Cat Found In Frederick This Week Tests Positive For Rabies

Residents who have contact with this  animal should consult with their health care provider.Photo from Frederick County Health DepartmentFrederick, Md (KM) A cat which was found recently in Frederick has tested positive for rabies. The County Health Department says Animal Control officers picked up the cat on Monday, February 19th in area between Monarch Ridge Park and Emerald Farm Park near Butterfly Ridge Elementary School. This followed reports of a cat with unusual and aggressive behavior in 1400 block of Angelwing Court. ..It’s an adult female with a distinctive silvery and cream coloring.The Health Department says anyone who has had contact with this cat between February 5th and 19th should consult with their health care provider, and call the Community Health Services Office at 301-600-3342. . If any of your pets have had contact with this cat, get a hold of your veterinarian and call the Environmental Health Office at 301-600-1717.This is the second cat found this year that tested positive for rabies. That cat was collected earlier this month along Talbot Run Road in Mount Airy.  It’s not related to this most recent incident, the Health Department says.Rabies is viral disease that affects mostly mammals and is spread through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite. The symptoms include fear of water, excessive salivation, failing to eat or drink, and being excessively friendly or aggressive, or limping. The disease is always fatal in humans if they fail to get treatment as soon as possible following an infection.By Kevin McManus