The Bay Net has confirmed three cases of rabies exposure from two infected cats in the Wildewood neighborhood, and possibly three others or more may also have been infected.

Local officials have known since Saturday when an older resident was bitten by a cat and the man is currently undergoing rabies treatment.

 

On Sunday, a resident called 911 after a cat attacked her two large dogs and her leg, despite being kicked and beaten by frightened residents.

As of Tuesday night, three residents were hospitalized to receive emergency vaccines, but no public health advisory has been issued. If infected with rabies, a person has 5 to 7 days to get an emergency vaccination before the disease becomes entrenched in the body and can lead to death.

A sign posted on mailboxes in Wildewood warns residents of the cat that bit the older man, stating the feline is still on the loose.

Penny Alexander, the other Wildewood resident who fought with a different cat that eventually tested positive for rabies, posted a hand-written notice on the posted flyer to try to warn other residents.

Alexander told The Bay Net on Tuesday from the hospital where he was receiving an emergency vaccine that local officials have been less than cooperative in dealing with her and are failing to alert residents to this serious health risk.

Alexander said on Sunday she was walking her two large dogs, a Siberian husky and a Samoyed, when a cat ran up and leaped on to one of the dog’s face. While struggling to help her dog, Alexander was scratched on the legs and the cat again attacked the dogs, even though it was kicked and struck with the purse of another woman who saw the attack taking place.

The women called 9-11, but police did not respond. And hour later when an animal control agent arrived, Alexander said he was rude, and insisted the cat was docile.

She was told the cat would not be sent to Baltimore for testing, and the best she could do was go and get herself tested, but she insisted, and a state trooper finally responded nearly two hours after the attack to take a report.

At 4 p.m. Tuesday, Alexander was informed by a county health department official that the cat indeed did test positive for rabies.

She learned from a veterinarian, who is also a Wildewood resident, that three other people were also treated for cat attacks, but she could not confirm whether they were infected with rabies.

When The Bay Net learned of this rash of attacks Tuesday night, county officials could not be reached for comment. Check back Wednesday for further details as they are released.