If it looks well fed and cared for why do you think it is a stray? How old does it look? If over 6 months it might be able to find its way back home.

If it doesn't appear sickly at all it probably does not have rabies. It would also not be drinking water. It would also probably be acting aggressive. I don't understand why you would think it would have rabies? WTH??? You got upset just because it rubbed up against your dog?

It doesn't sound like it has any signs of rabies and I have seen many rabid animals - usually skunks in this area (about 5 % of them). I used to be an animal control officer. It's well-fed looking, well-cared for looking, eating, drinking water, not aggressive. So why the hell do you think it has rabies???

Any mammal can catch rabies but even in wildlife the percentage is low.

Instead of calling animal control it would have been better to put found ad in newspaper (usually free) & some flyers up. The cat may even live somewhere on your block.

Most animal control shelters only hold stray cats for 72 hours and then can put them down which they usually do if they are crowded. Cat owners don't always come looking for the cat right away since cats wander & then come home again. So if an owner doesn't come to claim it it could be dead in 72 hours. It might have been better to call an animal save group instead. Many of these groups would be able to discern if it displays rabies symptoms which it doesn't sound like it does! You may have just given it its death sentence just because it rubbed up against your dog! Well, there may be a cat owner out there who loves their cat just as much as you do your dog.

Sorry, I know I'm being tough on you but it struck a chord with me! When I was an ACO I just got sick of people bringing in animals for stupid reasons and then we'd end up having the kennel workers putting them down to make space for the hoards we were bombarded with every day!

Doesn't sound like it has rabies from what you have said!