Anti-rabies vaccination and contact with a cat

Veterinary rabies vaccination reduces the chance that a cat will develop rabies, but its record does not by itself decide a person's care after contact. Clinicians consider how the contact happened, whether skin was broken, whether saliva reached the eyes, mouth or an open wound, the cat's health and availability for veterinary observation, and local public-health guidance.

Touching a cat or contact with intact skin is different from a bite, a scratch contaminated with saliva, or saliva on broken skin. A photo of the wound and the cat's vaccination document can help the assessment, but neither should delay wound cleaning or medical advice.

Wash a bite or scratch promptly and thoroughly with soap and running water. Apply an antiseptic if available, cover the area with a clean dressing, and arrange medical assessment as soon as possible. Tell the clinician where the event occurred, when it happened, whether the cat was owned or stray, and whether it can be safely located.

Do not try to capture an unfamiliar or unwell cat yourself. A clinician or public-health service can determine whether human rabies vaccination, rabies immunoglobulin, tetanus care or treatment for bacterial infection is appropriate. Complete any recommended course on the dates provided.

Seek prompt care for any bite that breaks the skin, saliva in the eyes or mouth, or saliva contacting an open wound. Urgency is greater when the cat is stray, behaving unusually, unavailable for assessment, or the contact occurred in an area where rabies circulates.

Get immediate help for uncontrolled bleeding, a deep wound, injury to the face or hand, loss of movement or feeling, or signs of a severe allergic reaction after a vaccine. Increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pus or fever after a cat injury also needs clinical review because cat wounds can become infected.

Ask whether the contact meets the definition of a rabies exposure, whether rabies immunoglobulin is needed as well as vaccine, and how a previous rabies vaccine changes the plan. Confirm the schedule, where follow-up doses will be given, and what to do if a dose is delayed.