How did Reedley city officials know bats infected with rabies came in contact with feral cats?

REEDLEY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The City of Fresno and Reedley are urging folks to instrumentality precautions aft 2 bats tested affirmative for rabies. It was besides reported that the infected bats had interaction with feral cats successful Reedley, but however did the metropolis find out?

“It’s uncommon for cats to beryllium capable to get ahold of bats unless the bats are anemic and sick. In this case, we had a precise alert neighbour who was paying attraction and saw immoderate feral cats playing with a bat. And she called america close away. She didn't interaction the bat. She did the close thing. It was superb. So there’s nary quality enactment with this bat case,” Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba explained.

This is simply a concern that is caller to galore metropolis leaders dealing with this wellness hazard.

“So my 13 years arsenic City Manager successful Reedley, we’d not yet had a rabies case, truthful this is unique,” Zieba said. “It astir apt is simply a bully clip to propulsion retired a reminder to the nationalist that rabies is prevalent successful these rodents and bats.”

If it wasn’t for a mindful neighbor, the nationalist wouldn’t cognize to beryllium other cautious with feral cats. This quality comes 3 months aft a teacher successful Dos Palos died of a rabies corruption from a bat bite. The City of Reedley has a database of things residents tin bash and beryllium alert of to enactment distant from the virus:

• Avoid interaction with wild animals: Do not attack bats, raccoons, oregon immoderate unfamiliar wildlife.
• Ensure favored vaccinations are current. Contact your veterinarian to corroborate your pet’s vaccination status.
• Secure your home: Inspect your location for openings wherever bats oregon different wildlife could participate and seal immoderate gaps.
• Report antithetic carnal behavior: If you brushwood a sick oregon dormant stray feline wrong the adjacent 10 days, oregon if you observe a bat oregon different chaotic carnal acting strangely (e.g., daytime activity, aggression, trouble moving), interaction your section carnal control.