Editor's note: The photo featured in this story is not the rabid cat in question, rather, it is the breed that tested positive for the disease.
GIBSONTON, Fla. -- Several people in a Hillsborough County neighborhood have been exposed to rabies, and there's concern the disease might have spread to other animals.
A gray tabby cat that lived around East Bay Road recently tested positive for rabies and had contact with at least one adult, a child and a domestic dog, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Officials say the cat gave birth to kittens, which also will be tested for rabies. Their results are not yet known.
The disease often causes animals to become aggressive. One of the sure-signs of rabies exposure is that the animal might drool because they cannot swallow their saliva.
The two people who were exposed to rabies have begun post-exposure vaccines, according to a news release. Officials add the dog was up-to-date on its shots but it, too, received a booster and will be quarantined as a precaution.
People living within a 500-foot radius of where the cat was found are being notified of the exposure.
Five rabid animals exposed 13 people and two domestic dogs in 2018 across Hillsborough County.
Anyone else who suspects they or their animals might have come in contact with the disease is asked to call the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center at 813-744-5660.
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