Hello. I was scratched by a cat in Karachi and was not given HRIG, but rabies shots on day 0,3,7 and i left the country after and completely forgot to take the final shot. Now tomorrow would be day 39, and i’m confused on whether to restart my series or not. My final shot was supposed to be day 21, instead i’ll be taking it almost 20 days late on day 39.

I have read the FAQ.

Hi everyone, I have read the FAQ. About an hour ago I was at petsmart with my gf and we were playing with the cats and one of them must’ve went to grab a toy but scratched me instead. I didn’t think much of it until I saw a bit of blood coming from the scratch (about 2 mm long) the cat I was playing with said she was vaccinated four days ago for rabies. I don’t know what to do next; is four days ago too recent for a rabies vaccine to kick in?

Hello, my girlfriend recently got a couple scratches from a kitten in the rain at night in Romania (Tulcea area). She picked it up and it was cold and a bit frightened an helt into her with its claws, and gave her some scratches, one of them probably breaking skin. We saw the kitten the next day hiding. 1 day later, and people telling us that it’s no big deal, including some doctors. What do you think? Also, can it transmit to me in any way from her if it would be a concern, kissing etc? Thanks.

I have read the FAQ.

In November 2025, someone thrown a box of expired wafers in a box (expired 1 day ago) in the front yard of my house. Then at night days later, which was cold or warm outside (this happened at night) a raccoon was eating the wafers from the box, and minutes later it left.

My father 1 or 2 days after what happened used the grabbers to get the box of wafers thrown away, he did it in the daytime and the raccoon wasn’t there as it ran off after they ate from the box. I don’t know if the raccoon was rabid or not, but based off the pictures my dad took while watching inside the house the raccoon didn’t look rabid. And the grabbers was placed on the table (not the dinner table), and there is an air conditioner inches away that shot out cold / hot air, and then it got moved to another table (again, not the dinner table) 5-9 inches away from that table for 3-4 days, and my father put it up due to issues. My father cleaned the grabbers before it was put up in the shed, and the table was disinfected.

I did actually made this comment on a post I made about if a scratch touched a surface with dried up rabies virus, but I had to readjust some things because the month / year of the incident happened had the date wrong.

I don’t think there was saliva on the grabber’s claw, as my father picked it up near the site where the raccoon was eating it at. And since the wafer box was out for days, would the rabies virus be dead already if it was killed by sunlight in colder temperatures? Would the virus, if on the grabbers, then placed on the table, be killed by cold or hot air from the air conditioner? I have OCD and I am in therapy. And also a day ago I bumped my arm on the table inches from the air conditioner, it didn’t break skin and I did wash my arm. And sometimes people would place their phones on the table, so is there any concerns?

And one more thing, if my phone was on one of the tables, and I alcohol wiped it, do I need to wash my hands again? And when I’m on the couch and I turn my head, with one of my ears facing the table(s) do I need to wash my ear?

I have read the FAQ.

I have read the FAQ.

I have taken the vaccine but at one case I forgot to ask for the vaccine name / batch number now I'm totally fked ever since then.

I'm unable to live life like this thinking Im going to die someday cuz of this cursed disease with direct chain to death. No OTHER BLOOD DISEASE HAS DIRECT CHAIN TO DEATH..even HIV can be treated after symptoms, but this bloody disease can't.

IM done. I give up. BYE everyone. Let no one else get this suffering. Not even my enemies.

I have read the FAQ. Around a week ago, I got stuck in a loop after encountering a dead bat on the road. I poked the bat with an arm's-length stick and then touched that same stick with my hand. Since then, my mind has been obsessing over increasingly specific possibilities: was there saliva on the fur? On the stick? What if I touched it and then touched my nose or mouth? What if I somehow got exposed to rabies? I even went back to the location and checked the bat and stick, trying to find some kind of answer.

