KUCHING, Sept 20 — The Sarawak government may explore extending pet licensing requirements to cats as part of wider community engagement efforts to curb rabies, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Dr Sim said while dogs are already subject to mandatory vaccination and licensing, the growing number of rabies cases linked to cats raises the need for public consultation on whether similar measures should apply to felines.
“Since 2017, the number of dog bites has remained constant, with half of them now coming from people’s own pets.
“We are also seeing increased cases of cat scratches and bites.
“So when we say ‘dog bites,’ we must also include cat scratches, because rabies can spread through saliva, whether from a bite or from scratches contaminated with saliva,” he said.
Dr Sim was speaking after officiating the 2025 World Rabies Day event, jointly organised by Place Borneo and the Sarawak Department of Veterinary Services (DVSS), at the MBKS Community Hall today.
Also present were DVSS director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud and Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng.
“At present, dogs must be licensed but cats do not. We want community engagement to discuss if licensing cats could help us keep track of vaccinations and improve public health safety,” he said.
Dr Sim stressed that rabies is not confined to strays, noting that household pets can also carry and transmit the virus.
He reminded that vaccinating pets is mandatory for dogs under Section 40 of the 1999 Veterinary Public Health Ordinance, and owners who fail to comply can face compounds.
“To protect your pets and the community, three things are most important: vaccinate, license, and neuter,” he said, adding that subsidised neutering programmes are available through local councils.
Rabies remains a serious public health threat in Sarawak, with two deaths recorded this year alone, one in Kuching and another in Bintulu.
Since the outbreak began in 2017, more than 278,840 animals have been vaccinated.
For 2025, 10,957 animals have received vaccinations statewide.
“Rabies cases remain high, with 34 in Kuching, nine in Bintulu, one in Kapit, and one in Samarahan.
“Laboratory tests confirmed 45 positive cases from 490 samples, of which 42 involved dogs.
“More worryingly, nearly half (46 per cent) of these cases came from owned dogs, while the rest were from strays,” Dr Sim added. — The Borneo Post
