View Full Version : Rabies
I'm pathetic. I know that the possibility of getting rabies is minuscule, but I can't get over myself. Here's the scenario.
I adopted a stray cat a few months ago. She's still very cautious, suspicious and careful about me, but when I'm fixing her food, she approaches me and sometimes drags around me. Today when I was fixing her food, she dragged around my arm, and bumped her head into my arm. She smelled it a bit, and then I guess her old paranoia kicked in and she nipped me a bit and hissed. I do not see any marks on my hand from the teeth, no pain, no blood. The cat does not, by my knowledge, exhibit any symptoms of rabies - no confusion, no fear of water (as far as i know - I mix her food with water), no aggression, no weird sounds from her.
But it was enough to make me think about the disease again. This is now probably around the 5th time that I think I had rabies. But this time there's that nibble that I mentioned, which changes the playing field. I live in a country where rabies is very rare, but still not 100% gone.
Should I contact the doctor?
Should I contact the doctor?
Absolutely not!
Positive thoughts
MyNameIsTerry
27-05-16, 23:03
Like you said, she doesn't exhibit any symptoms of having rabies. Plus the selective nature of anxiety means it is focusing on the worst possibility and forgetting about worries of anything else she could have as a stray which makes me think anxiety again. :winks:
A bit more work and she may adopt you. :yesyes:
I wouldn't bother contacting the doctor. If she had rabies, you'd know!
Do they have the rabies vaccine for pets where you live? Where I live, it's the law to have your pet vaccinated.
I know my fears are irrational, but I'm upset that I'll have to wait 2 weeks (again) and observe my cat before I know for sure that I don't have rabies. I just see that I'll be anxious all this time, and I'll be like a dead man walking, just like so many times before. All this time I'll be thinking about "what ifs" - what if the "bite" broke my skin and I didn't notice? What if cats saliva is infected from something like a fight with a marten (type of weasel, I live about 100m from the forest)? What if saliva came into my blood? My cat is not vaccinated against rabies yet, because here it is not mandatory. Rabies is rare, but still not eradicated.
All this while the cat is basking in the sun, worry free, oblivious to my anxieties she caused me. Or better, which I caused myself.
MyNameIsTerry
29-05-16, 04:59
Why do you need to wait 2 weeks to observe the cats behaviour again? Wouldn't that be false anyway since it could develop it afterwards thus creating a continual cycle of this worry?
Why not apply rational thinking in looking at your previous matching worries over this and why that never happened?
What if the cat's bite broke the skin and you didn't notice?
Well I've been nipped by an overexcited cat on a couple of occasions and when you get bit, you look at the bite site. If the skin is broken, you notice the blood otherwise it just goes a bit red. You would see this so that's certainly anxiety.
Counted your what ifs with positive ones, usually 3-5 but in a strong negative what if you could use more.
For instance:
What if the cat has rabies?
What if it doesn't have rabies?
What if the cat is healthy and disease free?
What if I am ok?
What if there is no way it could even transmit it to me?
What if no stray cats in my region even have rabies?
All this while the cat is basking in the sun, worry free, oblivious to my anxieties she caused me. Or better, which I caused myself.
That's a cat for ya... Chillin' out, couldn't care less and not a care in the world.. But you? You're acting like a mouse ;) I don't know what anyone can say to truly quell your fears. With respect, it's a totally irrational fear.
Positive thoughts
I'm pathetic. I know that the possibility of getting rabies is minuscule, but I can't get over myself. Here's the scenario.
I adopted a stray cat a few months ago. She's still very cautious, suspicious and careful about me, but when I'm fixing her food, she approaches me and sometimes drags around me. Today when I was fixing her food, she dragged around my arm, and bumped her head into my arm. She smelled it a bit, and then I guess her old paranoia kicked in and she nipped me a bit and hissed. I do not see any marks on my hand from the teeth, no pain, no blood. The cat does not, by my knowledge, exhibit any symptoms of rabies - no confusion, no fear of water (as far as i know - I mix her food with water), no aggression, no weird sounds from her.
But it was enough to make me think about the disease again. This is now probably around the 5th time that I think I had rabies. But this time there's that nibble that I mentioned, which changes the playing field. I live in a country where rabies is very rare, but still not 100% gone.
Should I contact the doctor?
I'm going to give contrary advice here. It doesn't sound to me like the cat has rabies but if you're worried about it it wouldn't hurt to speak to a doctor about your concerns (I don't know where you live so can't assess the risk realistically)
The other thing is that a scratch from a cat or dog is also a tetanus risk (especially outdoors), so you might need a tetanus injection or a tetanus booster injection, which you're supposed to have every 10 years (come to think of it I'm overdue for mine too).
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ask-the-expert/allergy-and-asthma/a5945/do-i-need-tetanus-jab-for-a-cat-scratch/
I'm going to give contrary advice here. It doesn't sound to me like the cat has rabies but if you're worried about it it wouldn't hurt to speak to a doctor about your concerns (I don't know where you live so can't assess the risk realistically)
The other thing is that a scratch from a cat or dog is also a tetanus risk (especially outdoors), so you might need a tetanus injection or a tetanus booster injection, which you're supposed to have every 10 years (come to think of it I'm overdue for mine too).
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ask-the-expert/allergy-and-asthma/a5945/do-i-need-tetanus-jab-for-a-cat-scratch/
This OP is from May and the OP is alive and well. No need to see a doctor nor fuel the fire. Besides, adopted cats as well as purchased pets are vaccinated.
Positive thoughts
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