A dead bat first spotted in the mouth of a cat in a Corvallis neighborhood has tested positive for rabies, Benton County environmental health officials said Tuesday.

After a witness reported seeing the cat with the bat in its mouth near Fourth Street and Polk Avenue on Friday, county environmental health specialists recovered the bat for testing and then went door-to-door in the neighborhood to alert residents about the exposure to the cat and potential for disease.

The cat was located and it was verified that the animal had been vaccinated for rabies, according to Benton County spokesman Phillip Hudspeth.

But Tom Eversole, county health administrator, warned that residents and veterinarians should be aware other animals in Corvallis could have been exposed to the rabies virus and should be alert to potential of signs of the disease.

“This is a good opportunity to remind pet owners they should make certain their canine and feline companions are vaccinated against rabies,” Eversole said.

The bat found Friday was the first rabid animal found in Benton County since September of 2006, when a bat found in south Corvallis was determined to be infected.

Statewide, six animals have tested positive for rabies this year.

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous system of humans and mammals. It is almost 100 percent fatal once symptoms begin.

The virus is carried in the saliva of an infected animal, and transmission can occur when that animal bites, or in rare instances scratches, another.

Most of the recent human rabies cases in the United States have been caused by bites from bats.

Benton County health officials said people can help protect themselves through awareness of bat behavior and their presence.

If bitten by a bat, a person should immediately and thoroughly clean the wound with soap and water and seek medical attention.

The event should be reported to the county health department, and arrangements made to have the bat safely captured and tested for rabies.

For more information, call the Benton County Health Department at 541-766.6841.