What should you know about indoor cat rabies?

Rabies spreads through infected saliva, usually through a bite. Indoor living reduces contact with wildlife and unfamiliar animals, yet it does not by itself prove that exposure is impossible. A cat may have escaped, encountered a bat, or have an uncertain vaccination history. A scratch that breaks skin can also matter if saliva contaminated the claws. Touching fur, feeding a healthy-appearing cat, or being near it without a bite or saliva contact is not the same as an exposure.

Wash a bite or scratch immediately with plenty of soap and running water, then use an antiseptic if available. Do not seal a puncture with glue or apply irritants. Record when the contact happened, where it occurred, whether skin broke, and the cat's vaccination and health details. Contact a medical service promptly for an exposure assessment; post-exposure treatment is time-sensitive and is chosen according to the animal, wound, and local rabies risk. See Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis and Rabies Vaccination for related guidance.

Seek urgent medical advice after any bite or scratch that breaks skin, saliva on an open wound or the eyes or mouth, or contact with a cat that becomes unwell, dies, or cannot be observed safely. Do not wait for symptoms: once rabies symptoms appear, the illness is extremely serious. Emergency care is appropriate for deep wounds, uncontrolled bleeding, facial or hand injuries, or signs of infection such as spreading redness, swelling, pus, or fever.

Ask whether the contact meets the definition of a rabies exposure, whether the wound needs antibiotics or tetanus protection, and what information about the cat should be obtained. Clarify whether observation of the animal is appropriate and when follow-up is needed.