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The Harford County Department of Health issued an alert on Thursday cautioning that state health officials confirmed that a cat found in the Dublin area of Harford County has tested positive for rabies.
Though the cat was found in the 1600 block of Whiteford Road, health officials are concerned that it may have been complicit in exposing pets or other people in the area.
Rabies is a viral disease that mainly infects mammals (warm-blooded animals who nurse their young) and is spread through the saliva of the infected animal, usually by a bite, officials said.
Symptoms of rabies in animals may include fear of water, excessive salivation, failure to eat or drink, limping, unusually friendly or aggressive behavior, and/or other atypical behaviors such as nocturnal animals emerging during the daytime.
The disease is nearly always fatal to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Anyone who had contact with a black and white kitten between Saturday, July 1, and Monday, July 10, have been instructed to call the Harford County Health Department for a risk assessment test by calling (410) 612-1774.
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