Rabid cat bites three at Black Rock Park
The Lower Colorado River Authority’s Black Rock Park on the shores of Lake Buchanan. File photo
At least three people were reportedly bitten by a “gray cat” between June 7-8 at Black Rock Park in Llano County. That cat tested positive for rabies on Thursday, June 11, according to local law enforcement.
The Llano County Sheriff’s Office is cautioning anyone who may have been in contact with a “gray cat” on or around June 7 at Black Rock Park, 3400 TX-261 in Buchanan Dam, to immediately contact a healthcare provider and seek guidance regarding rabies exposure.
A LCSO media release stated that at approximately 7:32 a.m. on Sunday, June 7, two men at Black Rock Park reported being bitten by a gray cat. On Monday, June 8, another report came in indicating that a woman at the park had also been bitten.
The cat was found dead later on Monday by an animal control officer. The cat’s body was then submitted for rabies testing and lab results came back positive for the disease on Thursday.
“All three known bite victims sought medical treatment and began rabies post-exposure treatment on the day of the incident,” reads the LCSO media release.
There are reportedly several black-and-white cats at the park that have current rabies vaccinations and they are not believed to have been involved in the incident.
Staff at Black Rock Park are said to be working to identify anyone else who may have had contact with the gray cat.