Domestic Cat On Knollwood Street Tests Positive For Rabies

WESTCHASE, FL -- A rabies alert has been issued by the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County after a cat testing positive for rabies.

The cat was found near the 4500 block of West Knollwood Street in Tampa (33614).

Following an investigation, DOH-Hillsborough confirmed that three people were exposed on Tuesday, Aug. 21. They are all receiving treatment.

The attack was unprovoked and the three victims are related. It is not known if others had contact with the brown tabby, domestic shorthair cat. No photo of the cat is available.

The rabies alert is for 60 days. The boundaries are:

North - Waters Avenue

South - Hillsborough Avenue

East - Dale Mabry Highway

West - Veterans Expressway

If someone was in the boundary and was bitten, scratched or exposed to the saliva of a cat fitting the description or any wild animal, the DOH-Hillsborough should be contacted at (813) 307-8059 and the person should visit his or her preferred health care provider.

Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm blooded animals and humans.

Last year, three animals exposed 10 people. In 2018, Hillsborough County has identified seven rabid animals (five cats, two bats and one raccoon) that exposed 18 people and four domestic dogs to the disease.

Image via Patch.com

A brown tabby, domestic shorthair cat similar to the one pictures tested positive for rabies.

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