KOLENCHERY: Humans are bitten more by domestic cats. 5,02,402 people were bitten by cats and 3,16,793 by dogs in 2024. This is the number of people who received rabies vaccination at government health centres. The actual number could be higher.

Animal welfare experts say that the increase in the number of bites is due to the fact that more people have started keeping cats after Covid. 94,971 people were bitten by cats in 2014.

95 percent of dogs that bite are domesticated. Most people come for vaccination due to bites and scratches that they accidentally get while petting or giving medicine. Attack bites are rare.

The Health Directorate does not have an exact figure on whether stray dogs or domestic dogs bite more. Apart from domestic dogs, people also take the rabies vaccine even if they are bitten by otters, wild cats, foxes, bats, rabbits and goats.

Year.............Dog bites......Cat bites........Rabies deaths

2020......................1,60,483..................2,25,154..............................05

2021.......................2,21,379..................3,37,008.............................11

2022......................2,88,866..................3,99,984..............................27

2023......................3,06,427..................4,77,946..............................25

2024......................3,16,793..................5,02,402..............................26