Can a kitten transmit rabies from a scratch if it's healthy now?

Question

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 still lives normally, months after its ten-day quarantine (and sometime after that, we got it its rabies shot), it wouldn't have transmitted the virus at the time it scratched me?

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

There's never anything wrong for seeking reassurance, particularly with something as serious as rabies. Rabies is transmitted through saliva, so scratches are not a major concern with respect to rabies transmission. That said, it's never wrong to take extra precautions to quarantine for 10 days. The reason the quarantine is 10 days long is that if an animal is infected with rabies and is actively secreting the virus through its saliva, it would be severely neurologically impaired or dead by the end of the 10 day period. At this point, both you and the kitten are in the clear!

Can a kitten transmit rabies from a scratch if it's healthy now?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

My pet is breathing hard, not eating, and lethargic. What's wrong?

My pet has red spots all over. What's causing them and what to do?

My pet keeps scratching its ear. What's causing this problem?

My small pet is limping and can't bear weight. Should I see a vet?

My dwarf hamster has a shut eye and is limping. What should I do?

Share