'Extreme aggression:' Rabid cat detected for first time in eight years after biting owner, son
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For the first time in eight years, a cat has tested positive for rabies in Alberta.
A nine-year-old indoor-outdoor cat living on a farm near Longview “displayed extreme aggression” and bit its owner and the owner’s son last week, according to a message from the Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian posted to various veterinary clinics’ social media pages.
The province’s chief veterinarian’s office was notified Nov. 13, according to the notice posted online.
The owner and son bitten by the cat sought medical attention and immediately received treatment to prevent spread of the disease.
Four other cats and two dogs living on the farm are now under a three-month quarantine and have been given post-exposure rabies vaccinations.
The type of rabies present in the aggressive cat was most consistent with the bat variant of the virus, an investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency determined.
“Cats hunting bats is not an abnormal scenario and with the small percentage of bats that are positive for rabies in Alberta, having an unvaccinated cat positive for rabies can occur,” the notice from the province’s chief veterinarian’s office stated.
Rabies is an acute, fatal viral disease of mammals that is most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.
The last two instances of a cat testing positive for rabies after contracting the virus locally were in 2010 and 2006.
A puppy also tested positive for the arctic fox variant of the virus in 2013 after moving from Nunavut to Calgary.
Nine bats have tested positive for rabies so far this year in Alberta through scenarios in which they interacted with pet dogs, cats or directly with people. The nine bats come from across Alberta, “which is not surprising given that bats are present in rural and urban areas and move freely throughout the province.”
“Even though rabies does occur at a low rate in our province, it is important to remember that only through vaccination of our pets can we protect their health and in turn, human health,” the province’s chief veterinarian’s office stated. “This case also serves as an important reminder to ensure that the veterinary team working with animals monitors their protective titres and updates their vaccination status as needed. Please contact your local Public Health office for more information regarding this aspect.”
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