Do you know this feline? “Sociable” cat tests positive for rabies in Prince William County – WTOP News

A Virginia cat “known to socialize” with other cats and people has tested positive for rabies, according to Prince William County police.

Police said in an alert that the cat was found in the 15500 block of Thoroughfare Road in Gainesville.

Other cats that came into contact with the rabid feline have been confined and are being monitored, police said.

Any resident who has been in contact with the cat is also asked to seek immediate medical attention.

This announcement follows several cases of rabies in the DC area.

Over the summer, there were several attacks by rabid beavers in Maryland state parks, a rabid bat and raccoon in Anne Arundel County, and a bat and skunk that tested positive in Waldorf. Stray cats and kittens have also been reported in Loudoun County for potential exposure to rabies.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued an alert that rabies exposures and treatments have increased nationwide.

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