Cat With Plague Found In Boulder County

BOULDER COUNTY, CO — A cat living near North Foothills Highway and Plateau Road in Boulder County tested positive for plague June 2, public health officials warned.

The cat’s owner was concerned when the pet fell ill several weeks after it was found with a baby rabbit, according to Boulder County Public Health.

This is the first plague case that has been confirmed in Boulder County this season.

Boulder County Parks and Open Space was notified of the case, and warning signs will be posted in the neighborhood with precautionary measures to avoid the plague, officials said.

“Because plague is most commonly transmitted by fleas, taking steps to avoid flea exposures will help prevent spread of the disease,” said Carol McInnes, Boulder County Public Health environmental health specialist.

Public health officials recommend the following precautions to reduce the likelihood of being exposed to plague:

• AVOID FLEAS! Protect pets with flea treatment recommended by your veterinarian and keep pets on a leash and out of wildlife habitats.
• STAY OUT of areas that wild rodents and rabbits inhabit. If you enter areas with rodents or rabbits, wear insect repellent containing DEET and tuck pants cuffs into socks to prevent flea bites.
• AVOID all contact with wildlife, including rabbits and squirrels; do not feed or handle them.
• DO NOT TOUCH sick or dead animals.
• PREVENT rodent infestations around your house: clear plants and materials away from outside walls, reduce access to food items, and set traps.
• TREAT burrows on your property if you find dead rabbits or rodents with an insecticide approved by the EPA for use on fleas and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the label.

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Dogs, and especially cats, can either get plague or carry infected fleas home to their owners. In rare instances, plague can be transmitted to people from cats sick with plague.

“Keeping cats indoors is the best way to protect them from getting plague,” McInnes said. "Pet owners should also discuss with their veterinarians the best way to protect pets from fleas.”

Plague occurs naturally in Colorado, and is an infectious disease spread by fleas to wild rodents and other small mammals such as prairie dogs and rabbits. Bubonic plague is the most common form of plague and occurs after a bite from an infected flea. Plague can spread to humans when infected fleas — from rabbits, prairie dogs, and other wild rodents — bite a human.

Symptoms of plague include high fever, extreme fatigue and painful swollen lymph nodes. If you observe these symptoms in a person or pet, it is important to contact your healthcare provider or veterinarian immediately, health officials said. Plague can be treated with antibiotics, but this treatment is most successful when the disease can be diagnosed quickly.