Kitten in Baltimore County tests positive for rabies, exposes one human to viral disease

A kitten in Phoenix tested positive for rabies and exposed one human to the viral disease, Baltimore County officials announced Wednesday.

A rabid 16-week-old, orange, domestic, medium-haired male kitten was found in the 3300 block of Paper Mill Road in the Jacksonville neighborhood Tuesday, officials said in a news release. Officials urge anyone who might’ve been exposed to the kitten to seek immediate medical evaluation and contact the county’s health department if they were bitten, licked or scratched.

“Incidents like this highlight the importance of avoiding contact with unfamiliar animals and ensuring that pets remain current on their rabies vaccinations,” René Varela, the Baltimore County Animal Services bureau director, said in a statement. “Maintaining vigilance in the community is essential to protecting both animal and human health.”

Baltimore County Animal Services said it is “notifying caretakers of registered community cat colonies in the area,” according to a news release.

This incident comes after three people visiting Maryland state parks were bitten by beavers and two of the animals tested positive for rabies. The disease is rare in the rodents, and it’s unusual for them to attack people.

Rabies is a viral disease that people often contract after being bitten or scratched by an infected animal. Though preventable, the disease can turn deadly, affecting the central nervous system and causing severe brain disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease is rare in people, with the CDC saying fewer than 10 rabies deaths are reported each year.

Most rabies cases are found in wild animals, such as bats, foxes, raccoons and skunks. The CDC says there are about 200-300 reports per year of rabid cats in the U.S., the most of any domestic animal.

Two years ago, a feral and aggressive cat near a hotel in Cecil County was captured and euthanized after biting or scratching two local residents. The cat was a part of an unmanaged colony of 20 feral cats, and it tested positive for rabies days later, the CDC said. At least three people received postexposure prophylaxis, and no humans contracted rabies from that incident.