Cats and Bats

[baileydog]

Ive looked for the answers but cant find any and we all know how smart everyone in here is, so Ill ask you all. I have two new kittys about 7 months old, Im sure its one of them because of all the cats Ive ever had, Ive never had this problem. What problem?, you ask. one of the two keeps catching and killing bats. Ive found 3 in the last 3 weeks. One was tucked away neatly in my shoe on Sat. morning. What a Joy! Ive lived in my house for 14 years and we have always had some bats around but in all the years, I dont think my cats have ever caught a bat. Everyone has a rabies shot except me. My question is, if a cat who is vaccinized kills a bat with rabies then bites me (however loving), can I then get rabies. And I do not know for sure bat has rabies, just assuming. I just cant believe they are catching all these bats. I kept the first one they caught and put it on ice. They arent eating them or even really chewing on them, it looks more like they play with them till theyre bored then leave them for mommy. I did find a story about a guy who woke up in the middle of the night to find his cat at the foot of the bed all proud while a bat crawled up the mans chest. That was enough to give me the hebby jeebys, And no, I WILL NOT lock them inside. They have a doggie door and they love playing in the yard.

 

[desertrat]

Ive looked for the answers but cant find any and we all know how smart everyone in here is, so Ill ask you all. I have two new kittys about 7 months old, Im sure its one of them because of all the cats Ive ever had, Ive never had this problem. What problem?, you ask. one of the two keeps catching and killing bats. Ive found 3 in the last 3 weeks. One was tucked away neatly in my shoe on Sat. morning. What a Joy! Ive lived in my house for 14 years and we have always had some bats around but in all the years, I dont think my cats have ever caught a bat. Everyone has a rabies shot except me. My question is, if a cat who is vaccinized kills a bat with rabies then bites me (however loving), can I then get rabies. And I do not know for sure bat has rabies, just assuming. I just cant believe they are catching all these bats. I kept the first one they caught and put it on ice. They arent eating them or even really chewing on them, it looks more like they play with them till theyre bored then leave them for mommy. I did find a story about a guy who woke up in the middle of the night to find his cat at the foot of the bed all proud while a bat crawled up the mans chest. That was enough to give me the hebby jeebys, And no, I WILL NOT lock them inside. They have a doggie door and they love playing in the yard.

If you get bitten by a dog that has been vaccinated you aren't considered in danger, so I'd say no. They will still place the pet in quarantine, but if it doesn't die you're cool. Are you sure they are catching them? A shoe sounds like a place a bat might hide if they get caught out and it gets light. Maybe your bats are sick and dying of something and your cats are just finding them.

 

[poster]

If you get bitten by a dog that has been vaccinated you aren't considered in danger, so I'd say no. They will still place the pet in quarantine, but if it doesn't die you're cool. Are you sure they are catching them? A shoe sounds like a place a bat might hide if they get caught out and it gets light. Maybe your bats are sick and dying of something and your cats are just finding them.

If a vaccinated animal comes into contact with possible rabies don't they have to get a booster (along with quarantine) right away? I'm just wondering? I think this is worth a call to your vet.

By the way do you have bat houses? If so perhaps if you remove them or move/put up some in another area that would help?

 

[desertrat]

If a vaccinated animal comes into contact with possible rabies don't they have to get a booster (along with quarantine) right away? I'm just wondering?

Sounds familiar.

 

[baileydog]

Icky, they arent MY bats. What would make bats sick. And why are they dying at my house. If my cats are vaccinated, can they still get sick. So many questions, no answers.

 

[baileydog]

I do have a bat house but nobody lives there. we put it up a few years back in hopes but none.

 

[poster]

Sounds familiar.

No- you didn't mention a booster shot. Will that mean the cats have to get a shot every time she finds a bat?

 

[belvak]

Icky, they arent MY bats. What would make bats sick. And why are they dying at my house. If my cats are vaccinated, can they still get sick. So many questions, no answers.

Not to sound like a smart aleck, but have you tried calling your Vet's office and asking their advice?

 

[desertrat]

No- you didn't mention a booster shot. Will that mean the cats have to get a shot every time she finds a bat?

No- I mean I think I have heard that somewhere.

 

[baileydog]

Not to sound like a smart aleck, but have you tried calling your Vet's office and asking their advice?

Not yet, Im almost afraid of what they will say or do. They have a way of taking control and you have no say so. I had a cat that got paralized at his butt and tail but no whare eles and we had to put him down but he had nipped me and the doc had him sent away for rabies testing.

 

[mAlice]

What would make bats sick.

Rabies.

