Island Health is advising Chemainus residents that a free-roaming kitten recently tested positive for rabies.
The kitten was found near the roadside in the 8000 block of Chemainus Road on July 9 and began showing rabies-like symptoms on July 12. Test results received July 21 confirmed the kitten was infected with rabies.
“All individuals at risk of exposure after July 9 have been identified by public health and are receiving appropriate follow-up care,” Island Health said in a release.
However, officials are asking anyone who had direct contact with a kitten near the 8000 block of Chemainus Road between July 2 and July 9 to contact Island Health’s Communicable Disease Program at 250-519-3575 for assessment. The kitten could have transmitted the infection if it bit or scratched someone.
“It is believed the kitten was living in a tree on or near a rural property in the 8000 block of Chemainus Road,” the health authority said.
Those who did not interact with a kitten in that specific area and timeframe are not considered at risk and do not need to seek care.
The kitten is believed to have been infected by a bat, consistent with the source of most rabies cases in B.C. over the past 25 years. Bats are the only animals in the province known to carry rabies, and transmission to other animals or humans is rare.
There have been only two confirmed human cases of rabies in British Columbia in the past 100 years. The only confirmed case of a domestic cat being infected with rabies was in 2007 in the Maple Ridge area. In that instance, an indoor unvaccinated cat died from rabies after playing with a rabid bat that flew into the house.
“Rabies is a serious but preventable disease and early intervention is key,” Island Health noted. Keeping pets vaccinated helps prevent infection and supports proper assessment if they show symptoms.
Although there is no legal requirement for rabies vaccination of domestic pets in B.C., provincial and federal health authorities strongly recommend vaccinating pets in case of unexpected exposure.
For more information, visit the BC Centre for Disease Control at bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/rabies