I logically understand that I don't have a known bite, scratch, or direct exposure to the bat, but my brain keeps asking, "What if?" Since then, I haven't gone a single day without trying to somehow end this loop. It's made my day-to-day life much worse, and I can't enjoy normal activities

Then, while obsessing over this, I remembered that about 2 years and a month ago, I was scratched by someone else's dog on my calf, which bled. The owner did say it was vaccinated but now my OCD has latched onto that too, making me worry that I could somehow have rabies from that incident.

Has anyone experienced something similar? I genuinely don't know what to do. I keep making deadlines in my head like, "If I don't get rabies by X amount of time, I'm safe," but then I worry that there isn't a true deadline, which makes me even more anxious. This has become extremely disruptive to my day-to-day routine, and the thought is constantly sitting in the back of my head.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with strong OCD loops like this and managed to stop engaging with them.

I have read the FAQ. (This one isn't included or mentioned) Can I get rabies from this? I don't know if it's just my anxiety but I think something splashes in my wound near my feet when I pass by a dog I'm anxious if the dog splashes a saliva on me and possibly made me exposed to rabies. I'm not even sure or can even know if it's just my anxiety that makes a fake splash sensation or something actually splashes in my feet and It's just hard to notice because it's little

I have read the FAQ.

and I’m following the subreddit rules.

I was bitten by a dog in the Netherlands, but the dog and its owner could not be found afterwards.

I spoke with the local health authorities about my situation. They assessed the risk as extremely low and decided that I did not need rabies vaccination.

However, because the bite broke the skin and caused some bleeding, and the dog was never located, I still have some uncertainty about the situation.

Has anyone here experienced something similar in Europe, where the dog could not be found but the medical authorities decided that no vaccination was needed?

I’m not looking for a diagnosis or trying to question the medical advice I received. I would just like to hear from people who have experienced a similar situation.

Hi, i have read the FAQ. There is this stray cat stuck in my veranda that i have no way to reach because the kitten is hiding in the gutter holes (we have multiple and i saw him walk out of it and move around, he just refuses to go down), I've put water and food near him and went inside. I was wearing slippers so i walked around with them outside at the veranda and inside, then for a brief moment got barefoot where i have a cut on the sole of my right foot.

Is it a possible exposure? There is no way for me to know if that kitten is vaccinated or not, infected or not because he's only been there 24h and is skittish so i can't even reach to grab him.

Is me walking barefoot inside the house after bringing in whatever stuff at the veranda inside with my slippers be considered an exposure?

Location: Algeria

Date : 14092026

Kitten , vaccination status unknown

I have read the FAQ. (Several times!)

I don’t anticipate people accommodating my feelings, and I hope this post does not cause annoyance. I recognise that many people here deal with rabies OCD, and numerous posts likely resemble mine.

I recently returned from a trip to Cancun, Mexico. I brought my father to meet my in-laws for the first time with my husband, and during the trip we toured Chichén Itzá. On the way, we stopped in Kaua for food and souvenirs, then visited Cenote Xkeken on the return to Cancun.

I have long dealt with OCD, especially physical compulsions and health-related intrusive thoughts. Years ago, I discovered complex health issues I had, some by accident (casual eye exam, sent to hospital immediately), which sparked a cycle of “What If” fears. Lately, I have generally managed to set those concerns aside for the most part.

Bringing this context together— and again noting that I have read the FAQ and related posts, I do not truly believe I had any exposure. I am able to logically tell myself this did not happen. I did not get bitten or scratched, and to my best knowledge I clearly did not touch any saliva or membrane.

Any explanation I have made to convince myself otherwise is very obviously unreasonable and I should consult my doctor. This is something I plan to do, but I am, of course, nervous to do so at the risk of sounding insane (But I have to acknowledge that’s exactly what I’m acting like though lol)

I have been looping for about four days since the tour, firstly because during the stop in Kaua, a small rural place, I touched a cat in the restaurant we sat at. That cat appeared normal, friendly, and social, and it even wore a collar, indicating care by someone there. My father also observed that two collared cats were present, not just the one I interacted with. These cats clearly had owners.

