My cat caught a bat tonight IN OUR HOUSE...please help

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great. Now I have something else to worry about.

OMG my thoughts exactly!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great. Now I have something else to worry about.

Sorry, OP, my brain just works that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your cat's rabies shot is still good. They last for 3 or more years.

Yes. This happened to us once, and the cat was fine b/c he was up to date on his shots. Took him to the vet to be checked just in case. It didn't sound like the bat bit anyone in your family, so no need to get hysterical over that. It's freaky, I know, but not cause for a panic. I'd be more concerned about calling an exterminator to check your attic - turns out that's how our bat got in, through a small hole in the eaves. Sorry you had a scare - hope a good glass of wine helps!

[Anonymous]

Check with your vet about what type of rabies vaccine your cat was given. Some are good for three years, but some vets now give "pure vaccines", without preservatives. They carry lower risk for development of cancer tumors, but only last for one year. I really pray that you can keep your cat, and that he will be OK!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check with your vet about what type of rabies vaccine your cat was given. Some are good for three years, but some vets now give "pure vaccines", without preservatives. They carry lower risk for development of cancer tumors, but only last for one year. I really pray that you can keep your cat, and that he will be OK!

The purevax vaccine that my vet gives is good for 3 years. Merial I think is the manufacturer.

[Anonymous]

OP - did you have your house inspected or was it indeed just one bat?

[Anonymous]

Check the date people - this happenned FIVE YEARS AGO. Stop responding to zombie threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your cat's rabies shot is still good. They last for 3 or more years.

If that's so, why do they tell us to get him a shot every year?

They have one-year shots and three-year shots. Contact the vet to see which your cat got.

[Anonymous]

Send her round to my house. We have mice in the basement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - did you have your house inspected or was it indeed just one bat?

Wow, OP here, years later. I clicked on this thread with interest and then realized it was my own, ha!

My cat has crossed the rainbow bridge, but not from rabies. We did have an inspector come out after the incident, who saw no evidence of where the bat entered our home - and our attic was clear. It remains an unsettling mystery. But my cat was never behind in his shot again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our cat's rabies vax expired (vets office dropped the ball so now we have a new vet) and we didn't realize until he got attacked by a raccoon during the day. Trust me, we were just as freaked out. Vet gave him a rabies shot but per MoCo policy we had to sign something saying he would be kept "in a locked cage" "in a locked room" for I think 90 days. Vet said the immunity from his many years of rabies shots should be enough and he wasn't worried but he had to follow county policy and report it. Said he couldn't force us to do anything but theoretically the county could follow up. We separated our cat from the rest of the house for a week I think to make sure we didn't see any rabid signs then let him out in the house but did respect the quarantine period of 90? days before letting him outside again. The county never followed up, I thought there would at least be a fine or we'd get something in the mail.

Good luck!

Ask your vet is he is going to report you. I was taking care of an unvaccinated feral cat that got an injury of unknown origin. The vet was obligated to report it and Animal Control did come to my house every month (unannounced) for six months. They also checked with the vet to make sure the cat got a second (in six months) rabies shot.

Wow great use of tax payer money for a thrown away cat

You obviously have not lived in a country where there have been widespread rabies outbreaks. Please google "Bali rabies outbreak."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - what a crazy night! Last night I assumed the bat flew out the window because he disappeared after we opened our bedroom window and closed the door. Well, I was an idiot, it seems. Later I read you should always stand in the corner of the room to make sure the bat gets out, because they can hide and crawl behind/under things. So last night after reading up on bats for too many hours i sat up in bed listening for the bat, just in case. My cat suddenly pricked his ears up and stared at our closet door - and there was the little creature, nestled in a towel that was thrown
over the door. We called animal control and they came out at 2am to remove the bat. Poor thing. They'll test it for
rabies and get back to us in a day or two. I'm so worried
about my cat and praying the bat was healthy - apparently
15% are rabid, according to AC. I will never delay the rabies shot again!

This is a very good thing. The larger concern (besides the cat) is whether the bat was in a room with a child or a sleeping person. Bat bites can be invisible to the human eye (their teeth are super sharp and thin). The CDC recommendation is to do post-exposure prophylaxis for any children, disabled or sleeping persons who have had been in the same room as a bat UNLESS the bat is captured and tested for rabies. Several people die in the US each year from bat rabies exposure and while most can remember being around a bat, they almost never remember being bitten (because it happens at night). The odds of this happening are exceedingly rare but the consequences severe (rabies is always fatal), hence the CDC's recommendation. You have 7-10 days following exposure to get vaccinated.

We went through this whole shebang about a year ago when we discovered a bat in our house. We couldn't account for it's whereabouts at night (found it flying in our hallway). Thankfully we were able to capture it (animal control) and it was sent to the DC Public Health lab and they were incredibly prompt and helpful in getting it tested. I called our pediatrician and they confirmed what I read on line. They vaccinate about a half a dozen families a year who run into this problem.

Yes, you should always vaccinate a child who may have been in the same room as a bat. Always always! Please do that OP!

[Anonymous]

Just went through this today in Northern MD. I was woken at 5:30 am by my three cats crashing around my room. I figured they had a toy and were just getting some morning crazies out. I tried to go back to sleep. The noises intensified. I caught what I thought was a moth out of the corner of my eye. Then the squeaking started after they batted it to the floor. It promptly got up and flew around my room then tried to hide. I grabbed a towel and scooped up the little thing and took it outside where it flew away. It just wanted out.

Called the Vet as soon as they opened to ask about any measures to take with my cats. They asked for their ages and last rabies shot dates. The oldest is 8 and is 3 months behind on her year 8 booster (has had them very year before this). Apparently the vaccines work very well and don't really have to be boosted every year. The other cats are 2 years old and are due for their year 2 booster soon. Apparently the fact they had their kitten shots and year one booster has them covered. No immediate shots needed.

So, the cats are fine, the bat is hopefully fine, and I am just a bit shaken up by such an unusual wake-up call!

I know this is an old thread, but it seems to have been recently bumped, even by the OP, and I found it very helpful while I waited on the vet to open.

[Anonymous]

Did they recommend you get a shot, PP? As a precaution?

[Anonymous]

PP here. I did not come into direct contact with the bat so no, they did not suggest talking to my doctor about my own health. Then again, I did not call a human doctor about it. Pretty sure that if you don't actually touch the bat that it would be impossible to contract anything from it. I used a huge bath towel to scoop it up, wrap it up, and remove it from the house.