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A 21-year-old male asked:

I have a lot of anxiety after petting a friendly cat that was licking its fur , i had a cut on my knuckle that freshly scabbed. i used hand sanitizer after and washed my hands. should i worry about rabies? i need a second opinion because i over worry?

1 doctor answer1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Samuel Galima
Family Medicine 9 years experience
Please refer to the CDC website in detail: "People usually get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal. [...] Other types of contact, such as petting a rabid animal or contact with the blood, urine or feces of a rabid animal, are not associated with risk for infection and are not considered to be exposures of concern for rabies." https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/transmission/index.html
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Last updated Dec 14, 2022

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