 

[baileydog]

I called the vet and they said the cats and me are not safe. Keep them inside and see if any of us starts acting crazy or foaming at the mouth in 3-5 days. Crazy and foaming at the mouth is my mood on any given day, how will I know the difference.

 

[belvak]

I called the vet and they said the cats and me are not safe. Keep them inside and see if any of us starts acting crazy or foaming at the mouth in 3-5 days. Crazy and foaming at the mouth is my mood on any given day, how will I know the difference.

Maybe you should watch out for a state of calm with no drooling!

 

[desertrat]

I called the vet and they said the cats and me are not safe. Keep them inside and see if any of us starts acting crazy or foaming at the mouth in 3-5 days. Crazy and foaming at the mouth is my mood on any given day, how will I know the difference.

This should help.

How can I tell if a bat has rabies?
Rabies can be confirmed only in a laboratory. However, any bat that is active by day, is found in a place where bats are not usually seen (for example, in a room in your home or on the lawn), or is unable to fly, is far more likely than others to be rabid. Such bats are often the most easily approached. Therefore, it is best never to handle any bat.

What should I do if I come in contact with a bat?
If you are bitten by a bat -- or if infectious material (such as saliva) from a bat gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound -- wash the affected area thoroughly and get medical advice immediately. Whenever possible, the bat should be captured and sent to a laboratory for rabies testing (see: How can I safely capture a bat in my home?).

People usually know when they have been bitten by a bat. However, because bats have small teeth which may leave marks that are not easily seen, there are situations in which you should seek medical advice even in the absence of an obvious bite wound. For example, if you awaken and find a bat in your room, see a bat in the room of an unattended child, or see a bat near a mentally impaired or intoxicated person, seek medical advice and have the bat tested.

People cannot get rabies just from seeing a bat in an attic, in a cave, or at a distance. In addition, people cannot get rabies from having contact with bat guano (feces), blood, or urine, or from touching a bat on its fur (even though bats should never be handled!).

Unless the cats have been bitten they should be ok. They should also be protected by the shots. They can't pass on rabies unless they contract it.
I hope you don't get it, but if you do, will you bite a couple people for me?

 

[baileydog]

Maybe you should watch out for a state of calm with no drooling!

You guys are a hoot.

 

[baileydog]

This should help.

Unless the cats have been bitten they should be ok. They should also be protected by the shots. They can't pass on rabies unless they contract it.
I hope you don't get it, but if you do, will you bite a couple people for me?

Yes , I will play dracula, got a couple I need to go for myself.

 

[beerlover]

That seems odd that the vet said your cats weren't protected even though they had the shots. Why bother getting the shots, then?

I would think that if the cats were vaccinated, they would be safe from getting rabies, but if they bit into the bat or clawed it and got blood or saliva on them and then bit or scratched you, you would be at risk.

 

[Christy]

Everyone has a rabies shot except me. My question is, if a cat who is vaccinized kills a bat with rabies then bites me (however loving), can I then get rabies.

Yes you can get rabies. Friend of mine and her daughters just had to go through a series of rabies shots due to her dog killing a raccoon, which tested positive for rabies. The dog was vaccinated, but rabies can live in the dogs saliva for several hours. Since they all had handled the dog, and they could not determine a timeframe for when the dog actually had killed the raccoon, they were strongly advised to get the series of rabies shots.

Bats are HUGE rabies carriers, I believe most cases of rabies in humans (last I checked a couple years ago) is transmitted from bats.

 

[baileydog]

That seems odd that the vet said your cats weren't protected even though they had the shots. Why bother getting the shots, then?

I would think that if the cats were vaccinated, they would be safe from getting rabies, but if they bit into the bat or clawed it and got blood or saliva on them and then bit or scratched you, you would be at risk.

The girl went and talked to the vet and came back and told me that just because they got rabies shots, if they got bit by the bat, they can still get rabies. sounded kind of weird to me too. My thought was just as yours, why bother then? Then she said to keep them inside. Crap, I think Id rather poke needles in my eyes, it would be easier. I have never been able to keep a cat an inside cat. Ive seen it done but I dont know how. I keep getting the kittens that have the roaming gene in them.

 

[Sweet 16]

if they bit into the bat or clawed it and got blood or saliva on them and then bit or scratched you, you would be at risk.

Since they say you can still catch rabies by touching a dead, rabid animal, it stands to reason that if your dog or cat comes in contact with the saliva of a rabid animal, it can rub off on you and even if your pet doesn't bite you, if you aren't vaccinated then you're at risk. Make sense? I'm surprised yours is able to catch multiple bats though. You either have a very talented cat or sickly bats.