The Junction City Animal Shelter announced that a feline that had been in their shelter tested positive for tularemia which is commonly known as rabbit fever.
The shelter received the cat from the Junction City Police Department on Nov. 19 after they were dispatched to a call regarding the cat being injured. After testing done by K-State, the shelter received the test results back on Dec. 7 and reached out to individuals who may have come in close contact with the cat as well as the Geary County Health Department and Kansas Department of Health (KHDE).
Tularemia is a bacteria that can be spread by ticks, deer flies or handling infected animal tissue. It can occur when hunting or skinning infected rabbits, muskrats, prairie dogs and other rodents.
The Junction City Animal Shelter says to contact law enforcement if they see an animal exhbiting symptoms of illness or injury. Tularemia is a rare disease in the US.
