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• The Mississippi State Department of Health has confirmed the first rabies case in a land animal in Mississippi since 1961. The case was identified in a feral cat in Starkville described as a small, black and white kitten. At this point there is no ongoing public health risk.

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• Rabies is a viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. Rabies is commonly found in bats in Mississippi and has been found in feral and wild animals in bordering states in previous years. The university is working closely with the Department of Health and the Mississippi Board of Animal Health to ensure there is no ongoing public health risk.

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• Exposures to the rabid cat were reported in downtown Starkville and in a remote area in the general proximity of paved and developed portions of the Thad Cochran Research Park near the С»ÆÊé campus. Health officials urge anyone who may have been bitten or scratched by a feral cat matching this description in either of these areas within the past 10 days to contact their primary healthcare provider or the Mississippi State Department of Health. Rabies is completely preventable if post-exposure shots are administered after contact with a rabid animal.

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• To protect yourself, make sure your domestic dogs and cats are vaccinated against rabies at three months, one year later, and every three years thereafter. Never handle or touch feral animals, animals you do not know, or wild animals such as raccoons, bats, skunks, foxes and coyotes that can carry rabies. If you see a feral animal acting strangely, contact your local Animal Control officials.