NEW OXFORD, Pa. — A cat suffering from rabies was discovered this week in Adams County, the Adams County SPCA announced Friday on Facebook.
The cat, a stray, was discovered on Tuesday by a woman outside an auto garage at the intersection of Hanover Street and Route 94 in Oxford Township, the SPCA said. When the woman attempted to pick up the animal, it attacked her, scratching her left hand and arm.
The cat was trapped on Wednesday and brought to the Adams County SPCA, where it was euthanized and taken to the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg for rabies testing.
On Thursday, PALDS confirmed that the cat had rabies, the SPCA said.
"Rabies is an infectious disease affecting the nervous systems of humans and mammals," the SPCA said in a press release. "Infection can occur through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, or if saliva from such an animal gets into the eyes, nose, mouth, or other opening in the skin.
"It is imperative to report animal bites and scratches immediately to your family doctor so that preventative treatment can be initiated. Anyone who has been bitten, scratched by, or come in close contact with a stray, wild, or unfamiliar animal should immediately contact their healthcare provider or call the Rabies Hotline at (877) PA-HEALTH."
Go here to find the Pennsylvania Department of Health's Rabies Fact Sheet.
