I found a cat on the road five days ago and brought it home; it’s unvaccinated. Today while bathing it, it scratched me and drew a little blood. Can I skip the rabies vaccine?

If you were scratched by a stray cat brought in from outside and the wound bled and was exposed, we recommend getting the first few vaccine shots promptly and following the 10-day observation method. Because once rabies infects, the mortality rate is 100%, it is safer to get vaccinated and observe the cat for ten days—if the cat is fine, you don’t need the later shots.

Also, first rinse the wound with tap water for 15–30 minutes, squeeze out the excess blood, then disinfect with iodine.