Pennsylvania Kitten Tests Positive for Rabies

The Pennsylvania Department of Health said Tuesday that a kitten dropped off in June at a farm in York County tested positive for rabies, and anyone who may have come into contact with the feline should call the local state health center.

The kitten, a black, short-haired female about 8- to 10-weeks old, was abandoned on or around June 16 at the Fisher farm on Valley Road in Etters and tested positive for rabies on June 27. Another kitten, a black and gray tabby female, also was dropped off at the same time and was examined for rabies.

The exam results showed that the second kitten did not have rabies, said Stacy Kriedeman of the health department. She said it is unknown who had access to these kittens — who were both euthanized in order to check for rabies — or what happened to the mother cat.

“Rabies is very serious,” she said. “Any sort of exposure requires quick treatment and medical care if scratched or bitten.”

It’s important for cat owners to make sure that their pets are caught up with their vaccinations, she said, and to also be careful when dealing with stray cats or kittens. Signs that an animal might be infected include unusual behaviors, such as a cat that is walking in circles, she said.

Kriedeman advises anyone who may have come in contact with these kittens, their littermates or the mother cat, to call the York County State Health Center at 717-771-4505 or the Department of Health at 877-724-3258.

Touching or handling a potentially rabid animal does not constitute exposure unless a person has been bitten or scratched. Under these circumstances, medical attention should be sought immediately, Health Department officials said.