A recent article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association described rabies surveillance carried out in 2023. Sadly, cats led the list of rabid domestic animals, with 222 of the cats tested positive for rabies. (Cattle were second, and dogs were third.)
The most common rabies variants picked up in cats were those from raccoons and skunks. Cats in this survey were not identified as to whether they were pets, barn cats, or feral cats, and the study differentiated “terrestrial” rabies (found in skunks, raccoons, and foxes) from bat rabies, which is considered endemic in North America.
Indoor-only cats have a minimal risk of rabies, but many states now require rabies vaccination for all cats because if, for example, a bat gets into your house, odds are good that your cat will catch it. Rabies is considered a core vaccine for all cats.
Cats who are out at night have a greater chance of running into a rabid skunk or raccoon (though rabid animals will often be out during the day). The biggest risk is most likely associated with outdoor feeding stations, including barns and feral and trap-neuter-return (TNR) cat-colony feeding sites. This study highlights the importance of vaccinating all cats with access to the outdoors (including barn cats, indoor-outdoor cats, and feral cats) for rabies.ν
