Officials say the felines were exposed to rabies.
Thurmont, Md (KM) The Frederick County Health Department is asking residents in Thurmont for help in finding a stray female cat and one of her ten-week-old kittens. These two cats were seen on Apples Church Road and Seiss Road, and have been exposed to rabies.
The mother cat has short hair calico with a bushy tail. The kitten is all black.
Anyone who sees them should not approach or touch them. . Call the Health Department’s Community Health Services at 301-600-3342, , or Animal Control at 301-600-1544. The Health Department says the cats need to be vaccinated against rabies and undergo a quarantine to ensure the health of the two felines and the health of the people around them.
Another kitten in this same litter became sick, was taken to a vet and tested positive for rabies on November 4th. Thurmont residents and Animal Control have been working to trap the kitten and its mother since then. Three other kittens from the same e litter have already been caught and treated.
The Health Department is recommending people who have had contact within any of these cats after October 22nd, 2025, to get ahold of their health care provider and notify the Community Health Services Office. If any pets or livestock have come into contact with these cats, you need to contact you veterinarian, and notify the Health Department Environmental Health Office at 301-600-1717.
Rabies is a virus that infects mammals and spreads through the saliva of the infected animals, usually through a bite. Symptoms of rabies include fear of water, excessive salivation, failure to eat or drink, limping, being unusually friendly and atypical behaviors such as nocturnal animals coming out during the daytime. Rabies is always fatal to humans if they become infected, and post-exposure treatment is not obtained.
“Rabies can be prevented by avoiding contact with stray or wild animals. Making sure your pets are vaccinated is another key action you can take to protect yourself and others,”: says Barry Goltfley, Director of the Health Department’s Environmental Health Services, in a statement.
By Kevin McManus