A cat that previously lived in Jefferson County recently tested positive for rabies, the Jefferson County Health Department reported.
Brianne Zwiener, public information officer for the Health Department, said she did not know what Jefferson County town the cat was living in before it was moved to a different county in Missouri. She also said she did not know which county the cat was living in when it tested positive for rabies.
She said the cat's owners said it was showing signs of rabies so it was euthanized and tested. The cat tested positive for a rabies variant associated with skunks.
Zwiener said the rabies variant associated with skunks is rare, and the most commonly reported variant is associated with bats. Last year two bats tested positive for rabies in Jefferson County, one in Festus and another in Hillsboro, the Health Department reported.
Rabies also is commonly found in racoons and foxes, according to the Health Department.
Zwiener said the Health Department is sharing information about the case of rabies in the cat to educate people about the disease.
Rabies is spread to people or pets if they are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal.
There is no cure for rabies once it’s established in a person or animal, and it often is fatal. However, if someone believes they have been exposed to rabies, early treatment is available.