The intersection of 13th Street and H Street in Belle Haven (via Google Maps)
The Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) is urging community members to reach out if they or a pet came into contact with a rabid cat reported in Belle Haven last month.
The cat was captured after attacking “multiple people and pets” during the evening of Nov. 28 near the 13th Street and H Street intersection. Testing later confirmed that the animal had been infected with rabies, the FCHD announced on Friday (Dec. 5).
“During the time it was sick, the cat may have had contact with other people or pets,” the health department said. “The cat is described as a domestic shorthair male with orange/white coloring and a tipped ear.”
Anyone who was touched, bitten or scratched by the cat between Nov. 20 and 28 is advised to call the FCHD’s Rabies Program at 703-246-2433.
Rabies is a viral disease that infects mammals and can be transmitted through contact with an infected animal’s saliva or central nervous tissue. According to the FCHD, Fairfax County typically records 40 to 60 cases every year, though there have been just 32 animals diagnosed with the disease so far in 2025.
Past cases have involved skunks, raccoons and other wildlife as well as domesticated pets. Neighboring Alexandria City issued an alert in mid-November after a fox tested positive for rabies.
More from the Fairfax County Health Department on symptoms of rabies and steps people can take to keep themselves and their pets safe:
Animals with rabies may act normally during the early stages of the disease, making it difficult to know if the animal is infected. As the disease progresses, animals often show changes in behavior. For example, wild animals may act very docile, and domestic animals may become aggressive. Rabid animals may stagger, drool, or become paralyzed.
Here are some important steps to protect yourself and your pets from rabies:
- Stay away from wild animals. Remember, if the animal is not your own, leave it alone! Do not adopt or feed wild or stray animals.
- Be sure pets are vaccinated against rabies every year.
- Do not allow your pets to roam unattended.
- Seal openings in your house so that wildlife cannot enter.
- Report animal bites, animals that are acting strangely (including domestic animals), or altercations between wild and domestic animals to Fairfax County Animal Control at 703-691-2131, TTY 711.
If bitten or scratched by an animal that might have rabies, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention right away. When vaccinations are provided in time and appropriately, rabies treatment is 100% effective in preventing the disease. If not treated, rabies is 100% fatal.
