Cat infected with rabies prompts alert in Mendocino County

Mendocino County health officials are advising residents to make sure their pets are vaccinated for rabies following positive test results in a cat in the Fort Bragg area.

It is the first animal that has tested positive for the often-fatal nervous system disease since 2012, officials said. Health officials did not say when the cat was tested.

The rabies virus usually is transmitted to humans through a bite by an infected animal. It also can be transmitted by the saliva of an infected animal getting into a break in the skin or coming in contact with the eyes, nose or mouth.

Cats are the most frequently reported rabid domestic animal in the United States, according to the health department. Dogs are required by law to be vaccinated, while the policy for cats varies by county. Most rabies cases overall occur in skunks and bats, but they can occur in many other wild animals.

Symptoms of the disease vary. They include unusual behavior, such as wild animals that act unafraid or tame, and nocturnal animals appearing in daylight. Caution also should be taken with bats that cannot fly or that have been captured by a pet.