From Fluffy to Foamy:
Cats Top Dogs as Rabies Risk

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —  Rabid dogs, foaming at the mouth and baring their teeth, figure prominently in the popular imagination. But a more immediate rabies threat may be as close as the nearest warm windowsill.

As 45 countries celebrated the first World Rabies Day Saturday to draw attention to the world's leading rabies culprit — dogs — the United States faces a larger problem from domestic cat breeds.

"Cats are certainly even more of a risk or a threat to be aware of, even if they don't get as much attention," said Kim Mitchell, an epidemiologist with the Maryland Center for Veterinary Public Health.

In the eastern United States, raccoons are still king when it comes to rabies cases. After that, cats compete with skunks and bats for the title of top rabies carrier, and are the leading carriers by far among domestic animals.

Nationwide, however, cats accounted for 54 percent of domestic animals found with rabies in 2005, compared with dogs at 16 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More cows were discovered with rabies than dogs that year.