ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – The Oakland County Health Division has confirmed a case of rabies found in a stray kitten.
The kitten was found in the area of Rochester Hills and Troy.
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Rabies is found in the saliva of infected animals and is spread through bites and scratches. The health department is urging people to stay away from wild animals, such as skunks, bats, raccoons, foxes and stray cats and dogs.
Read: Rabies: Signs, symptoms and how to protect pets
"Our natural instinct is to befriend an animal, pet one that seems friendly, or help an injured animal. But stray and wild animals should be avoided,” said Kathy Forzley, director of the Oakland County Department of Health and Human Services.
If you find a wild animal in your home or behaving strangely near your home, call the Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center at 248-391-4102.
If you are bitten by a wild animal or an animal unknown to you, call the Health Division at 248-858-1286.
“Rabies is most often found in bats. The last animals, other than a bat, to have a confirmed case of rabies in Oakland County were skunks in 2012,” said Forzley. “This case is a reminder that rabies is present in our communities. People and their pets should be careful to avoid encounters with animals that they do not know.”
Below are some tips to protect yourself and your pets from rabies:
- Have your pets vaccinated regularly. This will protect the pet if exposed to animals with rabies, and prevent them from becoming a carrier and infecting humans.
- Do not handle stray, wild, or dead animals. Animals most affected by rabies are raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes.
- Call local animal control experts for help if an animal is exhibiting behaviors such as:
- Having problems swallowing
- Lots of drool or saliva
- Appearing more tame than you would expect
- Biting at everything
- Having trouble moving, or paralyzed
- Keep pets indoors or supervised to limit their exposure to wild animals that might be rabid. Use a leash when walking dogs, or keep them in a fenced-in yard.
- Do not feed or put water for pets outside, and keep garbage securely covered, as these items may attract wild or stray animals
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