Content
- rabies in cats
- How anger evolves and what are the stages of anger
- rabies symptoms in cats
- Life Expectancy of an Angry Cat
Rabies is usually associated with dogs, however cats can also be affected and even transmit this disease to humans.
Although it is more uncommon in cats, rabies is equally worrying because, once contracted, this disease has no cure and the animal dies within a short period of time.
If you are interested in knowing more about this disease that affects mammals, including humans, what are the symptoms in cats and how long does an angry cat live, read this article by PeritoAnimal.
rabies in cats
Anger originates from Latin rabidus which means crazy, a designation due to the characteristic aspect of the rabid animal that is salivating and being aggressive.
It is an infectious and zoonotic disease (possible to be transmitted to humans) caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system and that spreads and accumulates in large amounts in the salivary glands causing the excessive production of infected saliva.
It is mainly transmitted through the bite of an infected animal during a fight and also, but not so common, through the scratching and licking of open wounds or mucous membranes such as those in the mouth and eyes.
Nowadays, it has been decreasing in dogs and cats and also in humans due to vaccination campaigns. However, the existing numbers are still worrying and have increased, mainly among wild animals, where the bats, in which the number of infected animals is increasing in Brazil, and, more recently, in badgers.
Rabies has no cure and, in most cases, leads to the death of the infected cat. Therefore, the best thing to do is prevention. For this, you must respect the vaccination protocol drawn up by your trusted veterinarian. Be careful when your cat goes outside and gets into fights (as this is the main source of infection) or when approaching wild animals such as bats.
But then how long does a cat live when it gets rabies? To answer this question, let's explain a little bit how the disease works and evolves.
How anger evolves and what are the stages of anger
During the bite, the virus present in the saliva penetrates and goes into the muscles and tissues and multiplies there. Then, the virus spreads through the surrounding structures and goes to the nearest nervous tissue, because it has an affinity for nerve fibers (it is neurotropic) and does not use the blood as a dissemination route.
THE disease has several stages:
- Incubation: it is the time from the bite to the onset of symptoms. Here the animal appears to be fine and does not show any symptoms (it is asymptomatic). It can take anywhere from a week to several months for the disease to manifest.
- Prodromic: there are already some sudden changes in behavior. The cat may be more nervous, scared, anxious, tired, withdrawn and even more docile if it is a normally aggressive cat. This phase can last from 2 to 10 days.
- furious and excited: this is the phase that characterizes the disease. The cat is more aggressive and irritable and can even bite and scratch, so be careful.
- paralytic: the final phase in which the animal is paralyzed and may present spasms and/or a state of coma, ending in death.
rabies symptoms in cats
You rabies symptoms in cats most common, but not always all manifest, include:
- Fever
- Behavioral changes such as aggressiveness or apathy
- Excessive salivation
- vomiting
- difficulty in swallowing
- Aversion to light (photophobia) and water (hydrophobia)
- Convulsions
- Paralysis
These signs can be confused with other neurological diseases and, therefore, it is always essential to consult a veterinarian if your pet has any of these symptoms or if you suspect that your cat had access to the street and was involved in fights.
Life Expectancy of an Angry Cat
This disease has no cure and euthanasia may be the only option, as, once contracted, it progresses very quickly, is irreversible and is lethal to cats.
The length of the incubation phase is variable as it depends on the location and severity of the bite, for example a deeper or localized one on the arm will be quicker to manifest symptoms than a shallower one or one on the leg. In cats this period varies between 14 to 60 days and in young ones it can be even shorter.
The life span of an angry cat is relatively short. The period of time between the phases described above can vary from cat to cat, but once it reaches the central nervous system and symptoms appear, the disease progresses quickly and the death occurs in 7 to 10 days.
Normally, an animal suspected of having rabies, that is, with signs suggestive of this disease, is quarantined for observation for 10 days, if at the end of these days the animal is well and without other symptoms, it is assumed that it does not have rabies.
If you suspect your cat has been infected, take him to your vet so he can isolate you in order to avoid contagion from other felines and to minimize his suffering.
It is important, if possible, to identify the aggressor so that he can be quarantined to be observed and not to infect other animals or human beings.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to How long does an angry cat live?, we recommend that you enter our Infectious Diseases section.