A domesticated cat that tested positive for rabies was found with five kittens in a Chantilly neighborhood in mid-June, and health officials are urging anyone who may have touched the animals to contact a doctor right away.
The Loudoun County Health Department described the cat as an average-sized brown tiger/tabby with white feet and white markings on her face. She had no collar or microchip. The cat's five kittens had gray and white fur with black striped markings.
The cat was found on Saturday near Hutchison Farm Elementary School and Falcon Academy in Chantilly. The cat was later euthanized after one person came into contact with it at a veterinary facility in Loudoun County, WTOP reported.
Officials in both jurisdictions are asking anyone who had contact with the cat or kittens between Friday, June 6, and Monday, June 16, to seek medical attention. The Loudoun County Health Department has formally issued an alert. Fairfax County's health department has also referenced the incident, though the scope of its advisory could not be independently confirmed. The Chantilly area straddles the county line.
"Seek medical care immediately. Do not wait for symptoms," said Dr. Zelalem Attlee of the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health Department, in guidance issued as part of a statewide rabies advisory reported by WTOP. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but is preventable with early treatment.
Local context
The Chantilly area is within the commuting radius of many Vienna residents. Virginia law requires all pet owners to vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies by four months of age, with a booster one year later.
Fairfax County identifies between 40 and 60 rabid animals each year, according to FFXnow's reporting on county data. Earlier in 2026, confirmed cases included a cat in Huntington and a kitten near Poplar Ford Park in Centreville. Statewide, 117 animals tested positive for rabies in the first quarter of 2026, according to state health department data reported by WTOP. Virginia has recorded only two human rabies cases since 2009.
How to report
Vienna-area residents who believe they had contact with the cat or kittens should call the Fairfax County Health Department's rabies program at 703-246-2433 (TTY 711). To report animal bites or animals acting strangely, contact the Fairfax County Department of Animal Services at 703-691-2131.
Loudoun County residents can reach their health department at 703-777-0234 or email [email protected].
