Evita killed the bat. Should I have the thing tested for rabies???

[LynneSin]

I went to sleep and I heard that squeaking noise again, which lead me to believe that one of the cats got the bat that was loose in my apartment. And it was my killer Evita that got her prey.

Unfortunately the bat did not survive, but that's not my fault. I mean, the bat picked the wrong apartment to crawl into and hopefully his other bat friends out there will recognize that they should stay outside where they are free and have all the nasty buggies to eat.

Both of my cats have rabies shots in the past 6 months. My concern is that these cats were messing with the bat, may have gotten a bat bite and I'm not 100% that bat is rabies free.

Any recommendations or suggestions. The dead bat is currently underneath my tennis racket. Should I just toss the guy out or should I have the bat tested?

[MuseRider]

1. I would call

the vet first thing. My guess is that if they are current on their rabies shots, and you said they are, then they should be OK. You vet can probably tell you what the next step would be if there is one. Gotta love the kitties but sometimes it is awful what they do to other creatures.

[soothsayer]

2. call your vet (and/or animal control) and pose that very question

but I suspect if you meant to say your cats have had rabies VACCINES in the past 6 months (and not that they've had rabies) they're prolly fine.

As for you---you gotta be really careful handling it.

[Spinzonner]

3. I would call Public Health Dept and/or Animal Control

in your area and ask what they recommend or the standard procedures are.

Also, I assume you mean the cats have had rabies SHOTS in the past 6 months. That ought to make them OK but you should be careful handling the bat - use gloves, plastic bag over hand or something just to be ultra safe and paranoid.

The odds are extremely against the bat being rabid but why take any chance.

[LynneSin]

4. Here she is: Evita the Bat Killer

And I edited my original message - yes, both of my cats have had rabies shots.

I wish I was in Pennsylvania, they have the State Game Commission I can contact about this stuff. Not sure who to call in Delaware

[happyending]

7. props

for Evita.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

21. A second opinion:

[Ohio Dem]

10. Then call PA.

Tell them you're on vacation or something, or don't tell them anything at all. Ask them what to do.

[jukes]

31. !Evita

es muy bonita!

[Ready4Change]

5. "Both of my cats have rabies in the past 6 months"?

I'm guessing you meant they had rabies vaccinations in the last 6 months?

Here's a web page that seems to apply well to your situation:

http://www.cfainc.org/articles/rabies.html

In my opinion, if none of your pets appear to have been bitten, I wouldn't worry about it. A bat, after all, is pretty much a mouse with wings. What would/do you do when your cat gets a mouse?

[Dookus]

6. Just to be ultra-cautious...

you could call your vet.

But it's a myth that bats are excessively prone to rabies. They're just little critters trying to get by the same as mice, rats, gophers and moles - all of which my cats catch regularly without causing undue alarm.

[LynneSin]

8. Yes, my cats had rabies shots in the past 6 months

it's late and I'm exhausted and trying to figure out what to do with the dead bat.

I got ahold of the rabies hotline and they're getting me information on where to take the bat. I'll call the vet in the morning

[amerikat]

9. What was Abbott doing while Evita was after the bat?

[LynneSin]

12. Probably licking himself there

typical male

:shrug:

[hlthe2b]

11. LynneSin: please check your PM

[GOPisEvil]

13. How does it feel, sharing your house with a KILLAH?!?!

:D

Call the public health dept. there - they'll tell you what to do with the corpse.

[LynneSin]

14. She was especially warm and cuddily this morning

which is suprising for Evita. Normally she doesn't like to snuggle with me but she was so proud of her accomplishments!

[GOPisEvil]

15. I'd be proud, too.

And I have opposable thumbs!

[LynneSin]

16. Yep, evita has mastered the art of batkilling....

...but still is befuddled with how to get the good food out of the cans.

Poor kitty :cry:

[GOPisEvil]

17. Give her time.

If she ever figures it out...:scared:

[LynneSin]

18. She's got an evil gleam to her eye

If she figured out how to open cans of food she'd take over the world. We would all be worshiping at the throne of Evita

:crazy:

[Zuni]

25. many cats would be dictators

if they got half a chance. I am thinking of my mother's cat here---her cat, Maggie, would be a cruel tyrant.

