This week’s discovery in Habersham of a feral cat colony exposed to rabies illustrates the dangers of free-feeding and unmanaged feral populations.
At least one cat died from the virus. Now, all of the unvaccinated cats and kittens that were exposed to that rabid cat must be euthanized. And there are around 30 of them.
Animal control officers say situations like this usually start small.
“The most common thing we hear when residents request the removal of entire colonies is that one cat showed up, and they didn’t want that one cat to starve, so they fed it. Then it invited its friends. Then they reproduced. Then those cats reproduced. It’s not until a situation becomes ‘out of control’ that we are asked to step in, and by that time, it is often too late,” explains Habersham County Animal Care and Control Director Madi Nix.
She says the time to act is when the first feral cat or stray appears. If you can safely capture the animal and turn it in to animal control, do. If you can not capture the animal without exposing yourself or others to harm, contact your local animal control agency.
Protecting animals and humans
Adults and children alike should avoid contact with unfamiliar animals, whether domesticated or wild – even if the animals appear friendly.
Any direct physical contact between humans and potentially rabid animals or wildlife or between domesticated pets and potentially rabid animals or wildlife should be reported immediately to the authorities.
Rabid animals may stagger, appear restless, be aggressive, have difficulty walking, seem overly friendly, or appear to be challenging.
In rural areas, it is not uncommon to encounter wildlife, especially during the spring and summer months. In addition to vaccinating all pets for rabies, there are several steps residents can take to protect themselves and their pets:
- Avoid wildlife and unfamiliar animals;
- Do not allow pets to roam – they can come in contact with rabid wildlife;
- Never feed or touch wild animals, especially bats, skunks, raccoons, or foxes;
- Seek medical attention immediately if bitten or exposed to a wild animal’s saliva;
- Contact a veterinarian if a pet was exposed to a bat, raccoon, skunk, or other wild carnivore;
- And do not encourage the feeding of unmanaged cat colonies. For those who choose to feed cats, ensure they are part of a trap/neuter/release colony and have been vaccinated for rabies.
For more about the rabies virus, visit https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html.
RELATED
Positive rabies case leads to ‘heartbreaking’ mass euthanization
