Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that is nearly always fatal in affected animals, including cats. The good news is that you can prevent rabies in your cat with a simple vaccine. It’s always a good idea to ensure your cats are currently on their vaccinations.

Rabies acts by attacking the central nervous system (CNS), spreading through the nervous system until it reaches the brain. Infected animals experience paralysis that inevitably involves the respiratory system and leads to death.

Rabies can affect any mammal, including humans. Animals that host and spread viruses like rabies are known as reservoirs for the disease. Host reservoirs for rabies include skunks, weasels, and bats. Cats are relatively resistant to the dog rabies variant, but are not considered a reservoir species for the virus.