Domestic Animals

Domestic species accounted for 8% of all rabid animals reported in the United States in 2010. The number of reported rabid domestic animals decreased among all domestic species except cats.

In 2010, cases of rabies in cats increased 1.0% compared with the number reported in 2009. The number of rabies cases reported in cats is routinely 3-4 times that of rabies reported in cattle or dogs. Pennsylvania reported the largest number of rabid domestic animals (72) for any state, followed by New York (51). In 2010 approximately 1.1% of cats and 0.3% of dogs tested for rabies were found positive.