A cat in Eastern Sierra County has tested positive for Plague, and health officials say it’s the “first documented case in a domesticated cat since 2011.”
The exact location of where the cat was located has not been released. The revelation came through a post on the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, where Sierra County Health Officials say the California Department of Public Health notified them about the positive test.
Although health officials remind the community that plague is naturally present in wild rodents throughout the mountainous areas of our region, people and their pets can get plague if they visit areas where wild rodents are infected, noting that Cats are very susceptible to plague infection, which often leads to death without prompt veterinary care.
Health officials add that cats with plague can spread the sickness to humans when they cough or sneeze and can also bring infected fleas into the home if they are in an infected area.
Dr. Celia Sutton-Pado, Health Officer for Sierra County, says there have been no recent cases of human plague in the county, stating the most recent cases were in 1977 and 1980.
Dr. Sutton-Pado encourages those concerned to be vigilant of early warning signs. In humans, symptoms of plague usually show up within 2 to 8 days of exposure to an infected animal or flea and include sudden onset of fever, nausea, weakness, chills, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes. If detected early, Plague can be effectively treated with antibiotics.
Sierra County residents and visitors are advised to take precautions against plague by avoiding contact with rodents and their fleas, keeping pets on leashes with flea control, and preventing cats from hunting rodents. Additionally, residents in known plague areas should secure homes against rodents, avoid camping near animal burrows, refrain from feeding wild rodents, and use protective clothing and insect repellent to minimize flea exposure.
Sierra County Environmental Health is working with the California Department of Public Health to monitor the situation.
Photo is not of the cat that tested positive, obtained through Unsplash.
