'm not super rich (yet) nor a hoarder, so I have to be reasonable.

Yes, how are you and the kitty doing? Any updates?
Kitty seems happier every day, I'm far more chill now. I really thank and credit everyone who replied to calming me down.
So thanks.


I love cats like this too. The cool thing about them is they have a history that we don't know, and they're street smart, have worldly wisdom, and are happy with us and hang out with us on the couch, play toys with us, and greet us when we arrive home, etc., but there's something completely mysterious about them. There's a side to them that we never know about.
I'm obsessed with big cats, but wouldn't own one as a pet, ever, and to me a smart, tough, confident but not aggressive or arrogant street cat is the closest thing to that I'll ever live with!
I know the history of my oldest former feral.
He was a world class Lothario on my deck for years with unwilling girl cats until we finally caught and neutered him.
I sometimes laugh at how unworthy is to live in luxury after his naughty behavior. (I swear he enjoyed himself way too much when he wasn't neutered!)
 

1 bruce 1

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I know the history of my oldest former feral.
He was a world class Lothario on my deck for years with unwilling girl cats until we finally caught and neutered him.
I sometimes laugh at how unworthy is to live in luxury after his naughty behavior. (I swear he enjoyed himself way too much when he wasn't neutered!)
Hahaha!!!!!
We TNR'ed an old tom cat that showed up here years ago and I think they may be related ;) Another tom showed up only weeks later, TNR'ed, they never fought. I was pretty surprised that they got along so well as neutering an adult male with "imprinted behavior" can take some time to mellow out and stop being such a self-proclaimed stud.
 
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4theloveofcats

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Hahaha!!!!!
We TNR'ed an old tom cat that showed up here years ago and I think they may be related ;) Another tom showed up only weeks later, TNR'ed, they never fought. I was pretty surprised that they got along so well as neutering an adult male with "imprinted behavior" can take some time to mellow out and stop being such a self-proclaimed stud.
While my future pet "Thorn" was being a stud muffin, there was an older intact tom who would wait around until Thorn was done.
They never ever fought in the yard, it was so strange. No growling, just chilling.
So if they could be buddies unfixed, anything is possible.

Thanks, that's great!
 

di and bob

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I am a registered nurse and I know that rabies are transferred through saliva, NOT a scratch. The chances of you contracting rabies are very slim, almost nonexistent. the most important thing right now is to keep the cat quarantined so you know he is alive for the ten days. Rabies has a long incubation period so even if he does die you have plenty of time to receive the vaccinations.
I know how hard it is to be NOT worries, I have been bitten deeply by kittens, and have never seen them again. It is the stuff of nightmares.But in your case, it will be FINE, time is your friend!
 
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4theloveofcats

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I am a registered nurse and I know that rabies are transferred through saliva, NOT a scratch. The chances of you contracting rabies are very slim, almost nonexistent. the most important thing right now is to keep the cat quarantined so you know he is alive for the ten days. Rabies has a long incubation period so even if he does die you have plenty of time to receive the vaccinations.
I know how hard it is to be NOT worries, I have been bitten deeply by kittens, and have never seen them again. It is the stuff of nightmares.But in your case, it will be FINE, time is your friend!

Thanks for your input, sorry for the stress you've been through with your own worry. Which means you understand my initial panic.

Kitteh has now been indoors for over 3 days and I had been watching him outside for nearly two weeks. He seems in great shape (knock on wood) I didn't understand rabies transmission until this short ordeal.

I was dense and thought that because he was confronted by a young raccoon a few days ago and may have gotten a tiny wound somewhere outside that he was SUDDENLY able to transmit rabies.
I guess I've seen too many Zombie movies.



Don't I feel silly to learn that animals don't transmit rabies in their saliva until 3-5 days before they're fully rabid. And generally 8 days you're all clear and 10 you're fully out of the woods.
Plus now that I observed how healthy and well adjusted this cat is since he calmed down, I feel totally relaxed.
And happy that the location where he scratched me is already healed, it's a mere dot now.
 

msaimee

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Hi I've tried to send you a private message twice, not sure if either went through. Sometimes they don't go through when I'm using my cell phone. It's about funds for getting the cat neutered. Let me know if you received it or not.
 
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4theloveofcats

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Hi I've tried to send you a private message twice, not sure if either went through. Sometimes they don't go through when I'm using my cell phone. It's about funds for getting the cat neutered. Let me know if you received it or not.
Got the latest message. You are so kind. Vesper will be taken care. But again you rock for offering that.
I'm pretty jaded when it comes to people, so I mainly love animals.
But this board is filled with so many delightful souls that it makes me like people too!
You're a great reminder that there are good people out there still.
 

di and bob

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Don't feel silly, I am a nurse and I was scared for months, since I never saw the kittens again. (and notice I STILL didn't go in either.) I researched the internet and boy is that the wrong thing to do! I was either going to die of rabies or some other deadly ailment. Now let's talk about Cat Scratch Fever........
 
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4theloveofcats

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He's doing well, neutering and getting vaccines next week. Thanks for all the advice everyone.
 
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