The Chances of Getting Rabies From a Kitten

The chances of contracting rabies from a kitten will depend on many factors. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, rabies has been recorded in every state except Hawaii. The disease is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. The annual worldwide human death toll from rabies is more that 50,000. Rabies also kills millions of animals each year.

  1. Transmitting Rabies

    • According to the ASPCA, animals usually contract the disease through an infected animal biting them. Raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes can carry the rabies virus. Cats also contract rabies when saliva from an infected animal gets into the wound of uninfected animal. Cats have the highest risks of exposure. If you have a cat or kitten that's allowed to roam outside and hasn't been vaccinated, there's a higher chance a person can also contract rabies.

    Feral Kittens

    • According to New York City Health, a person was bitten by an infected feral kitten in Staten Island in August 2006. A similar case happened a year later in Washington, D.C. Five people were bitten by a feral kitten that later tested positive for rabies. All five people had to undergo rabies treatments. If the kitten is feral, it is best to stay away from it.

    Vaccinated Kittens

    • The only way to prevent the spread of rabies is by vaccination, according to the ASPCA. Any domesticated animal, whether it stays indoors or is allowed outdoors, should be vaccinated. This not only protects you and the animal from contracting rabies, but it also protects other people in case the animal bites someone. If an unvaccinated kitten bites a person, it's possible the cat would be euthanized. The only way to test for rabies is after death. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, if a person refuses to euthanize the animal, the animal can be quarantined for up to six months.

    Exposure

    • If you're bitten or scratched by an unknown or unvaccinated kitten, the CDC recommends washing the wound immediately with soap and water. Afterwards, seek a doctor's advice. The doctor will decide whether you need the rabies vaccination. The vaccination consists of five shots--one immune globulin and four rabies vaccination given over 14 days. The vaccinations are given in the arm, not in the stomach as they were in the past.

    Contact with a Rabid Animal

    • The ASPCA recommends that if a kitten comes into contact with a rabid animal, the kitten should get a rabies booster shot and be watched for 45 days. The owner should wear protective gloves while handling the vaccinated kitten as a precaution from the disease. Call your local animal control department to have it capture the infected animal.