Can a person get poison oak from an animal? i got poison oak but i wasn't around any. could i have gotten it from my cat?

Yes! The : Yes! the rash that is so characteristic of poison oak is caused by a chemical called urushiol. If your cat came into contact with this chemical, then there is a chance that it dried on the cats skin and when you so lovingly petted your cat you likely transferred the chemical from your cat to yourself! the bad news is that you got the rash, and the good news is your cat was the lucky one, since animals dont get the rash.

Sure: If the animal rubbed against and then rubbed against you, sure.

Transfer: The resin from the leaves of the poison ivy, poison oak, etc can be transferred from the animal fur to the person. It is important to clean the cat, clothing and any other object that came into contact.