Would you have called?

[Jessika]

IF the girl did get sick from the cat bite/scratch, I think its a little selfish not to call just because the cat is "nice". The cat COULD have given her some sort is disease.. you never know. I would have called if not to just have tests run on the cat to determine that it DOESN'T have rabies and to put the man's mind at ease. I know if it were my child, I would want to know!!

[catmandu]

It just occured to me,that if a Child was bitten by a Porchie,that they might hold me responsible.I would try and catch that Cat,and have him tested,just in case,as you dont want him to infect Other Cats!!

[Barbara]

Yeah but testing means killing the cat! I wouldn't have called and kept an eye on the cat. What you tell doesn't sound like rabies. (Sorry that does not sound like the highest moral but I know I wouldn't have called.)

[PJ's Mom]

The only test for rabies is to cut off the head of the animal. That's a little drastic for a girl who didn't have any visible bite marks, don't you think? Placing the cat under quarantine is also an option, but if the cat is suspected to be "vicious" then it would be put to sleep anyway.

[lv4dogs]

I would call no ifs ands or butts about it.

Sure it would be terrible for a cat to be euthanized if it was healthy and friendly but just what if it isn't? You've got a childs life in your hands.

BUT I would also offer to quarantine the cat for 10 days (you can do that instead of killing the cat to test for rabies).

But if I had a stray cat in my hands I wouldn't let it go again no matter what. I'd at least take foster it or take it to a shelter or vets.

[momcat]

Quite honestly, I don't know what I would have done. There are some excellent arguments here on both sides of the question. Did this guy go to any other houses on your street about this? I also have to wonder if he reported it to the cops or animal control, and did he take the kid to a doctor or an emergency room to have the alleged bite treated? And what if this kitty isn't the one that nipped at the kid?

[catnapper]

I would have called if not to just have tests run on the cat to determine that it DOESN'T have rabies and to put the man's mind at ease. I know if it were my child, I would want to know!!

The test for rabies is cutting off the animal's head and looking at the brain tissue.

If it were my child, I'd have gotten the rabies shot. ESPECIALLY if an unknown animal bit my child. It is crazy to me that the parent just walked their child around the neighborhood looking for the animal while the rabies timebomb might possibly be ticking away in their child. Rabies is FATAL. I think a few shots in the shoulders and stomach are nothing compared to possible death.

If it was a squirrel that bit your child, wouldn't you just get the shots instead of looking for the squirrel? Why waste time looking for an orange cat?