Stupid Rabies Question

I'm sure y'all are tired of posts like this, but here goes:

I was out running today and came across a cat on the side of the road, apparently hit by a car. I know you're supposed to leave dead animals alone, but I have pets myself, and since it was raining, and the day after Christmas, I just couldn't bear the thought of this poor cat lying dead in the street. It was also a residential neighborhood, so I thought there was a good chance it was someone's pet, and I didn't want the owners, if it had any, to never know what happened to their cat.

So, long story short, I went back to my house, got a box and sheet, used the sheet to pick up the cat, and then took it to a local vet to see if it was chipped and to have it humanely disposed of. Now, however, I'm wondering if this is the kind of situation where you're supposed to get a vaccine? Can rabies be transmitted without a bite? I don't see any cuts or sores on my hands, and I didn't touch the cat directly. I think this is probably just my anxiety playing tricks on me, but I wanted to check in about what other people would do in this situation.

Personally I think it's 100% your anxiety (trust me I would feel the same way in that situation) but you need to have been bitten or gotten saliva directly into a wound to get rabies (which couldn't have happened especially since you didn't touch the cat at all). Plus you said you went to a veterinarian office, if there had been any concern I'm sure they would have expressed them when you brought the cat in and explained the story, rabies in domestic pets is also SUPER rare in the US (obviously all rabies is rare but thats like...super extra rare lol) because most pets are vaxxed against rabies anyway :)

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Originally Posted by fleurdelis

I'm sure y'all are tired of posts like this, but here goes:

I was out running today and came across a cat on the side of the road, apparently hit by a car. I know you're supposed to leave dead animals alone, but I have pets myself, and since it was raining, and the day after Christmas, I just couldn't bear the thought of this poor cat lying dead in the street. It was also a residential neighborhood, so I thought there was a good chance it was someone's pet, and I didn't want the owners, if it had any, to never know what happened to their cat.

So, long story short, I went back to my house, got a box and sheet, used the sheet to pick up the cat, and then took it to a local vet to see if it was chipped and to have it humanely disposed of. Now, however, I'm wondering if this is the kind of situation where you're supposed to get a vaccine? Can rabies be transmitted without a bite? I don't see any cuts or sores on my hands, and I didn't touch the cat directly. I think this is probably just my anxiety playing tricks on me, but I wanted to check in about what other people would do in this situation.

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First off, very thoughtful of you and well done on a good deed.
Secondly, 0 rabies risk.

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Originally Posted by fleurdelis

I think this is probably just my anxiety playing tricks on me

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I know it is! RIP kitty!

Positive thoughts

Thanks to everyone who responded! I generally try not ask for reassurance, but when there's a situation where I'm not sure whether a "normal" person would go to the doctor or not, I like to double-check with others.

As for it being a good deed, I always think back to the (probably apocryphal?) story about Lincoln stopping his carriage to rescue some drowning piglets: I'd have spent the whole day feeling awful if I didn't do anything!