We had a cat test POSITIVE for Rabies here in Central Virginia.
Clinical History: Cat was acting immensely friendly and seemingly in heat, but with staggering and extreme ataxia. The cat was very hungry and vomited all food. We isolated it, contacted the person who caught it and dropped it off. The cat had bn witnessed feeding with a colony of wild racoons. The cat had no history of vaccination, and was a "tame" feral cat. The symptoms came on rather quickly according to the person who caught it. She was presented for "spay and check hips". Needless to say we were very wary and prompt with our suspicion. It was sent out yesterday afternoon, and today the State called me to triage my potential exposure which is deemed unlikely.
I handled the cat twice, once without gloves to move it from it's soiled litter box (I scruffed her and did not get bitten or scratched) and a second time GLOVED while she was heavily sedated in order to prepare the animal for testing.
For all who are in the field and unvaccinated... consider it and be smart and be cautious.
- Daniel in VA