Bitten by cat at animal shelter

[djsandra]

I have to volunteer a certain amount of hours for school, and most of it is done at the animal shelter. Usually it wreaks havoc with my OCD and I come back with anxiety. Today I was petting this cat in one of the cat rooms, and I was stupid enough to start petting her belly, and she bit me on my hand. It drew blood, even though the bite was quite shallow. The staff told me that I should see a doctor just in case, and to ask if I should get rabies or tetanus shots. I also had to fill out an "incident report". I was freaking out, because I have a massive fear of rabies. It sounds ironic that I volunteer at an animal shelter, but it is the easiest place for me to go and volunteer as you just go there and sign in. The doctor said that rabies was very rare in our area, especially in cats, and I was prescribed antibiotics for the bite. The cat had been in the shelter since Jan. 27/2014, and received its shots on the 28th. The staff said that the cat was "not the most affectionate", and could be "grumpy". I remember that I initially thought that the cat looked sad, and I saw the cat putting its paws in the clean litter box and then persistently wiping them on the towel under the litter box. The cat came in as a stray, and is currently up for adoption. The doctor didn't want to give me rabies shots as she said that she didn't think they were necessary and they are very painful and take 28 days. Help, I'm so worried that I am going to die!

[Andrash]

You can't get rabbies unless the cat itself is rabid, and if that were the case, the cat would be behaving very, very strange all the time and it would definitely have been noticed before. No worries, and don't touch cats tails and bellies anymore-they find it uncomfortable. Pat and scratch front of their neck and head-they love that.

[Serenity1990]

The cat wouldn't have been at a stage where it's ready for adoption if it had rabies. Aside from the obvious signs to professionals at a centre, they're all checked and given jabs as a matter of routine before being sent on their way.

[djsandra]

I really appreciate the replies, and they are reassuring to read. However, why would they even suggest rabies shots then? Just as a precaution? Thanks for the replies though

[Serenity1990]

Yes it'll be a precaution, same as every hospital will make sure your tetanus jabs are up to date if you get a bad cut. If they thought you were in any danger at all they would insist you get checked out properly. As I understand I it rabies is easy to spot in animals and even easier in humans; the very fact that the doctor didn't think it necessary to I give you the injection says it all for me!

[Althea]

djsandra, from what you say they didn't suggest the rabies shots--they suggested you ask your doctor about the rabies shots. You did, and your doctor said not to do them. I suspect it's based on the time the cat's been in the shelter and how long ago its immunization was. As Serenity says, it would have been symptomatic by now, and they know what to look for--what you describe with the litter box isn't a symptom. (Though to be clear the shots need to come before the symptoms, in cats and people, to work.)

I will say that your doctor is slightly wrong about one thing, though--I've had the rabies shots, and they're not particularly painful these days. Most doctors never have to give a series, so it's not surprising they don't realize how much they've changed (they did use to be pretty unpleasant). You get quite a few shots, it's true, but they're just regular shots in the arm and slightly bigger regular shots in the area around the bite and in back or thigh. I wouldn't do it for fun, but it was pretty much like getting several tetanus shots--much less a big deal than expected.

[djsandra]

To be honest, I was the one who asked them about rabies, and they said that the doctors often give rabies shots if the bite is a deep puncture wound. Also Althea, why did you need to get rabies shots?

[Montana2]

Djsandra, this same thing happen to my husband last year when taking the cat to the vet to have his rabies shot. The cat got so nervous it bit my husband's hand when trying to take him out of the box. My husband did not want to go to the doctor as he thought it was no big deal.......but reading it said cat bites are specially bad for infection, nothing was mentioned about rabies. Same thing at the doctors, rabies not a concern, but gave him antibiotics for infection. Rest your mind and try to have a good day.

[Althea]

To be honest, I was the one who asked them about rabies

So they didn't even suggest it in the first place, sounds like--this is all what you've come up with.

Mine was a wild-animal case, and I couldn't catch the critter to bring it in to be checked. So shots it was!

[djsandra]

Thanks for the replies guys!

[Cags48]

I'm sure You will be fine :)