Bit by a stray cat. Health dept closed till Jan 2. Safe to wait on rabies shots?

[Oneiropolos]

Sorta long story but I'll try to make it succinct and I wasn't even sure what topic to put this under, as it's not about the 'cat' really but thought I'd post here just in case someone DOES know the answers.
A year ago, a cat was killed in my front yard by two dogs picking a fight. They had already broken its back when I managed to stop them. This weighed heavily on me, and when I heard a cat in a scuffle today, I ran out. The one can refused to leave the bushes, the smaller cat came out to me very calmly and friendly, and let me pet it after I looked into it's eyes and judged the demeanor as non-hostile in any way.

What happened next is the problem. The cat who had remained in the bushes darted across my porch and hissed at the cat next to me, scaring it. Without thinking, I moved my hand in front of the cat to keep it from being continued. Also without thinking, I somewhat lifted the cat by doing so. If you know cats, you know some just don't like to be picked up, especially when scared. It bit me... I had three puncture marks on the back of my hand, two relatively surface wounds, the other deeper.I  of course, released it then. After the larger cat ran off, the smaller cat (the one that bit me) looked back to me and I placed some food out on the sidewalk for it which it promptly gobbled up. It did not attempt to harm me or hiss at me after the biting. I washed the wounds immediately with soap and water.. the deepest puncture barely bled and I used foam soap to make sure the soap could get in the wounds. But the inevitable fear of rabies is still there. I went to a nearby walk-in clinic with a doctor I've known for years (my mother taught all his children), he said that my county no longer even bothers to go after cats in particular, and gave me a prescription for antibiotics for cat scratch fever. He said if I was really worried, to call the health department and get their opinion on shots. Problem is, they're closed till Wednesday and I've heard some health departments schedule after-attack rabies shots for even later, which considering six days till wednesday.. if they put me on an eight day wait or something, is that too late to start shots? But I heard the ER shots can cost up to 10,000... for something that might not even be an issue and would involve 4-5 hours waits to get each shot. I'm not on insurance, and I don't know what to do. Is it safe to wait for the health department to open to get more reasonably priced costs and waits? Should I not really be worried since the stray cat didn't seem to exhibit any rabies like symptoms and has been in the neighborhood for a while. We cannot find it again or who owns it, so putting it under supervision is not an option unless it miraculously appears tomorrow. There was only one confirmed case of rabies this year in a cat for my county, and it was a feral cat 17 miles away who attacked outright, unlike the cat today that was provoked by fear and my holding it.

I have an anxiety disorder so I'm getting more and more scared as I wait... but with no insurance and having had to drop out of college because of my anxiety and pay doctor bills and pills for that for 7 years... I can barely afford even the cheapest rabies shots I've seen mentioned, let alone 5-10,000! Then again, I don't want to die of rabies. I just desperately need advice from someone who may know more about health departments and how long it's safer to wait before a series of shots if they decide I do need them.

[Oneiropolos]

Just a short update, thanks for your responses. :) The cat actually showed up on Christmas night again, poking around to see if he could get food. He still seemed entirely healthy and friendly (which was five days from me being bit), though evaded being caught. I have to admit by that point, we didn't try very hard to catch him because almost all accounts I've read of when rabies become active in a cat, he wouldn't be eating and in such a good temper by now if he was infectious when he bit me. He showed up again last night, though I didn't see him that time and another family member (who had seen him directly on Christmas with me) approached him and he rubbed against her legs and conned her into feeding him. So, while I want to catch the cat eventually so I can pay for it to be vaccinated and know it can be safe from rabies itself, I'm no longer in a state of panic. :) Thanks for the the answers.

[29sillygirl]

I agree completely with Opus about this incident  An animal with rabies shows signs...in my experience.  
The antibiotic is standard when an animal (even a loving housecat:)) scratches or bites.  Here, animal control is strict...so when I checked in with my doc....it was mandatory to fill out a form which put made Diego a 'bad boy':).  

Don't worry....enjoy the holiday season.