Cat bite... from Ally Cat TWICE!! #33

I'm back from the ER. I need to keep my hand elevated and do warm compresses on it twice an hour. Got a Tetanus shot. Fun. I'm on Augmentin and Darvocet. I know Darvocet is for pain, but it isn't doing jack!! I can't move my right hand too much. Can't drive cause my car is a 5speed. Plus i have to go back to the ER tomorrow and sunday for the guy to check the bite wounds. I'm glad I'm left handed or I'd be S.O.L.!!

Spent time with Ally and the others this AM before I went to the ER. She came up to me and rubbed on my leg, and looked at me like "I'm sorry!!!" She was hesitant, but I pet her and just did it slow and for a short time. I have some of the At Ease spray that is like Comfort Zone, will try that on a collar on her, maybe will make her feel better. Will get a plug in refill when I can drive to the store. I had to reschedule Zachariah's vet visit for today too, cause I can't drive him there. His eye is gunky and he's sneezing green icky stuff, and I think he's got a bad tooth. Sigh. When it rains it pours!

Any suggestions besides the meds for the pain of the bite??

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Originally Posted by sandragonfly

I've had a raccoon bite before while feeding 20+ feral cats - I am known to not faint but I fainted nauseaously about 10 minutes later. next thing I was woken up in the hospital, they told me it was my body reacting to dirt raccoon spitted inside me.

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HOLY COW!!! I can't even imagine what that sucker felt like!! :eek:

Oh my Jenn, I am so sorry that you were bitten. I am certain that Ally is very sorry... after all, she came up after and rubbed on you! :o

I hope you are soon feeling better, and that the bite gets no worse.

Poor you... and poor Ally.... she must be so very confused.

I always tell my girls when they look as if they are going to bite... "Never bite the Mommy hand that feeds you!" ;)

It happened so quickly, I swear, I was just in shock when she did it!! There was no warning or pretext to it what so ever!

If the Darvocet isn't working for you try some Aleve (if you are not allergic to aspirin products). It contains different pain medication and it might help.

I'm very glad you went to the E.R. and got antibiotics and a tetanus shot. I've no idea what to suggest for the pain and I imagine it hurts like merry hell. Like you, I drive a stick-shift, and I remember once driving myself with blood running down my arm (major slash, not bite) and my hand sliding and sticking to the steering wheel and stick. How on earth are you managing to look after the cats one-handed? I also had a cat turn on me, though he only tore my arm into shreds, didn't bite. As with Ally, he was lying in my arms as I stroked him, totally relaxed and purring, and the next second he'd latched onto my whole lower arm, digging in and tearing me up. I imagine these instances are deferred aggression, where a cat that becomes over-stimulated quite easily is also angry at another cat and suddenly takes it out on the human responsible.

I hope you are able to sleep in spite of the pain.

I'm so sorry to hear of Ally trying to use your hand as a snack! Darvocet is quite a powerful medication, it sure knocked me on my butt after hand surgery a few years ago. Medications usually take awhile to kick in so please give it a chance? And please don't take ANY other medication for the pain until you talk to your doctor to avoid the risk of drug interaction. The last thing I want is for your situation to be any worse than it already is. Have you considered talking Ally's behavior over with your vet? Might not be a bad idea to find out if there's a physical problem going on causing her to bite like that. Poor Ally, prayers being prayed that Ally will settle in, calm down, and become your velcro-kitty. Prayers are being prayed for your swift and complete recovery!

Poor thing. I am glad you went to the E.R. It was the best thing. I am sure you will heal nicely, but it will take time. I am sorry she bit you. I wonder what she was thinking? Maybe she had a flash back of something bad when you where holding her. So weird. I am glad you are okay though....well so to speak.

For the pain - definitely keep it elevated as much as possible. Alternate tylenol and aspirin every 2 hours - will help with inflammation.

Do you have an ice pack - or bag of frozen peas or corn? Use that on your hand to reduce swelling.

It will feel better tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by emily_the_spoiled

Unfortunately Connor has done the same thing to me on a couple of occasions. The sites were sore and swollen for a couple of days but they got better.

Ally tried to nip me when she was staying with me. It seemed that she would get overstimulated and turn on what ever was causing the stimulation (even if it was my hand). I learned just to sit there and let her come to me, not petting her or anything else.

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I have one cat(blackie) out of six that also gets overstimulated by too
much petting & fussing over.He's the most laid back & friendly(in every
other way) cat that I have. He will come on his own & lay on my legs if
I'm taking a nap, but I just appreciate his friendlyness & don't send him
over the edge by fussing with him. Mayby that's the way Ally feels too.She
has been through so much for months before she arrived here. :(

Hope you heal quickly!

I think the vet visit is a good idea. Where I volunteered, we had a cat that had similar friendliness/aggression problems. Turns out she had severely infected teeth--her roots were exposed. She'd be OK and then when a sharp pang of pain hit her, she would strike out.

Take care of yourself.

I rescheduled Zach for Monday, I'll have to schedule her in for another day. They already double booked me to get Zach in, and I can't carry two of them. I'm going to try the At Ease and Feliway for a bit too.

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Originally Posted by Grace

For the pain - definitely keep it elevated as much as possible. Alternate tylenol and aspirin every 2 hours - will help with inflammation.

Do you have an ice pack - or bag of frozen peas or corn? Use that on your hand to reduce swelling.

It will feel better tomorrow.

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The ER doc told me to use heat.... and warm compresses. I thought that was odd. The heat anyway, not the compresses.

the elevation thing is a pain in the butt cause my upper arm hurts from the stupid tetanus shot, lol.

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Originally Posted by jenn_librarian

The ER doc told me to use heat.... and warm compresses. I thought that was odd. The heat anyway, not the compresses.

the elevation thing is a pain in the butt cause my upper arm hurts from the stupid tetanus shot, lol.

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Heat can be used up to 72 hours after an injury.

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Originally Posted by lizbud

I have one cat(blackie) out of six that also gets overstimulated by too much petting & fussing over.He's the most laid back & friendly(in every
other way) cat that I have. He will come on his own & lay on my legs if
I'm taking a nap, but I just appreciate his friendlyness & don't send him
over the edge by fussing with him. Mayby that's the way Ally feels too.She
has been through so much for months before she arrived here. :(

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My last roommate had a cat just like that. Sasha was so sweet and would curl up on your lap for hours watching tv with you, but I learned quickly not to pet her. She would purr and seem so content then all of a sudden she would lash out and bite you, I also think it was from overstimulation. Once I learned not to pet her and just let her sit and hang out with me we had a great relationship.