WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) – Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District warns the public to stay vigilant after a kitten found at Sikes Senter Mall tests positive for rabies.
A resident found a Siamese kitten at Sikes Senter Mall and took it home. However, the cat got sick quickly and died shortly after being taken to the vet. Animal service officials sent the kitten to the Department of State Services, which informed local authorities Thursday that the cat had tested positive for rabies.
The authorities are asking anyone who may have come into contact with this kitten between October 12th and 18th to call the local rabies control agency immediately.
The Wichita Falls-Wichita Public Health District is actively trying to track down anyone who may have come into contact with a kitten that tested positive for rabies between October 12, 2021 and October 18, 2021. The kitten was found near the Sikes Center Mall. found [sic] on October 18, 2021. We are also trying to find the mother and any littermates.
If you think you have come into contact with this kitten please call Animal Control at 940-761-7824 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. After 5:00 p.m. please call 940-761-7800.
The positive exposure comes after a bat also tested positive for rabies on September 22nd.
Rabies is a deadly viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is often transmitted through infected animal bites and saliva. It is usually fatal to both humans and animals if not caught before clinical symptoms appear. In humans, these manifest as flu-like symptoms that develop into delirium, insomnia, and hallucinations.
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