I don't know about anywhere else or even other counties in FL but when my
pregnant saughter got bit & scratched by a stray cat it had to be killed so
it could be tested for rabies.  The cat had kittens under her porch & she
fed it & the babies.  Where she was living there were namy ferl cats & they
would even tear open her screeens to get inside the house to find food or
go after her cat.  There were too many to feed so she found herself in the
position where she had to call Aninal Control although she didn't want to.
She wanted the mother cat & the kittens to be safe so we were going to take
them here.
 
A mistake was made when she tried to catch the mother cat first & put it
in the carrier.  She should have put the kittens in first & then maybe
mama wouldn't have been so upset.  When she was holding the cat it was
struggling to get down so she made another mistake & held on tighter, which
alarmed the cat so Lori got bit & scratched as the cat tried to get away.
 
Because she was pregnant she went to he hopital for a tetnis shot& being
ignorant at that time told them what happened but even said it wasn't the
cat's fault & the cat wasn't sick or mean.  It didn't matter.  The hospital
reported the incident to Animal Control.  We said we would still take the
cat here & keep it & quarantine it.  Nothing we did mattered, (Animal
Control)said if the animal was a stray & it bit someone it had to be killed
so the head (brain) could be sent to the state lab for testing of rabies.
We begged & pleaded to no avail the cat was caught & killed.
 
We tried to take the kittens to the Humane Society but they were scared &
growled at the workers who wouldn't even take them out of the carrier, said
they were too wild & uncontrollable which made them unadoptable.  My then 6
or 7 year old grandson had been playing with them so that's how nasty they
were!  They were brought here, (we already had a houseful of cats) & when
they went to the vet for shots & check up one of the tech's there fell in
love with a female who we let keep her.  We kept the 2 males & still have
them, they have to weight at least 20 lbs each.  They never have bit anyone
here.
 
According to the person, (sorry I am not receiving my mail the normal way &
it would be rd go back & get the name) she was badly bitten & bleeding
rather profusley & also shook up.  I can understand her wanting to get
treated.  Probably if she had been able to calm down without people telling
her she had to go & get treated & the ferret possibly had rabies & no doubt
insisting rather strongly, I believe she may not have gone to the hospital.
But then to I am wondering if the vet's office had to report cases like
that to the authorities?  I think they do in some places.  So quite
possibly she never would have had a say in it anyway.
 
Now I think we all know what to do if we are in the same situation.  Use as
much protection as we can & if we are haven't been involved with animals
that can be nasty find someone who has to help.  Use all the precautions
you can think of.  Also folks remember that when she first saw the ferret
in the doghouse it was acting like it was happy to see her & wanted to
play, so her guard s probably down.
 
So very sorry to hear of the passing of babies to the Rainbow Bridge.  I
usually try to send a card but am having puter problems right now & am
unable to, you folks have my heartfelt sympathies.  To those that are ill I
wish speedy recoveries.
 
Lynn
 
PS.  Mia mail problems is why you haven't heard from me.
[Posted in FML issue 2888]