Srinagar, Dec. 22 -- Official data accessed reveals that over 6500 cat bite cases were reported at ARC SMHS this year, and cat bite cases are more than dog bite cases reported at ARC.

An official at ARC SMHS told KNO that the surge is largely attributed to the increasing trend of keeping cats as pets, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, without following basic animal healthcare norms.

"Cats do transmit rabies, similar to dogs, but unfortunately, many owners believe cats are harmless and do not require vaccination. We are seeing a consistent rise in cat exposure cases. Now more than half of the animal bite cases reaching our clinic are due to cats," the official said.

He added that many pet owners fail to vaccinate, deworm, or provi...