Stray cat in Deer Park tests positive for rabies, Suffolk health officials say
Long Island has seen a surge in wildlife rabies cases over the past year, mostly in raccoons. Credit: Suffolk County Department of Health Services
A stray cat found in Deer Park has tested positive for rabies, the first feline case in Suffolk County this year, health officials said on Thursday.
The Suffolk County Health Department "has no knowledge" that the cat came in contact with people or pets, the agency said. It was spotted by a good Samaritan who thought the cat had been hit by a car.
Long Island has experienced a surge in wildlife rabies cases over the past year, mostly in raccoons.
In July, the Nassau County Health Department declared rabies an "imminent public health threat" after 25 animals tested positive for the potentially deadly disease over a 12-month period, including two stray cats.
Since January, 11 raccoons with rabies were found in Suffolk County. Eight were in Amityville, two in Deer Park and one in Lindenhurst. Officials said this was the first time since 2009 they had confirmed a locally acquired terrestrial case of rabies. It has been found in bats in recent years.
Rabies can be passed to people through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They can avoid serious illness if they get prompt treatment.
New York State requires pet dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies. Vaccinated pets serve as a barrier to keep the rabies virus from spreading to people, Suffolk health officials said.
Long Island has a large raccoon population, about 100 per square mile in some areas, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Seeing them during the day foraging for food is not unusual or a cause for concern, experts said. People are urged to stay away from wildlife, especially any that are acting in an unusual manner or that appear sickly.
Suffolk County is asking anyone who spots a raccoon acting abnormally to report it to the police department at 631-852-COPS or the state DEC 631-444-0250.
Dead raccoons spotted in Babylon, Huntington, Islip or Smithtown should be reported by e-mailing php@suffolkcountyny.gov or calling 631-852-5900.
Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.
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