Bobcat Bites Woman's Leg, Claws Other Leg

Officials have sent out a warning after a woman was attacked by a rabid bobcat in Arizona.

She was walking with her friend in the foothills of the Hualapai mountains in Mohave County when the incident took place on August 9.

"The victim and a friend were approached by the bobcat while out for a walk," Arizona Game and Fish Kingman said in a post on Facebook. "As they backed away, the bobcat clawed the victim's lower leg and bit her other lower leg. The victim self-transported to the Kingman Regional Medical Center for treatment."

Officials said that bobcat attacks are rare, but "when they do occur, rabies is often involved."

Rabies is a fatal viral infection that is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals. The virus targets the brain and spinal cord of mammals, causing progressive inflammation and, eventually, death.

Once in the brain, the rabies virus binds to and inhibits certain receptors that play a crucial role in regulating mammalian behavior, according to researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In humans, this usually results in feelings of anxiety, confusion, partial paralysis, hallucinations and, in its final phases, a fear of water.

In animals, the virus often induces increased aggression, turning infected animals into angry biting machines, hellbent on spreading the infection through their frothing saliva. However, rabies isn't always this obvious, and some animals may become more timid when infected, according to the CDC.

Roughly 5,000 animal rabies cases are reported in the U.S. every year, with only about one to three human cases, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. However, around the world, the World Health Organization estimates that at least 59,000 people die every year from rabies infections, with 95 percent of cases occurring in Africa and Asia.

On August 11, the Arizona Game and Fish Department removed a bobcat from the vicinity that was acting aggressively, but its staff are still urging the public to stay alert and inform officials of any unusual or aggressive animal behavior.

To avoid rabies exposure, the department suggests taking the following measures:

• Enjoy wildlife from a distance and keep your pets away from them.
• Do not pick up, touch, or feed wild or unfamiliar animals, especially sick or wounded ones.
• Vaccinate all dogs and cats against rabies.
• If you have been bitten or scratched, or had contact with an animal, wash the wound or area well with soap and water, and report it immediately to animal control and health officials.