Can I get rabies from an unvaccinated cat scratch if my cat's alive?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | unneutered | 2 years and 1 month old | 3 lbs
My cat scratch me accidentally 1 month ago but the cat is still alive right now does it mean that hes not carriying rabies the time that he scratches me ? He is not afraid of water and always eating and drinking. (He is not vaccinated)
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 2nd, 2018
The good news is that rabies is transmitted through bites/saliva and not scratches. If Ming was infected and shedding the rabies virus a month ago, then he would have died from the disease by now. Considering all of this, I think you should be safe, but it's best to consult with your physician if you have any further concerns. Below is a link to more information about rabies. https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html I hope that helps and all is well.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on
No, you cannot get rabies from a cat scratch. It doesn't matter if he has been vaccinated or not. He would need to bite you. If he did not bite you then there is no way you can contract rabies. If he did have rabies you both would be dead by now. There is no way he is a "carrier" of rabies. There is no carrier state - they either have rabies or not.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on July 10th, 2017
You will not be able to acquire the rabies virus after being bitten by your cat that has been given the vaccine. The rabies vaccine is usually made from what is called a "killed vaccine" meaning that there are no live virus particles in the vaccine.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on August 3rd, 2017
I'm sorry to hear of your issues with your cat. I would recommend that you have your cat seen by a veterinarian and have him vaccinated. If he is hunting and has free rein outside, he is at risk for contracting rabies and other diseases. I would also recommend contacting your doctor as rabies vaccinations may need to be boosted in this situation and cat bites often require antibiotics. I would also discuss with your veterinarian ways to improve your cat's behavior. While it is not unusual for a cat to bite and scratch in the course of play, it is not acceptable for them to cause wounds.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Hello so my friend gave me a cat and I had it for about a day little did I know the cat did not have any of its shots! It’s about a year old very friendly and cute not at all aggressive toward anyone just very friendly and likes rubbing itself on peo
Hello. Both my male cats are agressive, they are not yet neutered. However when I intervened with the fight I got scratched and bitten. They both had the annual rabies vaccine, but I have not. Also, I have adopted a new stray cat that doesn't have va
Perhaps I'm only looking for assurance here, but I'll ask anyway. I was scratched by my kitten four months ago. The kitten was around four months old at the time, and had not been vaccinated for rabies. Is it reasonable to think that since my kitten
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
I have a found a stray kitten and it is about one month old I think, it is very friendly and carried it home on my shoulder like a baby and its claws keeps on poking my neck, I was wondering if I could get rabies from cat scratches.
A cat bit me 1 month a go and she is still alive on 30 day can you say the cat was able to infect me during that time cat is healthy on 30th day after that eating food..is it true that if the cat has rabies in her saliva cat will die within 10 days ?
Hello. I want to ask, my kitten Scruff, a 3 month old kitten, was vaccinated for Rabies on 12-12-2017. 2-26-2018, She got progressively worse throughout the day. She was weak,breathing shallow,uncoordinated. She did drink,but did not eat. We took he
I live in a apartment and there's so many stray cats living in the complex. The neighbors and I feed them. And one of them scratched me. Can I get tabbies from a scratch ?
Hi, I was bitten by my cat which has not received any vaccines yet. Also, he likes to play or kill mice. The bite cut my skin and bleed a little. But I already had my anti-rabies shots 3 months ago after a bit and scratches from him. Is there anythin
Hi, I just adopted a feral Siamese kitten (5 months old) from a shelter. She had all her shots administered 2 days ago. She is very afraid right now and she happened to scratch me. The scratch is mostly superficial but there is a tiny bit of blood.
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
