Introduction
Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease that can infect all mammals, including cats and humans. Though not very common, rabies remains a concerning risk for pet owners, especially if their cats go outdoors and interact with wildlife. Cats can contract rabies through bites, scratches, or contact with the saliva or nervous system tissue of an infected animal. Because rabies has a nearly 100% fatality rate once symptoms begin, it’s critical for cat owners to understand rabies transmission routes and how to protect their pets.
While mice themselves rarely carry rabies, they can transmit the virus to cats who eat them. This article covers the key information cat owners need about rabies risks from mice, symptoms in cats, and prevention methods.
What is Rabies?
Rabies is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord in humans and other mammals. According to the CDC, it is caused by a virus in the family Rhabdoviridae, genus Lyssavirus (https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html). The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death once symptoms appear.
Once the rabies virus enters the body, it spreads quickly through the nervous system. The virus travels from the site of infection, often a bite or scratch, along the neural pathways into the spinal cord and brain. During this time, known as the incubation period, the person or animal infected with rabies may not show any symptoms. The incubation period is typically 1–3 months but can range from less than a week to more than a year (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies).
Rabies causes neurological symptoms because the virus infects nerve cells and causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. This affects the normal functioning of the nervous system. Initial symptoms may include fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort. As the disease progresses, more specific symptoms appear including insomnia, confusion, hallucinations, agitation, abnormal behavior, and delirium. Other signs in animals include paralysis, abnormal vocalization, and excessive salivation. Once clinical signs appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
How is Rabies Transmitted?
Rabies is transmitted primarily through the bite or scratch of an infected animal. The rabies virus is found in the saliva and nervous tissue of a rabid animal. When an infected animal bites another animal or person, the virus in the saliva enters the wound and travels to the central nervous system, causing inflammation in the brain and spinal cord.
According to the CDC, “Transmission of rabies virus usually begins when infected saliva of a host is passed to an uninfected animal, most commonly through a bite.” [1] The rabies virus can also enter mucous membranes, like the eyes, nose, or mouth of a person or animal through a scratch or existing wound that comes into contact with infected saliva.
Because rabies transmission requires direct contact with infected saliva, the disease does not spread through indirect contact like petting or touching blood, urine, or feces from an infected animal. The virus cannot enter through unbroken skin. Rabies is not spread through airborne transmission like coughing or sneezing. So direct contact with the saliva from a rabid animal, usually through a bite or scratch, is necessary for the disease to spread.
Are Mice Common Carriers of Rabies?
Mice are not considered to be common carriers of rabies. According to the CDC, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats are the animals most likely to be infected with rabies in the United States (https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/animals/other.html). Rodents like mice and rats represent a very small percentage of rabies cases.
A 2014 study analyzed rabies testing data in rodents and lagomorphs (rabbits and hares) in the United States from 1995-2010. Out of over 75,000 animals tested, only 737 were confirmed positive for rabies. The vast majority of those were various species of rats. Only 8 mice tested positive for rabies out of over 15,000 samples (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5763497/).
One reason mice are not common carriers is that they rarely show symptoms when infected with rabies. The rabies virus travels to the brain where it causes neurological symptoms, but mice tend to die from the infection before developing symptoms (https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/rabies/algorithm/smallrodentsall.htm).
Can Cats Get Rabies from Mice?
Yes, cats can get rabies from mice, but it’s relatively rare. Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, usually via a bite. So for a cat to get rabies from a mouse, the mouse would have to be infected with rabies and bite the cat hard enough to break skin.
According to the CDC, rodents like mice and rats are not a common source of rabies in the United States. Less than 5% of rabies cases in domestic animals are attributed to rodents (Source). However, mice can carry rabies and spread it to cats in some cases.
A cat could potentially contract rabies by eating an infected mouse if the mouse’s saliva enters the cat’s bloodstream through mucous membranes or breaks in the skin or mouth. However, this route of transmission is considered rare. The more common way for a cat to get rabies from a mouse is if an infected mouse bites them.
To be safe, any cat that eats or is bitten by a mouse should be monitored closely for signs of rabies. And all cats should be kept up to date on their rabies vaccinations to protect them from this deadly disease if exposed.
