Rabies from a cat....

Yes, I know, it sounds ridiculous. But my sister told me to come outside, and had me hold this stray cat. It started pressing it's claws on me. I didn't let it scratch me mega hard, but it appears to have pricked me right at the bottom of my palm. I don't know who owns it. And she had to bring up rabies, because she got scratched WAY worse. Now, I checked rabies in my area. It appears that, the only 4 cases of rabies in cats in my state in the past 5 years have happened. But all are within an hour from me. I'm unsure as to whether I should visit the doctor and get the rabies vaccine.....

Help please.

I think the first thing you should do is relax! If you don’t have any symptoms now, then you do not have rabies. Trust me I know how hard it is to deal with these thoughts in your head, I deal with my own diagnoses every single day. I’ve dealt with plenty of stray cats before, you’re fine! If you start to feel sick, like really sick, not just something you made up in your head, go to a walk in clinic. But you’re fine and will live a normal healthy life, no matter what! Ok? :)

But rabies is dealt with BEFORE symptoms occur.

Who told you this google? Online forums? I know this is difficult for you to get out of your head, but you are fine. A little pric from a cat will not cause rabies! Though, I’m not a doctor, I do know what it’s like to deal with anxiety. You’re fine and you have to just trust it !

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Originally Posted by bran_sun

Who told you this google? Online forums? I know this is difficult for you to get out of your head, but you are fine. A little pric from a cat will not cause rabies! Though, I’m not a doctor, I do know what it’s like to deal with anxiety. You’re fine and you have to just trust it !

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The poster is correct. You treat rabies before showing symptoms. That is the only treatment there is (well, there is one other to try but it has a very low cure rate). That is per the CDC (major US health agency btw and every other health agency in the world).

I honestly don't know what I would do. The chances are miniscule, probably as close to zero as it gets, of you getting rabies that way. But, maybe you should talk to your doctor or local health dept and see what they say? The shots are oftentimes thousands and thousands of dollars (in the US).

Do you have a chance of seeing the cat again?

1/1,000,000 chance that you have rabies. Of course I understand that 1/1,000,000 reads like 99% for the HA sufferer......

Absolutely. I'm actually tempted to bag the cat and watch him for 10 days.

A few days later and I'm still incredibly paranoid.....is this what anxiety does?

It can take 2 years for rabies symptoms to show, visit a doctor so you don't spend all that time in worry.

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Originally Posted by Bluebird9

It can take 2 years for rabies symptoms to show, visit a doctor so you don't spend all that time in worry.

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That type of post just feeds the dragon. So, either take solace that for the OP to actually get rabies, it would have to be the perfect storm from an alien world or go to the doctor, insist on vaccinations even though scenario is incredibly irrational and spend $$$ to do so for no good reason.

Since your sister got scratched worse, see how she's doing. I imagine she's fine as are you :)

Positive thoughts

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Originally Posted by bran_sun

Who told you this google? Online forums? I know this is difficult for you to get out of your head, but you are fine. A little pric from a cat will not cause rabies! Though, I’m not a doctor, I do know what it’s like to deal with anxiety. You’re fine and you have to just trust it !

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If one is exposed to a potential rabies treat one should take the vaccine withing the next 24 hours. Once symptoms appear it is too late. That is true. But the OP is not in great danger I guess. Maybe OP should ask the doctor or the veterenarian in the area. But please - remember to not give wrong medical info on an online forum.