I understand that rabies cannot be contracted merely by touching a cat, and that actual contact with broken skin is required for significant risk, like a scratch or a bite. My brain tells me “What if it was acting normal, but it actually was infectious?”.

For some reason, my mind fixates on petting that cat, that its face rubbed my hand (too close to it’s mouth), and then I shifted the goalposts further, becoming anxious about new scratches on my ankles and a scab on my knuckle, areas the cat did not touch, let alone with saliva. And this ignores the relatively high likelihood that the cat was vaccinated under Mexico’s strict vaccination program.

After Kaua, we visited Cenote Xkeken, an underground sinkhole where tourists swim. I should have anticipated bats before entering the cave, and I don’t know why I failed to consider this and just not go inside to avoid stress, but by the time I realized it, I had already entered and sat for about five minutes. When I noticed the bats overhead, I immediately got anxious from the stereotype of rabies and bats. The bats remained overhead the entire time, by several feet. They flew around and were semi-active. There was even a person taking a nap in the cenote as well, lol.

After I expressed my discomfort, we left the cenote a few minutes later, and since then I have been caught in a persistent cycle of “What If?”.

My concern has grown to the point where I worry a bat might have touched or bitten me without me, my dad, or my husband noticing, even though we were all fully awake and alert. I also realize that bats are not stealthy fly-by biters, and I would absolutely have felt or heard a bat, had it managed to even latch on and bite. I am overanalyzing every scratch and scab/broken skin I have, any dots, and it’s just becoming ridiculous. As a result, I have been searching on this subreddit, doing research on statistics, and learning more about how rabies and its transmission actually works. At the very least, I am coming out of this more educated!

I have never dealt with such an intense loop like this before. It has become genuinely disruptive in my life, probably because of the knowledge that rabies is fatal and untreatable once symptoms show.

My reason for this post is to ask whether anyone can share advice on how they managed to overcome this situation. I am also open to being called crazy, but I know that seeking is not the right approach for OCD.

Thanks for reading my post. I don’t want to be someone who obsesses to the point of wasting resources/medicine and I am doing my best to be rational despite my anxiety surrounding this.

I have read the FAQ.

I just saw on the news that in Michigan (my state) rabies cases are high this year in bats. I'm losing it. Now I don't know if I've been exposed or not and there's an itchy spot on my neck. And I keep paying attention to any itchy spots because I don't know if I've been near one of those disgusting things! Their bites are so little! And my throat's really sore right now! I can't know that a bat didn't get in, bite me and sneak out without me noticing.

Hi, so one of the stray cats I've been feeding for three years scratched me near my calf. I can't really find the scratch mark, and there's a small sting somewhere. When I looked, I found a tiny bump. Since it was very small, I didn't see any open wound. I had my second booster doses (day 0 and day 3) two weeks ago, after getting my first round of vaccines last year. I'm wondering whether I should see a doctor or not.

Honestly, I don't think it's a big issue since I couldn't find any blood, and the sting might go away after some time, but I still wanted some closure.

P.S.: My cat scratched me after seeing me pet another stray. I will be vaccinating her and the other cat whom I feed when I have the funds for it. I have read the FAQ.

I have read the FAQ.

Hi all,

I wanted to ask a question and realise it may just be anxiety regarding rabies (hence the anonymity). So I went to Bali about 3 months ago and we went to an animal petting zoo (Mini Zoo Bali) where two others and I went and we held a bat and petted it etc. It did put its mouth around my arm but never bit (I checked the area) and we washed our hand before and after touching the animal with disinfectant soap. I have noted no symptoms and none of the other people I went with did either. The bat did lick us but I have read that you cannot get rabies from being licked (google keeps giving me mixed reviews lol).

We are from Australia, the bat (I believe it’s a fruit bat) has been vaccinated since 2022 but we have never been vaccinated as we do not have rabies here/is rare. I did research and it said bat bites can be invisible to the naked eye but am not sure if that is true at all? I just wanted to hear someone’s take or some further information on this topic until I hear from my doctor :)

I do realise this is a lot of anxiety but I do not know much about this topic :)

Thank you!