Rabies Symptoms in Cats
The early symptoms of rabies in cats often include subtle changes in behavior. As the disease progresses, more distinctive symptoms emerge. According to VCA Animal Hospitals, the symptoms typically follow a predictable pattern:
Stage 1: The cat becomes increasingly nervous, irritable, and vicious. Muscle spasms often prevent swallowing and lead to excessive drooling.
Stage 2: The cat starts experiencing fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. Aggression is also common during this stage.
Stage 3: The cat experiences seizures and paralysis. Death usually occurs 2 to 4 days after the onset of stage 3 symptoms.
Some of the most common rabies symptoms in cats include:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Aggression
- Loss of appetite
- Excessive drooling
- Muscle spasms
- Seizures
- Paralysis
Rabies is almost always fatal once clinical symptoms appear. However, the disease is preventable through vaccination. Cat owners should have their pets vaccinated as kittens and maintain up-to-date rabies boosters.
Diagnosing Rabies in Cats
Rabies can only be confirmed by laboratory testing of brain tissue after the cat has died. There is no accurate ante-mortem diagnostic test that can be performed on a living animal. If a veterinarian suspects rabies based on the cat’s symptoms, the cat will need to be euthanized so that its brain tissue can be analyzed. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, euthanasia is the only option since rabies is fatal in both animals and humans.
To test for rabies, the cat’s brain tissue is analyzed using a direct fluorescent antibody test, which can detect rabies virus antigens (Rabies in Cats – VCA Animal Hospitals). This is the fastest and most reliable rabies test. PCR and virus isolation techniques may also be used to confirm diagnosis.
Due to the serious public health implications, cats suspected of having rabies may be euthanized and tested immediately without undergoing a full clinical workup. However, the veterinarian will still perform a clinical exam looking for symptoms consistent with rabies, such as paralysis, seizures, and abnormal behavior.
Treating Rabies in Cats
Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for rabies once clinical signs appear in cats. According to the VCA Animal Hospitals, “There is no treatment for a cat with rabies infection. If rabies is suspected, the cat must be kept in quarantine and observed for development of clinical signs that would lead to euthanasia.”
The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system, leading to inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. This causes the neurological symptoms associated with rabies. Antiviral medications have limited effectiveness once the virus has entered the nervous system.
Supportive care may help relieve some symptoms and make the cat more comfortable, but cannot cure rabies. Small Door Veterinary states that, “Supportive care may include: IV fluids, anti-seizure medications, antibiotics.” However, euthanasia is typically recommended once rabies symptoms appear, to prevent further suffering in the cat.
Ultimately there is no reliable cure for rabies in cats at this advanced stage. For this reason, prevention through vaccination is extremely important to protect cats from this fatal disease. Cats with potential rabies exposure should also receive immediate post-exposure prophylaxis to try preventing the disease from developing.
Preventing Rabies in Cats
The most effective way to prevent rabies in cats is through vaccination. The CDC recommends keeping rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all cats. Kittens should be vaccinated starting at 12-16 weeks of age and receive a booster 1 year later. Afterward, cats should receive rabies vaccines every 1-3 years based on state and local laws, the type of vaccine used, and your veterinarian’s recommendations (CDC, Frymus 2009).
It’s also important to keep cats indoors and supervise time spent outdoors. This prevents exposure to rabies by avoiding contact with infected wildlife like raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats. Cats should especially avoid hunting or eating mice and other small rodents that could potentially carry rabies.
If your cat has a potential rabies exposure from a mouse, animal bite, or scratch, contact your veterinarian right away. Post-exposure rabies vaccination may be recommended within 72 hours to prevent the disease.
Conclusion
In summary, while mice can carry rabies, transmission to cats is rare. Rabies is mainly spread through bites from infected animals. Cats can get rabies from mice, but usually only if bitten by a rabid mouse. The most common rabies carriers that infect cats are raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.
The main takeaway is that while a theoretical risk exists of rabies transmission from mice, the actual percentage of rabid mice is extremely low. Further, cats don’t usually eat mice whole. So ensure your cat is up-to-date on rabies vaccines, especially if allowed outdoors. Monitor for any potential rabies symptoms and immediately seek veterinary care if concerned. But in most cases, a cat eating a mouse does not constitute a high rabies risk based on current data.