LEWISTON — Police said a rabid fox attacked a cat Thursday on Nob Hill Avenue off Webster Street.

In a news statement, Lt. David St. Pierre said an animal control officer was notified by a homeowner that a fox had attacked the family pet. The owner was able to kill the fox before the officer arrived at the scene.

The officer took the animal to the state lab in Augusta where it tested positive for rabies, St. Pierre said.

The family’s cat has been quarantined and will be tested for rabies, St. Pierre said.

The officer and the Lewiston Police Department “advise that fox are commonly nursing kits during this time of the year,” St. Pierre said. “If the rabid fox had been nursing; there is a probability the kits may also be infected with the virus.”

If anyone sees an wild animal behaving strangely or appears to be sick, they are urged to call 911 or the department’s nonemergency phone number at 207-784-6421.

“As always, please exercise caution and never approach or try to catch a wild animal,” St. Pierre said.