Research overview: rabies in wild felids: spillover from dogs and wildlife reservoirs

Rabies, an almost invariably fatal lyssavirus infection, occasionally strikes wild felids exposed through bites from infected dogs, jackals or other wildlife reservoirs. This overview surveys documented rabies in lions, leopards and other wild cats, the behavioral signs that can include uncharacteristic aggression or fearlessness, and the role of domestic dog and wildlife reservoirs in driving exposure. It examines why felids are typically spillover victims rather than maintenance hosts, the public-safety and conservation dimensions of rabid big cats, and how rabies fits into the broader landscape of carnivore disease. The synthesis connects reservoir control, particularly dog vaccination, to reducing felid exposure. It aims to give readers a clear picture of rabies as an ever-present, if intermittent, threat at the interface of domestic animals, wildlife and wild cats.