A person who is scratched by a cat may get rabies, so after a person is scratched by a cat, he or she should not take it lightly and should determine if further treatment is necessary based on the depth of the wound. Although cats and dogs are different, cats may contain rabies virus in their saliva and are treated as a high-risk animal for rabies transmission, as are dogs. Although cats have not directly attacked and bitten humans, saliva residue is present on the paws as cats often lick their bodies. If a cat carries the rabies virus or is in the incubation period of rabies, it is possible to transmit rabies to humans after scratching them. If the cat has been vaccinated against rabies and is in effect, or if the person has made it clear by other means that the cat does not carry the rabies virus, it does not have the ability to transmit rabies. Most of the time, however, a person is not capable of judging either of these situations, so it is recommended that the rabies vaccine be administered to prevent rabies after a scratch. If a cat carries the rabies virus and the wound is not bleeding, the likelihood of transmitting rabies is less, and if the wound is bleeding, the likelihood of transmitting rabies is higher. In addition to dogs, cats, pigs, cattle, horses, bats and foxes can transmit rabies, and people should be vigilant if they are accidentally scratched.