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Can a cat scratch cause rabies? What human foods are safe for cats?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Asian | Male | unneutered

Hi..I got a scratch from a stray cat which recently recovered from mange..I took tetanus after 23 hours but within 24 hours and a rabies vaccine after a day...should I be worried about the timings.? Can a cat scratch actually cause rabies..? One pic is the picture taken after a day..I had washed the affected area with salt and turmeric and put a bandaid on it...also please name some human foods that we can give to a cat..thank you..

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Linda G, MS, DVM

Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on May 1st, 2019

Hello, this is a question best asked of a physician, not a veterinarian. In general, rabies is not transmitted by scratches as the virus is contained within the saliva. There is always a very small chance that some of the cats saliva was on your skin & the scratch drove it into the tissues, but this is very unlikely. Was the cat acting in a wild & unexplained way? There is a difference in a cat that may scratch out of fear or being defensive vs. being in the furious stage of rabies infection. I assume that the rabies vaccine that you speak of was for you, correct? If so, follow your physicians recommendations, but again, a scratch is very unlikely to infect you with the virus. Cats can be fed minimum amounts of human food, & this includes just about any meat, fish or vegetable we eat. Cats require specific amino acids in their diet which they get from fortified pet ( cat ) foods & hunting, so receiving only human food may not provide everything a cat needs. Make sure your cat eats some regular dry or wet cat food daily. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 22nd, 2019

    Hello. While we generally do not worry about rabies in very young animals, it can happen. Most times this is from mishandling wild or feral animals, so a kitten raised in a household is generally very safe. You should also know that we do not even vaccinate kittens & puppies until they are 12-16 weeks of age. You do not need to do anything at this point except to make sure your scratches do not get infected. Take Luna to a vet or groomer on a regular basis to have her nails trimmed as there will be other times that she will probably scratch you. She is old enough to begin receiving her other regular vaccinations & she should be checked & treated for any potential intestinal parasites. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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    2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 14th, 2018

    Congrats on your new cat, but I'm sorry you got scratched! Rabies is primarily transmitted though bites and saliva, so you wouldn't get it from Molly via a scratch. Cat scratches can get infected, but this scratch is mostly superficial. I would just wash it with warm water and antiseptic soap, put an antibiotic ointment on your scratch, and cover it with a bandage. You should be fine. Give her some time to get used to your new home, it's a hard adjustment for a kitten. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 12th, 2018

    No you cannot get rabies from a scratch unless 1) the cat had rabies and 2) the cat's saliva entered the scratch wound.
    However potentially you could get infected with a disease called cat scratch fever or just get a general wound infection. I would have the scratch examined by your health provider, especially if it looks infected or red. Should you develop a fever or get ill, you need to see your doctor as well.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Health & Wellness
Can I get rabies from an unvaccinated cat scratch if my cat's alive?
The good news is that rabies is transmitted through bites/saliva and not scratches. If Ming was infected and shedding the rabies virus a month ago, then he would have died from the disease by now. Considering all of this, I think you should be safe, but it's best to consult with your physician if you have any further concerns. Below is a link to more information about rabies. https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html I hope that helps and all is well.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
Can a kitten transmit rabies from a scratch if it's healthy now?
There's never anything wrong for seeking reassurance, particularly with something as serious as rabies. Rabies is transmitted through saliva, so scratches are not a major concern with respect to rabies transmission. That said, it's never wrong to take extra precautions to quarantine for 10 days. The reason the quarantine is 10 days long is that if an animal is infected with rabies and is actively secreting the virus through its saliva, it would be severely neurologically impaired or dead by the end of the 10 day period. At this point, both you and the kitten are in the clear!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
Is it rabies or cat scratch disease if a stray cat scratches me?
No - cat scratch disease is a bacterial infection and rabies is a viral infection spread primarily from by bites from an infected animal and is quite rare from cats. You must contact your human doctor/physician for your own healthcare advice - your local doctor should be aware of the potential risks in your area and what, if any treatment is recommended.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
New Pet
Can I get rabies from my vaccinated cat after a stray scratched it?
You should contact the health department or animal control in your area regarding your bite - they might recommend a quarantine for your cat to be sure there is no concern for rabies. No vaccine is 100% effective so while it is unlikely that the unvaccinated cat could transmit rabies to your cat it is possible. You should also probably contact your physician - cat bites often get infected!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
What's the rabies risk from a cat bite versus a cat scratch?
The rabies virus is transmitted through bodily fluids such as saliva, so there would be a higher chance of contracting it from a bite. But any wound which comes into contact with saliva would be a risk.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My kitten died after rabies shot. Could I get rabies from her scratch?
I am so sorry for the loss of your poor kitty. Her symptoms don't suggest she got infected with Rabies, but instead I suspect she was having a severe anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine, especially since her symptoms started within 24 hrs of her immunizations. The Rabies vaccine is NOT a live virus, so pets can't get rabies from the vaccine. Also even if a pet has a particular vaccine in the past, this does not mean they can't have a reaction in the future unfortunately. Also since the Rabies vaccine has clinically been shown to last a bit longer than the 1 year mark, your pet was likely still protected. Again I am sorry your pet was not able to recover from this sudden turn of events. I send my condolences to you and your family through this difficult time. And unless Scruff was exposed to a rabid animal within 10 days of being symptomatic, then rabies transmission is very unlikely, unless there is more to the story than what you have mentioned here. Feel free to request a private consultation if you need to discuss things further. Best wishes and take care.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
Can I get rabies if my vaccinated cat scratched me after bat exposure?
Unfortunately, that would be a question for your physician since we are unqualified to comment on problems with people. It sounds like you went to the ER and they determined that there was no need for post-exposure prophylaxis. You could double check with the public health department in your area to make sure. I would think that it would be very unlikely that your cat would have clawed the bat in the mouth and then immediately clawed you to transmit rabies. In the future, keep in mind that a bat can be tested for rabies if there is concern about exposure to people.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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