Hillsborough Township: Rabies Advisory

Press release from the Hillsborough Township:

July 20, 2021

The Hillsborough Health Department was recently informed that a small black and white cat found at 597 River Rd. on Friday, July 16, tested positive for rabies. Rabies is a virus that can affect any mammal, and is contagious to humans through a bite (most often), scratch, or open cut/mucous membrane exposure to the virus. The virus lives in the central nervous system fluid and saliva of the affected animal. This infective fluid must enter the host’s body through an opening put there by a bite, or  a scratch, an open cut, or mucous membrane (i.e. rubbing eyes after touching saliva). It was noted that the cat was unusually small and appeared to be a kitten. However, it was discovered that it had been nursing, so it may have had kittens. The property at 597 River Rd was checked and there were no kittens found. Please contact your physician immediately if you handled this animal and may have been exposed to the rabies virus as described above.  Also, please call The Health Department  at 908-369-5652 immediately.  Rabies has been present in the wildlife population since 1989, and all of NJ is affected. Rabies can make animals appear unusually aggressive or friendly/passive.

This press release was produced by the Hillsborough Township. The views expressed here are the author’s own.