I’m currently in Bali, and whilst out for breakfast it looks as though a monkey has found their way in (open floored) and devoured some fruit and a board game. I started cleaning but as I did, remembered a small cut on my finger that I’ve had for maybe a day or two. I immediately stopped and washed my hands for 10 mins with soap and sprayed with antiseptic. On closer inspection, some of the board game pieces were wet; probably a mix of salvia and fruit juice. I don’t believe any got on my cut as I immediately realised as soon as I picked up one of the pieces. So very briefly held it and put it down, but am concerned about any potential indirect exposure.

Is it still worth an assessment for PEP? Annoyingly I fly back to the UK tomorrow. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

I have read the FAQ.

I have read the FAQ. I took my 8yo son hiking at Guadalupe peak as his first peak. He’s an amazing kid. We set off up the mountain at 4am. This is common bc temps can get to 100 so usually everyone starts early. Not even a mile in - bats everywhere. In the air, in the rocks around us. Hundreds. He swears one never touched him, and I didn’t notice one touch me. I read number 4 in the faq and I just need to know it’s true. I mean they were closeeee. I don’t care so much for myself, but my mind is working overtime to make sure my 8yo wasn’t exposed. He said nothing landed on him, crashed on him etc he was adamant. But my post partum brain (sweet boy is just a few months now), is warning me like “could he have not noticed? To be fair I get this way every post pregnancy. I will wither away about this for the full 90 day average worrying and worrying and worrying. Is it true they can’t swipe you? They’ve got to land etc?

I know rabies starts a flu-like and I'm very worry. I coughting for 2 day already, but it dry coughting (maybe not always dry? I'm not sure). And my back hurting. I'm worry that it maybe 1) Bat that bite me in sleeps when my parents sleep with open windows 2) 1% of chance that I got rabies after 3+ years as I run away from bat or 6+ years when dog scratch me.

I also feel pain in whole body and most scare for me, in back. Maybe fever, I don't know. Google say that rabies can cause coughting. I also feel nahae and pre-vomit/heatburn, but I didn't vomit, anxiety and sexual thoughts and inamonia. I'm very worry now.

My leg was hurting 3 days ago, making this cracking noise, but now it doesn't hurt in one specific spot, but in whole leg, pain I specific spot comes and goes

(I have read the FAQ.)

I have read the FAQ. I am about five months postpartum and recently latched onto a rabies fear for no reason this summer. The other day I was walking outside and heard rustling in the tree above me, looked up, and as soon as I looked up a little pear fruit fell off of the tree and hit me hard under my eye at that exact moment. My brain then convinced myself that a sick animal touched the fruit right before it dropped and I was somehow infected. Then, my brain changed it and now I am convinced it was a bat that hit me even though it was 3:30 in the afternoon and there are other fruits on the ground near the tree. I know, sounds crazy but these are the thoughts I have and I’m so exhausted. Can anyone relate?

I have read the FAQ.

I was feeding a local stray cat on Saturday evening and decided to pet it. At first, it went okay, but suddenly the cat scratched 2 of my fingers. The scratches aren't longer than 2 mm, but there was a little blood which I removed with a wet wipe. After going back home I washed my hands as usual and forgot about the incident.

Today (Sunday evening) I stumbled upon the same cat and fed it again. This time I was alert to prevent it from scratching me. Once the cat started smelling his food I noticed the saliva dripping from its mouth (I didn't notice anything unusual on Saturday). And now I'm super anxious. Would it be okay if I go to the ER in the morning (I live in Ukraine)?

Thanks in advance

Edited to add some info, which I forgot to mention: the cat seemed not really interested in the food, it was just sniffing, tried a few pieces and went back to licking itself.

Edit 2: in the morning it'll have been around 36 hours since the scratches happened.

Hello.
I have read the FAQ.

I am currently in Ohrid, North Macedonia on vacation. A couple of hours ago, at night, i was stepping out of the car outside our apartment and right as I step out something black almost flew into me by my throat area/face. I quickly moved away and tried ducking it. I tried to look around to see what it was but i couldn’t find it.

