Let the cats be
Muscat: Many cats do not belong to a home or to the wildlife, which is why they are known as feral. They are also referred to as community cats or neighbourhood cats. Their lifespan is much shorter than domestic cats due to the challenges they face, from lack of food to road accidents. Survival is a day-to-day struggle for them.
They often hang around municipal trash cans and tend to avoid people unless provoked. The issue arises when people encroach on their territory.
During the Eid holiday, when more people venture outdoors, a private sector hospital reported 16 cases requiring antirabies vaccinations in one day. One patient mentioned that a cat had bitten his big toe the previous day. He said, 'It was bleeding a lot last night, so the doctor advised me to get the vaccination.'
Doctors check if the patient's blood has been exposed and recommend a tetanus injection. It is crucial to complete the five-dose anti-rabies vaccination series to prevent any complications.
Dr Peter Nolosco, a Veterinary Surgeon at Capital Vet Clinic, explained, 'If a house cat is properly vaccinated, there is no need to worry. If the cat is infected, consult a physician. For stray cats, follow the physician's advice on tetanus and antirabies vaccinations.'
Some people clean the scratch area and move on, while others seek medical attention promptly.
A study published by the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal mapped the epidemiology of animal bites and rabies in Oman from 1991 to 2013. It found a high incidence of animal bites, emphasising the need for a rabies prevention and control programme.
Oman now has a national surveillance system for animal bites and rabies, with notification required within 24 hours for group A disease cases. The Ministry of Health (MoH) in Oman primarily uses purified Vero cell rabies vaccine (PVRV) for post-exposure treatment. Pre-exposure treatment for high-risk groups is done by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MoAFWR).
Pets can travel once all precautionary measures are taken. Oman Airports have specific conditions for pets travelling through the Passenger Terminal, including obtaining permission from the destination country, following their laws and providing a veterinarian passport for the pet.
As for the feral cats, they just need better understanding from the humans, especially children.
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