I am posting this for all we cat lovers - beware the cats in Istanbul. There are lots of cats in Istanbul, all feral as far as I can tell. They come up to you and some in the Sultanahmet area will even crawl on you. None of these cat have had vacinations. One young one tried to crawl up my leg during a meal at a street cafe and when I shooed it away it bit and clawed me. I went to a pharmacy for antibiotic and was told to go to the hospital. The dr said that they always recommend rabies vaccination in such cases, even if the cat did not seem rabid. I am now 3 shots through a 6 shot course (in the arm nowdays thank goodness!), but I assure you getting these, the first two in Turkey and most recent in Torino, Italy, has been a huge hassle. I recommend serious caution!

Thanks for this.. Your post has really made me think. I was clawed in Amorgos, Greece last month by a very hyper cat. It was a very tiny scratch. It simply did not occur to me to get a rabies vaccination. Do you think I should do something about this?

I remember all those cats, too! I feel so sorry for them. I petted many of them and never had a problem. I have been scratched by cats in foreign countries before, but never sought medical attention. Just cleaned it off good with alcohol and peroxide and had no problems.
Chances are good they are not rabid, and I hope you are OK.

Cat-scratch fever is a much more common result than rabies, but certainly any bite by an unknown cat should be taken seriously.

Cat-scratch fever is a much more common result than rabies, but certainly any bite by an unknown cat should be taken seriously.

My doctor says that any bite requires, at the very least, an antibiotic taken within 12 hours of the bite.

Is there a shot you can get BEFORE you travel to help with this isse?

There is a rabies shot but it is not recommended unless you are going to an area that you know you will need it. Anyway it isn't an immunization, it merely extends the amount of time available to after being bitten to get the anti-rabies vaccinations.

Ok, I feel better now!! Did a bit of research and it would seem a bite rather than a scratch is what you really need to worry about. I guess as a cat owner, I took the scratch in my stride when perhaps I should have gone straight to the pharmacy. I now know to leave those kitties alone.