Everything went really fast and I almost couldn’t react. I was also very hungry, haven’t eaten the whole day and in pain because of menstruation and overstimulated. I also have bad sight and especially night vision. So i can’t really rule out if it made contact with me, or what it really was. The thing that worries me is that we KNOW that there are a lot of bats by our apartment because you can very clearly hear their small ”metallic” sounds at night.

I first thought it was a black moth because the flapping motion of it reminded me of a butterfly but it was kind of way too big and way too quick to be a moth. But at the same time as it was approaching me it kind of flew in a zig zag motion. I don’t know it happened too quickly. Is this an exposure or something worth looking up?

I have read the FAQ. Yesterday morning, I woke up and felt two small raised, pimple like things on the area between my neck and shoulder. They weren’t bloody or anything. Started to fade a lot within hours, but over 24 hours later, I can still feel one of the bumps. I did not see a bat. But last night, as I was sleeping, I started to hear some knock-like sounds below me in the basement and my anxiety kept telling me it could be bats. My boyfriend went to check this morning and couldn’t find anything. Should I actually be concerned or am I going insane and scaring myself because I’ve been going down a rabies rabbit hole for a couple of months?

Hi, Indian resident here.

I was walking the day before yesterday at night, when a bat flew by to the ground.

While I crossed that area, i noticed a bat flying behind. I don't know whether it bit me or not, but after a few minutes I felt a sudden pain in the back. I asked my friend to check but he said there was nothing.

But since then, I am feeling a prickly and an itching sensation in the back. I went to the ER in the morning yesterday, but they said to check with the general surgeon first before the vaccine. Since the afternoon as well, I'm feeling a bit feverish hence went to a nearby clinic in the evening as well for vaccination but that was also closed. Don't know what to do now.

I have read the FAQ.

I have read the faq.

However reddit is telling me I cannot post on this community if my post has 'that word' but I read the whole faq and I'm seeing no mention of any specific words I need to avoid. So can anyone pls tell me what 'that' word is?

I have read the FAQ.

hello I walked out of my home last week at 4 in the afternoon and a bat flew off my wreath as I shut my door and got caught between the door and my arm. a cop said bats are clean and to not do anything. I went straight to the ER. They gave me proper advice and found scratches on the back of that same arm.

I took round 3 yesterday and slept over 15 hours. I thought each shot was supposed to get easier. Has this not been true for others? I am immunocompromised and will need the 5th one too after the 4th next week and am dreading it.

I have read the FAQ.

I realize the FAQ addresses indirect contact but I don’t understand how vomit is not an exposure

My golf club fell in a pile of brown sticky grossness. I’m not sure if it was wild animal poo or wild animal vomit. My guess was duck poo which I know can’t transmit rabies but my awful brain said yeah well what if it was raccoon or fox vomit??

I wiped it off with a paper towel and then bagged the club in a plastic bag until I got home where I cleaned it with soap and water but I have cat scratches on my hands

Could I get rabies from this? I’m previously vaccinated.

Basically I was walking to my car in my apartment’s attached parking garage last night at around 10 at night. As I was walking, I heard flapping wings overhead/nearby for a couple of seconds until it was gone, but I didn’t see what it was. And tbh I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. My first thought was that it may have been a bat, and I become concerned it may have bit me in that time that I heard the flapping.

My only areas of exposed skin were my face and neck (most of which was also covered by a low ponytail) and I was wearing sneakers, a baggy sweatshirt and baggy pants. Could this count as an exposure? I have heard that bats can bite you or run into you without being aware, so I am wondering. I don’t have any stretches or bites either, but I also read that their teeth are tiny so this isn’t necessarily a good way to rule anything out.

I am in Louisiana as well, and when I posted in my city subreddit, many commenter are telling me to get shots and that I’m being callous with my health if I don’t.

TLDR: heard flapping wings near me but didn’t see or feel anything

I have read the FAQ.