[LynneSin]

29. More and More I think Evita is an appropriate name

Although she was named because I love the musical not necessarily admire the political beliefs of Evita Peron

[Zuni]

26. cats are always so proud after a kill

and they think you are just sooooo pleased with them

[LynneSin]

27. That cat was never friendly with me until she killed the bat

now all Evita wants to do is cuddle with me?

Should I be rewarding her for such violent behavior? It's the MTv I'm watching. According to those religious numnuts that's why our soldiers are abusing prisoners in Iraq!

[trof]

19. Some things you should do.

Same thing happened in my daughter's house recently.
Contact county health dept. or whatever you have there.
Definitely get it tested.
Now...how did the bat get in?
If you don't know, you need to find out. Plug holes. If you can afford it, there are pros who will do this and bat-proof the place.
Look under "pest/rodent control".
Also, do you have ANY kind of nick or scratch that you can't account for?

[MissMillie]

28. All Hail the Bat Cat!

Get the bat tested. I'm sure the local Board of Health can tell you how to go about it.

[WillParkinson]

20. I'm not sure it's something to be proud of...

But that's your choice.

However, call your local Humane Society and ask their opinion. Here in Milwaukee I took a bat to the wildlife center and they killed it and sent the head in for testing (which sent me spiraling into depression for over a week but that's another story).

Do, however, contact them. They may want you to bring it in to have it tested and, for your cats sake, it's something you should do.

[LynneSin]

22. Try telling that to Evita

Personally, I tried the 'open window and hope the thing flies out' routine, but the bat wasn't interested. I can't help that in the heart of my beautiful Evita is the soul of a bat killer.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

24. One reason I obtained my late buddy Fergus

(my avatar) was because he popped a hole in this girl's waterbed and got outside and killed a bird. She was ready to kill Ferg for that, but word got to her through a friend of mine that I wanted a cat after my mother's death, so she refrained from offing him and gave him to me.

I never minded that Ferg had killed a bird (and I love birds); it's just instinctive behavior. You could look at it this way: Evita was protecting you from the bat!

[Zuni]

23. better safe than sorry

have it tested

[northzax]

30. well, if you choose to live with animals

you must expect them to act like animals. Throw the damn thing out (wear gloves, eh?0 and disinfect where you found it. The cats will be fine (you know, right that if the vaccine doesn't work the only thing to do it kill them, there is no cure for feline rabies)

wait a week. If the cat starts acting funny, you get to pay her back for the bat (although I think somehow that the Vet will be more humane to the cat that n the cat was to the bat.)

next question: now that you know the cat likes to hunt, what sorts of entertainment are you creating for it to satiate the hunt and kill desire? I think you owe it something for locking it up in a house for its entire life, don't you?

[WillParkinson]

32. No!

Don't just wait and see. If Evita gets it then she could pass it off to the other cat. It's best to have the bat tested just to be safe.

[northzax]

33. ok, as long as she understands that it takes

7-10 days for a rabies test, and that the should be quarantined during the test (if it comes back positive, and there is no quarantine, you have to assume both cats are infected) There is nothing they can do for the cat if it is infected, and they are likely to destroy both animals, since you can't assume that one is safe and the other isn't. It's like Mad Cow disease, the only way to test for it involves decapitation, so they don't take chances, they kill any animal that MIGHT be infected.

the vacccine will be fine, why spend all the money on a test that will solve nothing?

[WillParkinson]

34. When I took the bat in...

I told them that it had been in the hotel and that my animals had come in contact with it. There was no charge for the test.

She should, at the very least, contact her vet for his/her opinion.

[LynneSin]

35. Remember - both cats have had Rabies Vaccinations

So even if the bat bit either cat, the cats should be protected from getting rabies. HOWEVER, the vet, along with online websites where I have researched this information, suggest that the cats should each get a rabies booster shot. Mainly because IF the bat has rabies, it might weaken either cat for future attacks. It is better that the cats get the booster shots.

I'm trying to get ahold of DE Public Health and find out where I can drop off the damn bat that won't require me driving to Dover PA (which is where the dept of Public Health is located). However, a DUer here PM that the bat should NOT be frozen, but I did not get that message until this morning and the bat has been in my freezer for at least 8 hours (I had put it in there last night).

PLUS, there is another concern about the bat and rabies and that is, of course, myself. I have not found any strange bite marks, but still, I don't want to find out the bat has rabies and I somehow got infected. I mean, I could die from this stuff. I highly doubt that will happen, but better safe than sorry.

So it's all being dealt with!