Cathedral City woman possibly bitten by a bat

A Cathedral City woman was treated at a local hospital after possibly being bitten by a bat, the Department of Animal Services reported on Wednesday.

The woman told Animal Services she woke up and the bat landed on her shoulder. She thought it was her dog and shooed her pet away twice. That’s when she noticed the bat flying away.

She told officials that her legs were covered with red marks and looked similar to ant bites.

Animal Services officials said they went to the woman's property at around 2:00 p.m. and found the bat confined the the bathroom.

Officer Eric Espejo impounded the bat. It was then transported to a county lab for testing. It's uncertain if the bat is positive for rabies.

Animal Services will provide an update when the lab finishes its testing.

As is standard for a rabies control agency such as Riverside County Animal Services, a bat is always tested for rabies when a person has made a contact with the mammal.

After speaking with the woman, an animal control officer said the woman received rabies post-exposure treatment as a precautionary measure.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates.