NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - The City of Northampton confirmed a feral cat found in the Florence area tested positive for rabies. According to the city's health department, the feral cat was described as large, black, and long-haired, and was found in the area around Clement Street in Florence on Saturday. The positive rabies test results were released on Wednesday at the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory. South Hadley Council on Aging host Winter Preparedness Mini Fair Signs of rabies in animals include fearfulness, aggression, seizures, and excessive drooling. Rabies can spread through the saliva through a bite, scratch, fresh wound, feeding, or through cat saliva to the eyes or mouth of infected animals. The best way to protect yourself from rabies is to not approach or touch wild animals, vaccinate your pets, and get immediate treatment if you are exposed. You are not at risk of rabies if you did not have contact with the fox’s saliva. If you were in contact with the cat between Wednesday, October 16th and Saturday, October 26th you are asked to contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at 617-983-6800 or your local healthcare provider for a risk assessment. If your pet was in contact with the cat, you are asked to contact the Northampton Animal Control Officer at 413-587-1100 or email [email protected]. What is rabies? Rabies is a very serious disease that affects the brain and spinal cord of mammals (if an animal has hair or fur, it is a mammal). Cats, dogs, raccoons, coyotes and foxes are mammals, as are people. Rabies is caused by a virus and almost always causes death. Rabies is usually a disease of animals, but it can spread from an infected animal to a person. How is rabies spread? Rabies spreads when an animal with rabies bites another animal or person. The rabies virus is in the saliva (spit) of infected animals. Infected animals can also spread rabies if their saliva gets into a scratch or other wound, or the eyes, nose or mouth of another person or animal. Does rabies cause death in people in the U.S.? Yes, but it is very rare for people to get rabies in the United States. Of the 55,000 people who die of rabies every year around the world, only one or two of those deaths occur in the United States. How common is rabies in animals in Massachusetts? Fairly common. Since 1992, more than 5,000 animals have tested positive for rabies in Massachusetts. Most of these cases occurred in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, woodchucks and foxes, but every year some pets (especially cats) and farm animals also get rabies. Fortunately, there is a vaccine to protect dogs and cats from rabies. Can you tell if an animal is rabid? You cannot tell if an animal has rabies just by looking at it. Rabid animals may act strangely after the virus affects their brains, or they may seem just fine. Sometimes, rabid animals may aggressively attack people or other animals. Sometimes, a test is done on an animal’s brain to find out if it had rabies. How is rabies prevented in people? After a person is exposed to rabies, they can be given shots (called “immune globulin”) around the bite or scratch to help fight the virus where it entered the body. They will also get 4 or 5 vaccinations (shots) in their arm over several weeks. These shots will also help the person fight the virus. As long as the shots are given before the person starts to get sick, this will prevent them from getting rabies. If a person does not get the shots and then gets sick with rabies, there is no effective treatment. Rabies is almost always fatal at that point. What should you do if you think you’ve been exposed to rabies? If you are bitten or scratched by an animal: Wash the wound with soap and water right away for ten minutes Call your health care provider or local board of health. They can help you determine if you need to be treated for a rabies exposure Your local animal control officer may be able to catch the animal that scratched or bit you. Wild animals should be tested immediately for rabies. Cats, dogs, ferrets and cows can be watched for 10 days. If they stay healthy, they did not expose you to rabies What should you do if you think your pet has been exposed to rabies? If your pet is bitten or scratched by another animal: Call your veterinarian to help you determine if the animal needs medical attention. Your local animal control officer may be able to catch the animal that scratched or bit your pet. Wild animals should be tested immediately for rabies. In some cases, it may be necessary to confine your animal and watch it to see if it develops signs of rabies. Your local animal inspector can help you determine if this is necessary. How can you help prevent rabies in Massachusetts? Teach children to never approach animals they don’t know – even if they appear friendly. Report any animal that behaves oddly to your local animal control official. Enjoy wild animals from a distance. Do not keep wild animals as pets. This is against the law in Massachusetts. Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies. By law, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be regularly vaccinated against rabies. Don’t feed or water your pets outside. Even empty bowls will attract wild and stray animals. Keep your pets in a fenced yard or on a leash and do not let them roam freely. Keep your garbage securely covered. Open garbage will attract wild or stray animals. Keep your chimney capped and repair holes in attics, cellars, and porches to help keep wild animals like bats and raccoons out of your home. 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