7 Plant City Residents Exposed To Feral Cat With Rabies

PLANT CITY, FL -- Seven people will require treatment after being exposed to a rabid cat found in the Holly Bluff Court area near Plant City Thursday, Feb. 15.

According to the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, those people have been advised to start treatment for rabies immediately.

The black and white domestic short-haired cat, estimated to be about 2 years old, was feral. A Plant City resident saw that it appeared to be injured and took it to a local animal rescue shelter. At the shelter, the cat began to display abnormal behavior. The shelter decided to test the cat for rabies and the results were positive.

An investigation by the Florida Department of Health found that five people at the animal rescue shelter were exposed. The person who rescued the cat, as well as another family member, were exposed as well.

Environmental health employees went door-to-door Thursday to advise people in the affected area that a feral cat had tested positive for rabies and to hand out educational materials.

This is the first confirmed rabid animal this year. In 2017, three rabid animals exposed 10 people in Hillsborough County.

The Department of Health-Hillsborough has issued a rabies alert for the affected area of Plant City area for 60 days.

The boundaries are East Alexander Street to the north, James L. Redman Parkway to the west, Jap Tucker and Jim Johnson roads to the east and East Sparkman Road to the south.

The public is asked to maintain a heightened awareness and to avoid contact with wild animals.

Residents also are urged to make sure their pets have been vaccinated.

If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the pet immediately and contact the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center at (813) 744-5660.

People who have handled a sick wild animal or have been bitten or scratched by a wild or domestic animal should seek medical attention and report the injury to the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County at (813) 307-8059.

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