Why Vaccinate a Cat for Rabies?
Rabies is an incurable disease that both cats and people can catch. The disease is transmitted in the saliva of an infected animal, and it spreads to a cat’s brain and salivary glands. Rabies also damages the cat’s central nervous system. The disease goes through three stages: prodromal, furious and paralytic. It ends with the cat’s death. Signs of the prodromal stage include fever, anxiety and nervousness. Signs of the furious stage include restlessness, irritability and seizures. Signs of the paralytic stage include drooling, weakness and facial paralysis. Not all infected animals will show all three stages of the disease, and cats are most likely to develop the furious stage. While most cats are indoor-only pets, they should also receive the rabies vaccination to protect them in the event they run away from home and are exposed to wild animals, such as skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes or bats, that may carry the virus. If an unvaccinated cat is exposed to rabies, she will likely be
