Cat Rabies Incubation Period: Symptoms and Duration

1. The Incubation Period

Only cats in the infectious stage can transmit rabies. For animals, the incubation period for rabies typically ranges from 10 days to 6 months. Animal experiments have shown that the incubation period for rabies does not exceed six months in any species. In humans, the incubation period usually spans from 1 to 3 months, with some cases as short as less than a week and others not exceeding a year.

2. Symptoms of Rabies in Cats

In the initial stages, cats may suddenly become overly vocal and exhibit unusual behavior, such as hiding more than usual.

As the disease progresses, cats may show signs of excitement, frothing at the mouth, and may become aggressive or even violent towards humans.

In the terminal phase, cats may exhibit hydrophobia, acoustophobia, photophobia, aversion to certain odors, and generalized muscle spasms. They may also drool excessively, become more aggressive, and experience other symptoms.

The final stages of the disease may include a state of depression, with most cats experiencing rigid limbs, difficulty breathing, frothing at the mouth, and multiple organ failure leading to death. There may also be cases of respiratory failure resulting in death.

After a cat bites a person (an incident of exposure), the wound should be immediately cleaned and disinfected, and the biting cat should be quarantined for observation. If the cat remains healthy throughout the 10day observation period following the exposure, it can be concluded that the cat is not infectious.

Tip:

Rabies is a particularly dangerous zoonotic disease, and while it can be prevented with a vaccine that offers 100% protection, it is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. It is recommended that kittens receive the rabies vaccine at the age of three months, followed by an annual booster shot to effectively prevent the virus. This proactive approach can greatly reduce the risk of rabies transmission.