Cat who scratched several residents in Sutherland last weekend had rabies, officials say

Bill Atkinson, Petersburg Progress-Index
·1 min read
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Calico cats, such as the one seen in this file photo, are multi-colored and can have white spots. This photo is not the cat caught last week in Dinwiddie County's Sutherland area and later determined to have rabies.
Calico cats, such as the one seen in this file photo, are multi-colored and can have white spots. This photo is not the cat caught last week in Dinwiddie County's Sutherland area and later determined to have rabies.

DINWIDDIE − Crater Health District officials said Friday that a stray cat who scratched several residents in Sutherland has tested positive for rabies.

All of the incidents happened on June 15 along Carolyn Drive, according to Tara Rose, a population health education specialist for CHD. The feline, a calico with brown, orange and black fur dotted with white spots, reportedly scratched several residents who were apparently trying to tend to it.

The cat was picked up by Dinwiddie Animal Control and determined to be rabid.

Rose said when authorities went to pick up the cat, they discovered a litter of kittens. The kittens ran into the woods when animal-control officers approached them and were unable to be vaccinated.

CHD used the incident as a reminder to vaccinate family pets against rabies.

“Please notify public health officials or animal control immediately if you live near Carolyn Drive and think that you or your pet(s) had contact with the infected cat," CHD director Dr. Alton Hart Jr. said in a statement. "The community’s safety is our priority."

In addition to vaccination, CHD also recommends the following:

  • avoid contact with or feeding wild animals or stray cats and dogs;

  • report stray animals to your local animal control agency;

  • eliminate outdoor food sources around the the residence; and

  • keep pets confined to your property or walk them on a leash.

If you have seen a stray or suspicious animal around your property, call Dinwiddie Animal Control at (804) 469-4547. If you are concerned that you might have been exposed to rabies, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

For more information on rabies protection, call CHD at (804) 863-1652 or click here.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Cat who scratched Sutherland residents was rabid