KOLENCHERY: Although not a celebrity, cats are ahead in biting than dogs. Cats have held the upper hand over dogs for years when it comes to biting people. According to the RTI document, 3,29,554 people were bitten by cats from January 2022 to January 23. Only 2,44,807 people were bitten by dogs during this period. Since 2015, cats have overtaken dogs in terms of bites. When in 2015, 1,07,406 people were bitten by dogs, cats not 319 more.

According to an RTI document on the number of rabies vaccinations at health centers, 2,34,055 people were bitten by dogs in 2021-22, while cats were ahead after biting more than a lakh. 3,37,008 people were bitten during this period. Although the records are not available whether stray dogs or domestic dogs bite more, according to the Right to Information document obtained from Rayamangalam Health Center, 112 people were bitten by domestic dogs in 2021, while only two were bitten by stray dogs.

When 131 people were bitten by domestic dogs in 2022, stray dogs’ bit only five people. Two of them were bitten from outside the panchayat. A person was bitten from Tamil Nadu. Anti-rabies medicines are also taken for the bites of animals like bats, goats, rabbits and squirrels. Unintentional nail or tooth bites by pets are recorded as dog and cat bites. Rs 16,58,67,261 were spent in 2021-22 and Rs 15,92,84,541 till January 23, 2022 for anti-rabies medicine.