Do Cats Get Rabies?
Cats can not only get rabies, they can transmit it to you if you are bitten or scratched!
As anti-vaccine influencers have gotten more and more folks to skip or delay vaccinating their pets, it seems that folks would want to know if their cat can get rabies…
After all, many have the attitude that there is no risk for rabies if their pets aren’t vaccinated.
Do Cats Get Rabies?
Unfortunately, some folks are finding out the hard way that cats can and still do get rabies.
“One person was hospitalized and later released after being bitten by a stray cat that tested positive for rabies Feb. 5 in Covington, according to the Hill County Sheriff's Office.”
Hill County officials confirm rabies case tied to stray cat bite
But what does stray animals having rabies have to do with getting your pets vaccinated and protected?
If you haven’t made the connection yet, it is mostly about being concerned that your own pets might come into contact with these stray, rabid animals!
Or that you might adopt a stray animal that might later develop rabies.
After all, rabies has a very long incubation period, so that stray cat you adopt, if you don’t get it caught up on its vaccinations, could develop rabies months or years later.
“On Feb. 11, 2026, San Marcos Animal Services received a report that a domestic cat, which had been taken to a veterinarian by its owner after exhibiting unusual behaviors and neurological symptoms, tested positive for the rabies virus. This is the first time a domestic pet has ever tested positive for rabies in San Marcos.”
Domestic Cat Tests Positive for Rabies, Community Encouraged to Vaccinate Pets
In Texas, a stray cat was taken in and developed symptoms of rabies about three months later, which is the average incubation period for rabies!
In Virginia, another stray cat tested positive for rabies this week.
“The Suffolk Health Department is alerting the public that a cat tested positive for rabies. The cat was taken from the 100 block of Robertson Street in the Whaleyville area of Suffolk to a veterinary clinic for evaluation. Due to the extent of its symptoms and health condition, the cat was humanely euthanized and tested for rabies.”
Cat Tests Positive for Rabies in Suffolk
And last month, in South Carolina, two people were exposed to a rabid cat.
“Cats are the most frequently reported rabid domestic animal in the United States, with approximately 200–300 reports each year.”
Rabies Outbreak in an Urban, Unmanaged Cat Colony — Maryland, August 2024
There have also recently been reports of rabid cats in Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, and Houston.
So yes, cats can and do get rabies!
And yes, you should vaccinate your pets!!!
N.B. - Don’t forget that you are more likely to get rabies from bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes. And dogs (less common in the developed countries).
More on Rabies in Cats
When Was the Last Time Someone Died from Being Bitten by a Rabid Dog in the United States?
Hill County officials confirm rabies case tied to stray cat bite https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/hill-county-rabies-case-stray-cat-bite/500-fd931a58-74f6-4432-8cb0-4c795fb5dcde
Domestic Cat Tests Positive for Rabies, Community Encouraged to Vaccinate Pets https://sanmarcostx.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/2565
Cat Tests Positive for Rabies in Suffolk https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/public-relations-contacts/2026-regional-news-releases/cat-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-suffolk/
Rabies Outbreak in an Urban, Unmanaged Cat Colony — Maryland, August 2024 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7431a2.htm
Signs of Rabies in Cats: Is It an Emergency? https://gsvs.org/blog/signs-rabies-cats-emergency/