Introduction
Although rabies is usually associated with dogs, any mammal can be affected by the rabies virus. However, cats are the most common pets in most households. Among all the viral infections that affect cats, rabies is the deadliest, as it affects the central nervous system. The virus transmits through saliva, entering an open wound through a cat bite. Rabies is found all over the world. However, few countries have introduced successful elimination standards. The centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) estimates around 59,000 people die worldwide every year from rabies.
What Is Rabies?
Rabies is an infection transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. The rabies virus belongs to the Rhabdoviridae family. The virus affects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately affects the brain, and leads to death. Animals like dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, and bats can transmit the virus to humans via scratches or bites.
How Can Cats Get Rabies?
Cats can get infected through a bite from an infected animal, and the virus is spread through saliva. Rarely can the saliva contaminate a cat’s open wound or enter through the mucous membrane of the eyes, nose, or mouth.
How Does Cat Rabies Spread to Humans?
Cats with rabies transfer the virus to humans via scratch or saliva following a bite. In addition, the virus can transmit through the mucous membranes or an open wound. The transmission of the rabies virus from cats occurs exclusively from animal to human or animal to animal; human-to-human transmission is extremely rare. Once the virus enters one's body, it spreads through the nerves to the brain. The bites on the head and neck may speed up the transmission to the brain and spinal cord because of the primary trauma location. Once the virus reaches the brain, it multiplies and causes severe brain and spinal cord inflammation.
What Are the Symptoms of Rabies in Cats and Humans?
Signs and Symptoms of Rabies in Cats
The early symptoms of rabies in cats may be hard to spot. It occurs in three phases:
Prodromal Phase: It lasts for one to two days and includes symptoms like:
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Excessive salivating.
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Pupil dilation.
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Fly biting.
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Erratic behavior.
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Mood changes.
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Loss of appetite.
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Solitary behavior.
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Itching the wound.
Furious Phase: After the prodromal phase, the cat may become more erratic on the second or third day and start eating objects like inedible sticks and stones.
Other symptoms include:
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Change in the cat’s voice.
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Irritability.
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Violent or aggressive behavior.
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Loitering around.
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Loss of muscle coordination and disorientation.
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Seizures.
Paralytic Phase: The cat becomes unresponsive and depressed in this stage. Other symptoms include:
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Weakness.
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Foaming.
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Open mouth and protruding tongue.
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Breathlessness.
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Paralysis.
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Coma or death.
Signs and Symptoms of Rabies From Cats to Humans
The signs and symptoms in humans appear at least three weeks to three months after the bite and may last for weeks to months. The initial symptoms include flu-like symptoms: fever, malaise, muscle weakness, headache, and tingling or prickling sensation at the site of the bite.
As the virus spreads to the CNS (central nervous system), two types of diseases can develop - furious rabies and paralytic rabies.
Furious Rabies: This condition is characterized by hyperactivity and excitability in the person. Other symptoms include:
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Erratic behavior.
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Anxiety.
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Insomnia.
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Agitation.
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Confusion.
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Excessive salivation.
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Foaming at the mouth.
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Difficulty in swallowing.
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Fear of water.
Paralytic Rabies: This condition takes longer to set in. Infected people may gradually become paralyzed, fall into a coma, and die. According to the WHO (world health organization), 20 % of human rabies cases are paralytic.
Once the clinical signs start to appear, the disease is mostly fatal, and the treatment is usually supportive. But, according to WHO (world health organization) estimates, 20 % of human rabies cases are paralytic.
How Is Rabies Diagnosed?
Currently, there are no tests to diagnose the early stages of rabies. Once the symptoms appear, the doctor may perform blood, saliva, or tissue tests. DFA (direct fluorescent antibody) test and a biopsy of the neck can be done to detect the disease.
What Are the Treatment Options for Rabies?
Rabies is not curable once the symptoms start appearing. However, it is possible to prevent the infection from setting in through a series of preventive shots. If one gives a history of being bitten by a wild animal, the doctor may administer a rabies vaccine as a preventive shot to stop the infection. Rabies immunoglobulins can help boost the rabies antibodies in the body to fight against the infection.
When to Seek Medical Attention?
Contact a healthcare provider if a wild animal has bitten one to determine the risk for rabies or other illnesses. If the pet cat shows symptoms of rabies, isolate the cat. If the cat has caused any injury like a scratch or bite to one, wash the area immediately with soap and water. Then, contact the healthcare provider for preventive shots and injections to prevent the infection from setting in.
How to Prevent the Spread of Rabies From Cats?
Although there is no remedy for the condition, it is preventable. Certain simple measures can help prevent one from catching rabies:
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Get a rabies vaccine before traveling to countries known to have the rabies virus.
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Keep the domestic cats from roaming outside.
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Report stray animals in the neighborhood to animal control.
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Keep the cats indoors during a rabies outbreak.
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Visit the veterinarian with the cat regularly and be up-to-date on all vaccinations, including the rabies vaccine.
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Wash cat scratches and bites with soap and water immediately.
Conclusion
Rabies is a life-threatening but preventable viral infection. Cat rabies is transmitted through the saliva in the bite or rarely through mucus membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth or an open wound. Rabies is a medical urgency, not an emergency. Therefore, contact the healthcare provider for preventive shots if a rabies-infected cat has bitten one. A series of injections and preventative shots can help prevent the disease from setting in.
