Cat bite - advice please???!!

[Freedom]

Robbie, tut tut, your aim is OFF mister! Maybe you better get playing with your toys a bit mor to improve that!

I hope it heals up quickly and with no infection.

[Catty1]

They have poison in their fang teeth, this is to kill their prey

What book was this doctor reading???? Some SNAKES have this....but CATS???

Hey, I'm always ready to learn something new...

If you have to go to the ER, go! Keep it elevated, as was said.

HUGS

[jennielynn1970]

I was bitten by Ally Cat a month a half ago, and my thumb is still affected (nerve damage). Definitely go to the doctor. I was put on two types of antibiotics for the cat bite, and had to come back the next day to show them the bite again so they could re-evaluate it. It took about 3 weeks to heal up the puncture wounds, and I still have some nice thick scars to show where it happened. My entire hand, fingers, wrist, were swollen and I couldn't move them. I had pain up the entire length of my arm as well, and the throbbing was not pleasant. Ally bit me repeatedly, deep and hard, so she did some major damage... I could feel her hitting the nerves and it shot all the way up my arm. Not a pleasant sensation.

If they are puncture wounds, get them to bleed! I forced mine. I did warm compresses to keep them open and get the pus out. I have pics of the bites, they're not pleasant, and look really red and swollen.

[RachLeigh13]

One of the bathers at my animal hospital was bitten by a cat a month ago. She is just now able to take the bandages off. Her finger was COMPLETELY swollen and stiff. She now can't feel anything past her knuckle of her index finger.

She is even having to do physical therapy, on that one finger, to make things better.

In North Carolina, if one is bitten by an animal up to date on their Rabies it has to be quarantined for 10 days.


I hope you're ok!

[jennielynn1970]

Animal Control and the Health Bureau had to be notified by the hospital too, even though it was a domesticated animal. Nothing has ever come of the report, so....

[mrspunkysmom]

Well, I've never heard of cats having poison in their fangs either, Catty. And as a grown up military brat, I've always had tetanus shots, like Catmandu suggested.

I've never gotten sick or infected from cat bites. Perhaps it's the tetanus shots; perhaps I've developed an immunity. Claws are just as dangerous; Spunky has long ones, and I get zinged a lot.

I think it is also the germs available and the deep puncture wounds. I believe that dog bites and other animal bites are just as dangerous.

Sirrahbed, I hope you are okay. Praying for clean puncture wounds and no infection.

[Grace]

I think it is also the germs available and the deep puncture wounds. I believe that dog bites and other animal bites are just as dangerous.

Sirrahbed, I hope you are okay. Praying for clean puncture wounds and no infection.

I'm a former ER Nurse. Cat bites are worse than dog bites as far as infection goes. Human bites and dog bites are about on a par. All three of them should be treated with antibiotics.

[RachLeigh13]

A cats mouth has much more bacteria in it than a dogs. Its crazy how "dirty" their mouths are.

[Catlady711]

Up here in Michigan, cats only get rabies every 3 years. So you should be fine on that. And no animal control involvement needed.

She said the cat did NOT get rabies, only the distemper is every 3 years.


Cat bites, particularly on the extremities are very dangerous. I've only been bitten at work once in over 6 years, and of course it was a cat and on my finger. I flushed it with peroxide and continued working despite the throbbing. I cleaned the bite up more at home but the swelling had already started. By the next morning my finger had swelled over two times it's normal size, I couln't bend my knuckle, it was purplish, hot, and throbbing terribly. I went to the ER and they flushed it with Batadine (sp? never could spell that properly) and gave me some antibiotics and a tentus shot.

Any cat bite that punctures should be seen by a dr. ASAP. I have heard of nerve damage and loss of limbs because of untreated infections. In our state they did want to know who's cat did this, and when they found out it was from work they recommended that I turn it in on workman's comp, which I did. I don't think if it had been my own cat would have made a difference as they didn't seem interested in getting animal control involved, but the cat did have to be quarentiened for 10 days even though it was current with it's rabies vaccination.

If your wrist is getting stiff I would go to the ER now if it was me. Good luck and hope you heal up fast with no complications.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

Poor meowmie and Robbie. I hope that your hand gets better fast! Those cat bites REALLY hurt!

[sirrahbed]

I am up early and headed out to my 7am doctor appointment. The bite hurts and has swollen somewhat. The deepest puncture kept pooling blood for about 8 hours. It was deep and also tore inwards the lower teeth you know? OUCH! It did not keep me awake or anything last night. But, I am really glad that I already had this appointment for something else or I would have headed in to the ER. I bet you guys are right that I will be given a tetanus shot and some antibiotics. I just hope my doc will treat it herself and not send me to ER herself but that might be "policy".

Thank you all for the advice here.

[Killearn Kitties]

Ouch! That sounds a nasty one. Definitely some antibiotics for you, I think.
Please let us know what the doctoe says about you. Good luck!

[Laura's Babies]

I have been following this close! I have had computer problems and couldn't post last night. I was at the doctor Monday and there was a guy there with a cat bite. He was bitten the night before by his sisters cat and his hand was hurting so bad he couldn't move it.

I got bit myself when I was helping out at the shelter and Rie was at the vets picking up a cat and he told her to tell me to get to a doctor NOW, not to wait and that when he gets bitten by a cat, he leaves the office immediately and goes to his doctor.

I will be checking back to see how you did at the doctor and how you are feeling now..

[sirrahbed]

I am back from the doctor. The nurse went OOWWW!!! when she saw it and my doctor took a look got out her "antibiotic bible" to find something specific and prescribed me Doxycycline. My tetanus was current so that was good. She told me that cat bites almost always become infected because the bacteria in their mouths is different from dogs and humans. The one deep puncture also tore a bit but should heal fine once I get on the antibiotic - I just need to clean with peroxide, keep the arm elevated and observe the red area - marked it with a pen, watch for a streak to form, and return with any fever/chills, etc. You guys told me all the right things. I learned that ALL cat bites should be taken seriusly, seen by a doctor and going to the ER is not overreacting at all.

I now know why people talk about how much they hurt Guess I'll live though

See? Does not look too bad today:

[Laura's Babies]

NOW, we can all feel better and not worry so much! Yes, no one was over reacting about cat bites. As much as we love them and know they do not mean to harm us, we do have to be careful when they bit us.