Can a cat scratch cause rabies? What human foods are safe for cats?

Question

Hi..I got a scratch from a stray cat which recently recovered from mange..I took tetanus after 23 hours but within 24 hours and a rabies vaccine after a day...should I be worried about the timings.? Can a cat scratch actually cause rabies..? One pic is the picture taken after a day..I had washed the affected area with salt and turmeric and put a bandaid on it...also please name some human foods that we can give to a cat..thank you.. Pet's info: Cat | Asian | Male | unneutered

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, this is a question best asked of a physician, not a veterinarian. In general, rabies is not transmitted by scratches as the virus is contained within the saliva. There is always a very small chance that some of the cats saliva was on your skin & the scratch drove it into the tissues, but this is very unlikely. Was the cat acting in a wild & unexplained way? There is a difference in a cat that may scratch out of fear or being defensive vs. being in the furious stage of rabies infection. I assume that the rabies vaccine that you speak of was for you, correct? If so, follow your physicians recommendations, but again, a scratch is very unlikely to infect you with the virus. Cats can be fed minimum amounts of human food, & this includes just about any meat, fish or vegetable we eat. Cats require specific amino acids in their diet which they get from fortified pet ( cat ) foods & hunting, so receiving only human food may not provide everything a cat needs. Make sure your cat eats some regular dry or wet cat food daily. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Can a cat scratch cause rabies? What human foods are safe for cats?

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