![In the U.S., cats are the most common domestic animals to be infected with rabies.](https://images.emedicinehealth.com/images/slideshow/featured-slideshow/featured-behavioral-problems-cats.jpg)
Cause of Rabies
Animal Bites
Many different types of animals ranging from dogs, cats, hamsters, raccoons, ferrets, and squirrels can bite adults and children. Many times, bites are from the family pet.
Most states require that animal bites be reported, therefore, the person bitten will be asked to fill out a form with information about the bite or asked specific questions for reporting purposes when medical care is sought. Aside from simple data collection, this can be important in cases of rabies cases to help officials track location(s) and monitor a possible spread of the disease.