Cat Tests Positive For Bubonic Plague In Jefferson County

People have heard about animals, including big cats, testing positive for COVID-19. Now officials in Colorado are confirming that a normal cat has tested positive for something else entirely, according to FOX 31.

Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) says the cat is the first case of bubonic plague this year. Officials believe the feline got infected by a sick rodent. No word on if the cat is someone's pet.

“While plague is a serious disease, and cases of animal-borne disease in household pets is never something we like to see, it is normal and expected for some animals to contract plague in Jefferson County each year,” Jim Rada said, Director of Environmental Health Services at Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH). “The good news is that modern antibiotics are effective against plague, and as long as it is treated promptly, severe complications, illness or death can be avoided.”

The plague emerges from a bacteria called Yersinia pestis. Both humans and household pets can contract it through these methods:

• Bites from infected fleas
• By the cough from an infected animal
• By direct contact with blood or tissues of infected animals

According to JCPH, cats are more susceptible to the plague than dogs. They even risk death if not properly treated with antibiotics.

Health officials encourage pet owners to monitor their pets and make sure they're not interacting with rodents, especially dying and dead ones.

For more information on plague symptoms and prevention, click here.