For the third time in recent months, a cat has tested positive for bubonic plague in Wyoming, the state's Department of Health reports. No human cases have been identified, but health officials warn the disease can be passed to people from infected animals.


The most recent case involved a cat in the small town of Kaycee. Officials said the animal was known to wander outdoors. The disease was confirmed by the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory in Laramie.

This is the third plague-infected cat identified in Wyoming over the past six months. The other infected animals were in Sheridan and Campbell counties.

Cases of human plague are extremely rare, but do occur. On average, there are seven human plague cases in the United States each year. Wyoming health officials say the last known human case in that state was in 2008.

Plague is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis, which is spread through the bite of fleas carried by infected rodents. The disease occurs naturally in areas of the western and southwestern United States, officials say.

"Plague is a serious bacterial infection that can be deadly for pets and people if not treated as soon as possible with antibiotics," Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health, said in a statement. "The disease can be passed to humans from ill animals and by fleas coming from infected animals. We are letting people know of the potential threat in the cat's home area as well as across the state."

Not good! I believe it was found in prairie dogs too in Boulder, Colorado in the 90's

Plague is prevalent in most western ecosystems at any point and time. It can be quiet for long periods of time or raise its ugly head often. 10 years ago a number of us submitted over 100 bobcat carcass' for testing. most all were proven to carry the plague bacteria and over 50% feline distemper and feline leukemia. At any given time in the west plague can appear, Spraying fleas is your best defense.

It was in Sheridan county when I trapped there, a guy from Sheridan died from it, skinned a cat without wearing gloves. It was just north of where I was trapping near clear creek

We have it in some of the prairie dog towns in SE Mt.

Rancher said it was up the creek from where I trapped in his neighbors pasture, it was a six mile trip to get to the creek, an awesome funnel location, I had to drive through a prairie dog town, that year there was not one dog there, I saw a badger, decided not to shoot it, figured he had good chance of getting plague, usually prairie dog town was full of them

I'm opposed to the plague.

Every year there is a prairie dog town in Wyoming that gets wiped out and the cause is said to be plague. Nothing really new there.