Health Alert: Seeking Info About a Cat Bite Near Gimme Coffee (Ithaca)

(Ithaca, NY – September 4, 2026) – Tompkins County Whole Health’s Environmental Health Division (EH) must locate a cat that bit a person on Saturday, August 29, 2026, around 2-3:00 pm near the Gimme Coffee at 430 Cayuga Street and First Street (Ithaca). The biting cat is described as a white shorthair cat with a blue collar. The cat was observed wandering around the streets for a little while before the bite took place. The cat was not behaving aggressively but bit the person as they were trying to coax the cat away from the street and oncoming traffic.  

EH seeks to verify the health of the biting cat through an at home observation over a ten-day period. If the cat can be located and observed to be healthy by EH, the risk of rabies infection can be ruled out, and rabies post-exposure treatment will not be necessary for the person who was bitten. 

Anyone with information regarding this cat is urged to call the Tompkins County Environmental Health Division at (607) 274-6688. Staff are on call to respond to messages received by the answering service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.    

We would like to remind the public the importance of getting bites checked as soon as possible to determine if rabies post-exposure treatment is needed.  

Tompkins County Whole Health reminds everyone to: 

1. Avoid contact with any unfamiliar cats or dogs and any wild animals.
2. All cats, dogs and ferrets must have initial rabies vaccinations administered no later than four months of age.  Keep vaccinations current! Our next free rabies vaccination clinic for dogs, cats and ferrets will be held on Saturday, September 12th, 11am-2pm, at the TCAT Bus Garage (737 Willow Ave, Ithaca). Register for appointment at this clinic. For other free or low-cost rabies vaccine programs, contact the local chapter of the Street Dog Coalition or the Cornell Healthy Pet Clinic held at Ithaca’s Southside Community Center (305 S. Plain St., Ithaca).
3. Report the following incidents to Tompkins County Environmental Health at 607-274-6688:
   • All animal bites or scratches.
   • Any human or pet contact with saliva or other potentially infectious material (brain tissue, spinal tissue, or cerebrospinal fluid) of wild animals or any animal suspected of having rabies.
   • All bat bites, scratches, or any mere skin contact with a bat, or a bat in a room with a child, or sleeping or impaired person. 

Further information can be found at: tompkinscountyny.gov/health/eh/rabies. 

Tompkins County Whole Health: envisioning a future where every person in Tompkins County can achieve wellness. Find us online at: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/health and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or X. Sign up to receive Whole Health updates or other county announcements via email or text.

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