View Full Version : terrible rabies anxiety
bluestar107
28-01-18, 04:58
Okay, before I start I just want to say that rabies has always terrified me beyond belief and I get minor scares about it once in a while anyway. This time it was way worse though. I've had my cat (named Star) for about 2 years now and I've never had any worries about her health or anything. She is a completely indoor cat (except for when I go out on the balcony sometimes to read and I bring her out to sit next to me) and she has never escaped. She's quite terrified of the outdoors actually. Recently though, I've been VERY scared that she has rabies. Since she is indoor and I do not have ANY rodent problems, I do not find it necessary to give her the rabies vaccine but I have this itching fear that somehow, just SOMEHOW, a bat or a mouse or something got in and bit her and now she is on the verge of death. I know. It sounds so stupid, but I'm so terrified. I've been letting her sit next to me on the balcony since I got her, but I googled how long rabies can live in you and it said it can live up to 6 years without showing symptoms. What if she has it but it just hasn't kicked in yet? What if we both just die? This fear has gotten so bad that I'm at the point where I won't even play-fight with her anymore because I'm scared I'll contract the disease and die too. Heck, I'm watching her super closely at all times to make sure everything she does is normal and if she does one thing that seems even slightly weird I'll go on my phone and look it up to see if it's a symptom of rabies. I hate myself for this!! I KNOW deep down that there is nothing wrong but I just can't get this fear out of my head! There wasn't even anything that really triggered this anxiety in real life, I just watched a video about rabies in a human and it mortified me to the point where I started researching it and started fearing that my indoor cat living in a rodent-free, third-floor apartment magically contracted this deadly disease and is going to wipe us out of existence.
Catherine S
28-01-18, 05:06
Is there a rabies epidemic in America? I can't believe how many threads there are about this from you guys. Hasn't rabies been eradicated over there as it has here in the UK?
Yes, it has been eradicated in all domestic animals. Once in a blue moon, a wild raccoon or skunk comes down with it as they can be natural reservoirs for it. Most people with rabies fear it from bats, and in the US, they aren’t really the carriers of it.
Interesting, I've been wondering about the US rabies thing too. Is the rabies vaccine offered to pets still though?
There wasn't even anything that really triggered this anxiety in real life, I just watched a video about rabies in a human and it mortified me to the point where I started researching it and started fearing that my indoor cat living in a rodent-free, third-floor apartment magically contracted this deadly disease and is going to wipe us out of existence.
Do you not think this WAS the real life trigger, you watched a frightening video and then started researching it. You know the answer to this, as you've quoted it here, your little puddy tat is just fine and has no risk of rabies...its probably wondering why you are staring at it so much :o)
Interesting, I've been wondering about the US rabies thing too. Is the rabies vaccine offered to pets still though?
It is. We take our Pixie Bob once a year for the shot. It's actually required for all pets. Any animal you purchase or adopt has had the shot and the Humane Society vaccinates any stray they take in.
This scenario is like the other rabies threads in that it's 100% fantastical in nature. We humans sure do have creative imaginations. Some use them to do great things and sadly, some use them to torture themselves :weep:
Positive thoughts
SO you say 'required for all pets', as if its a law in part of animal ownership, but this cat hasn't been vaccinated? Our pets only have to have it if they need a 'pet passport' to travel outside the UK into the EU.
I'm just trying to work out really, and this isn't saying that the cat has rabies by the way !!!!!!! (I agree its very creative to think it could have, I mean a bat wouldn't get within an inch of a cat anyway) if this cat should be having vaccines anyway?
SO you say 'required for all pets', as if its a law in part of animal ownership, but this cat hasn't been vaccinated? Our pets only have to have it if they need a 'pet passport' to travel outside the UK into the EU.
I'm just trying to work out really, and this isn't saying that the cat has rabies by the way !!!!!!! (I agree its very creative to think it could have, I mean a bat wouldn't get within an inch of a cat anyway) if this cat should be having vaccines anyway?
If the cat is truly feral probably not but even then the chances of it being infected are zilch. It's not behaving oddly or anything. And yes, all domestic pets (cats, dogs, ferrets etc.) in the US must be vaccinated. Every state has regulations.
FMP
Even truly feral cats have almost zero chance of having it. I was scratched up pretty bad by a feral cat, and I still didn’t get the shots because I wasn’t bitten. She tested negative for rabies post mortem (we had to put her down because of injuries), but the vets weren’t worried about me.
Last year there was a stray cat in our neighborhood. A little red tabby we all called Prissy. She had been roaming around the neighborhood for close to a year. She had obviously had been around people because she was very sweet but she wouldn't let many near her. Turns out, she made me her human :) She would hear my truck and come running for food, I'd hang out with her and she'd crawl in my lap and get pets. Never was I worried nor in danger. We couldn't take her in because we don't have the space for two cats, separate litter boxes etc. And Socrates may not have liked the idea.
Happy Ending.... I found her a forever home and she's doing wonderfully :D
Positive thoughts
YAY! I like those stories, FMP.
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