CLAY -- Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Cynthia Morrow announced Wednesday afternoon that a feral cat in the Town of Clay has tested positive for rabies.

The adult black cat had been living in the area along Jackson Road. That's right by Intersate 481, near the Oneida River.

Dr. Morrow says any person who believes they have had physical contact with the cat should contact their physician to determine if they need to receive rabies vaccine.

The Health Commissioner stresses that it is important not to touch or feed unknown or feral cats because they interact with wildlife and have the potential to be rabid. This is the first finding of rabies in a cat since August 2010.

Below are steps from the Onondaga County Health Department to help prevent rabies:

- Teach children to stay away from unfamiliar animals, either wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.

- Wash any wound from an animal thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.

- If your family or your pet has been exposed to a bat, capture the bat and have it tested for rabies. If you awaken to find a bat in your room, or a bat is present in the room of an unattended or sleeping child or, in a room with someone with a mental impairment, seek medical advice and have the bat tested.

- Be a responsible pet owner by keeping your pet’s vaccinations current. This is especially important for dogs, cats, and ferrets. Getting your pet vaccinated can help stop the spread of rabies from wild animals to humans.