You Don’t Need to be Bitten by a Tick to be Infected

Investigation into the death of a Japanese woman whose cause of death was from a tick borne virus, has revealed that she wasn’t actually ever bitten by a tick! It was actually through the bite of a stray cat. Here’s an article with more on the story.

This Is How a Woman Died from a Tick-Borne Disease Without a Tick Bite

A woman in Japan died last year from a tick-borne disease — but she was never bitten by a tick.Instead, investigators believe the woman became infected with a disease called severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome through a bite from a stray cat, according to The Japan Times.

No cases have currently been reported in the United States,  but it’s worth being mindful that this CAN happen! Any animal, particularly a stray one, that my have come into contact with a tick and that could potentially bite you is a threat. And that’s not just from tick borne diseases, there are others that can be transmitted too.

Do feral cats spread disease?

It’s no secret that Americans love cats; there are more than 74 million felines kept as pets in the United States, with another 60 to 150 million million feral or free-roaming cats trying to make it on their own [source: Weise]. While many pet cats are spayed or neutered and up-to-date on life-saving vaccinations, feral cats are unlikely to receive this type of preventative care, allowing them to breed without restriction and to spread scary diseases, including rabies

So what can you do to protect yourself and your domestic pets from ticks. After all, they are at risk from a tick bite too.

Remember that these tiny bugs can kill. They are a very real threat, whether you come into contact with an infected tick directly or disease is spread from another animal. Be aware, be alert, be responsible.