What To Do When A Cat Bites or Scratches You

What To Do When A Cat Bites or Scratches You - Just Cats Blog

What To Do When A Cat Bites or Scratches You

I have had my fair share of cat bites and scratches in my life. From playing with my cat Messi or from handling little kittens, my body reveals scars from previous encounters. I have been lucky to have not gotten any infection from these bites or scratches, but if you ever get bitten or scratched by a cat, here is what you you should do.*

First, you want to wash the the newly bitten or scratched area with warm water and soap. If it's minor, this will be one of your best defenses against infection. Wash the area well and then you can use hydrogen peroxide to ensure it's been sterilized. I've been doing this method for as long as I can remember and so far so good.

If the cat bite or scratch is more severe, stop the bleeding by providing pressure to the area and head to your local urgent care or emergency room. I once had a scratch so deep on my face, I was close to stitches. Fortunately, it didn't get to that point, but I now have a killer scar on my cheek courtesy of my cat Messi.

If you disinfect the minor bite or scratch and it appears worse a few hours later, it's best to get the help of a medical professional. They will more than likely provide you with an antibiotic to prevent further infection. Some signs of when you know you need additional help is:

  • Swollen area;
  • Pain or discomfort;
  • Redness;
  • Fever;
  • Headache;
  • Lethargy;
  • Body aches; and/or
  • Swollen lymph nodes.

These symptoms can come on pretty quickly after the bite or scratch. A cat's sharp teeth and claws do a good job in pushing harmful bacteria and dirt into our flesh so it can get pretty serious if left untreated.

In the U.S. alone, over 400,000 people get bit by cats annually and out of those, 60,000 go to the emergency room for additional treatment. The majority of those who are bitten/scratched are female. Even if the bite or scratch is minor, another thing to consider is rabies. If your cat doesn't have the proper immunizations for rabies or is not vaccinated against it, you may be putting yourself at risk. If you  potentially have rabies, the treatment and quarantine procedures can be unpleasant.

So how do you know if your bite or scratch is minor or serious? Every case is subjective and it also depends on the cat and the human. When in doubt, get it checked out. If left untreated, it can turn deadly. I've been lucky enough by getting away with washing and sterilizing at home, but am I fully aware of the signs.

Have you ever been seriously bitten or scratched by a cat? What was the experience? We can all learn from others so don't be shy to share your story below!

*This following post has been written by a non-medical professional. If you have been bitten or scratched by a cat, it's best to have it looked by a trained medical professional. The recommendations are only based off of personal experience and various sources on the web.

 

567 comments

  • Professional Crypto Assets Recovery services from Alpha Recovery Experts

    If you have been a victim of a fraudulent investment firm, the consequences can be devastating, both financially and emotionally. However, there is hope for recuperation with the help of professionals like ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS. With their experience in financial fraud investigation and recovery services, they can guide you through the complex process of recovering your assets and bringing the culpable parties accountable. By conducting thorough investigations, uncovering evidence of wrongdoing, and working tirelessly on your behalf, ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS can assist in recovering your losses and providing you with the support needed during this challenging time. Be rest assured that you can take action to recover financial control and move past this regrettable circumstance if you have ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS on your side.

    Mail; Add (Alpharecoveryexpert@consultant.com).
    Phone / WhatsApp; +44(745)742-4681.

    Oliver Williams
  • Professional Crypto Assets Recovery services from Alpha Recovery Experts

    If you have been a victim of a fraudulent investment firm, the consequences can be devastating, both financially and emotionally. However, there is hope for recuperation with the help of professionals like ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS. With their experience in financial fraud investigation and recovery services, they can guide you through the complex process of recovering your assets and bringing the culpable parties accountable. By conducting thorough investigations, uncovering evidence of wrongdoing, and working tirelessly on your behalf, ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS can assist in recovering your losses and providing you with the support needed during this challenging time. Be rest assured that you can take action to recover financial control and move past this regrettable circumstance if you have ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS on your side.

    Mail; Add (Alpharecoveryexpert@consultant.com).
    Phone / WhatsApp; +44(745)742-4681.

    Oliver Williams
  • My name is Justin Simporios from Canada. My daughter was unable to walk for several months after an accident that required her to have surgery. Because I haven’t won the Lotto I’ve been playing for so long, I haven’t been able to pay for the surgery. A friend online recommended Lord Meduza to me and he deserves a really, really big THANK YOU. This man chose to help me with a lottery spell and he gave me the precise numbers to play the Canada Lotto Max Lottery. After two weeks, I was proclaimed the winner of $80 MILLION DOLLARS. Now, my daughter will be able to walk once more after so much time as her surgery is now completely funded. My victory marks the biggest win for a single ticket in Lotto Max history in Canada. I still can’t believe it, Indeed there’s none like Lord Meduza. Although if you want your EX LOVER back, he can help you too so get in touch with him right now.
    Email: lordmeduzatemple@hotmail.com
    Whats-App: +1 (807) 798‑3042
    Website: lordmeduzaspelltemple.com

    Justin Simporios
  • I lost $729K USD worth of BTC after my Cold Card wallet was hacked few days ago, who would have thought that could’ve happened ? Well, it did and it ruined my financial situation immediately. I was left in shambles and I was disoriented. I happen to stumble a post on Twitter about a writer who had been in similar situation, then I realized the hack was huge as over $100m was lost to this cold card wallet hack. I contacted one of the victims on Twitter who was able to recover their wallet and BTC funds with the help of Morphohack Cyber Service, a crypto and funds recovery service, Morphohack Was able to offer the same services to me, and within a few hours after contacting Morphohack, my wallet and BTC was recovered. After the hack, I thought all was gone for good but I’m astonished that a team like Morphohack is out there helping victims of crypto loss recover their money. I highly recommend them (Morphohack@cyberservices. com) they are very trustworthy and reliable.

    Joe Charlon
  • I lost $729K USD worth of BTC after my Cold Card wallet was hacked few days ago, who would have thought that could’ve happened ? Well, it did and it ruined my financial situation immediately. I was left in shambles and I was disoriented. I happen to stumble a post on Twitter about a writer who had been in similar situation, then I realized the hack was huge as over $100m was lost to this cold card wallet hack. I contacted one of the victims on Twitter who was able to recover their wallet and BTC funds with the help of Morphohack Cyber Service, a crypto and funds recovery service, Morphohack Was able to offer the same services to me, and within a few hours after contacting Morphohack, my wallet and BTC was recovered. After the hack, I thought all was gone for good but I’m astonished that a team like Morphohack is out there helping victims of crypto loss recover their money. I highly recommend them (Morphohack@cyberservices. com) they are very trustworthy and reliable.

    Joe Charlon

Leave a comment

Name .
.
Message .