Starr Just Bit Me Very Hard!!!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi, Starr has been known to bite me from time to time but he's never broken the skin until today. He was sleeping on my lap and I had to get up and he didn't want to move so he bit me extemely hard and 2 of the 4 puncture wounds have broken the skin on my left hand. They were bleeding only slightly and have now stopped. I washed my hand with antibacterial soap and put some hydrogen peroxide on them.

I have Kaiser insurance so I called them and since my doctor isn't in they're sending an urgent message to his office and someone will call me within 2 hours. She said that I should be able to be seen today.

Am I overeating here? I know that cat bites shouldn't be taken lightly and they can cause bacteria to get into my bloodstream. It seems like the area around the 2 puncture wounds are beginning to swell slightly or I'm just imagining it. Starr had his teeth cleaned just yesterday so hopefully his mouth is cleaner than normal. For such tiny pucnture wounds they sure do hurt. Thanks for reading this.

[jazzcat]

Oh gosh Tracey that is awful! I think you are doing the right thing in getting in to see the doctor. From the few cases of cat bites here on the board it does seem very important to get medical treatment quickly. Better safe than sorry.

Please keep us updated.

[Barbara]

I think we had more examples of cat bites here that show you are not overreacting. I am so sorry. Please be not too upset with Starr- he is not a bad kitty....

[Freedom]

I guess you did the right thing calling in. I was bitten by Amber (RB Mr. Amber Cat) twice. Both times were serious bites, the second time I was in hospital for 10 days for around the clock IV antibiotics. Nuisance, as I FELT fine, except for these sausage fingers!!!

YOU DO REALIZE THAT YOU WILL BE CONTACTED BY ANIMAL CONTROL?

Doctors are required by law to report all animal bites. Have the rabies tag and certificate ready. NOTIFY YOUR VET OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED, AS WELL.

When animal control comes knocking, talk about how he just had his teeth cleaned and wasn't feeling himself, and you just weren't paying attention and you HAD to get up.

DO NOT TELL THEM what you just told us, that he bites you now and then. NO WAY do you mention he is a biter!!!!! IMPORTANT. Also do NOT tell your doctor he bites you now and then; that will go into the report which starts the process. Just blame it all on his being out of sorts from having his teeth cleaned, and you not putting enough emphasis on his not being himself.

With any luck, the officer will just tell you keep keep him indoors and away from people for 10 days. (Rather than taking him into quarantine for 10 days).

I managed to avoid Amber's quarantine both times. He had to have medication 4 times per day, and there was NO way he would be getting that at the shelter. They did verify that with my vet, didn't just take my word for it.

I am emphasizing this because I was in shock from the bites the first time and I was bowled over when animal control showed up at my door!!!! The second time, I was more prepared.

As for your hand, washing and the peroxide are good, you did right on that. Cat bites are dangerous because the teeth are long and narrow. So as the tooth goes in, it deposits any bacteria, just as a dog bite would. But due to being narrow, on the way out the wound closes right up, leaving the bacteria trapped. Dog bites don't get infected as often because the wound is left open as the teeth are wider. Easier to clean the wound out and get any bacteria deposits out.

Your doctor may give you a shot(s), I can't remember what it was for. I am thinking tetanus, but that's not right, that's for metal deposits.

You need to try and keep the wound open to let it clean out. I had to soak in saline solution 4 times per day for 2 or 3 days to keep it moist. You want it to heal from the inside out, from the bottom up. Not scab over the top and heal down.

That is the reason that they hurt so much. They are puncture wounds. That means they are DEEP. That is the definition of a puncture. And yes, the pain at the beginning was unbelievable!!

Hope this info is helpful.
Sandra

[shais_mom]

aaww Tracey- sorry to hear that.
I hope you get it take care of.
Kloe bites me often but rarely breaks the skin - only when she means business when I'm trying to cut her nails!
{{hugs}}

[Grace]

YOU DO REALIZE THAT YOU WILL BE CONTACTED BY ANIMAL CONTROL?

I think this depends on the state you live in. I'm in Michigan, and have been bitten twice by my cat, Reese. One required a trip to the ER, the other to the doctor's office. Neither case was reported.

Maybe Rhode Island is different?


Cat bites are worse than dog or human bites. Think about it - they bathe themselves - all over their bodies. . . . . .

[buttercup132]

What is so bad about cats biting and breaking the skin(or is it just for outdoor cats?)

Hank has been biting really hard latley and not letting go. But I'm sure that's because it's time for him to get fixed. (He has never broke the skin though).

[kt_luvs_kitties]

I think that you did the right thing. Poor meowmie I have been biten many times, and took antibiotics. Cat bites become serious fast, usually you dont know it is infected until it really makes you sick. Please let us know what happens.

And Starr, bad boy! Dont bite the hand that feeds you. Even if she did move your majisty while napping

[wolf_Q]

I'm sorry to hear this, I hope you will be ok!

What is so bad about cats biting and breaking the skin(or is it just for outdoor cats?)
color][/b]

Cat bites are considerably more prone to infection than dog bites. I know there is more problems cat bites can cause as well. At my work any cat bite is an automatic trip to the E.R. where a dog bite it would depend on how severe. I have been bitten by dogs at work but none have hurt even close to as badly as the cat bite. I'm sure it varies by state, but here also any animal bite is required to be reported to the authorities.

Your doctor may give you a shot(s), I can't remember what it was for. I am thinking tetanus, but that's not right, that's for metal deposits.

I had to get a shot when the cat bit me, and I'm pretty sure that's what it was...

[Kalei]

Quote from Buttercup What is so bad about cats biting and breaking the skin(or is it just for outdoor cats?)][quote]

I agree with Buttercup. I play with my kitty all the time, he is 15 years old, and he breaks the skin alot with his teeth and claws mostly, we've done this for 15 years and not once has anything ever happened to me. they always heal right up! But then again my cat has really never been outside, he is a complete house cat and has no way of getting harmful bacteria, I can see why you would want to see a doc if your cat is outside. Hopefully everything will be alright!

p.s sorry about the quote thing, I was getting so confused and the quotey thingy wasn't working for me.

[krazyaboutkatz]

[QUOTE=Kalei]Quote from Buttercup What is so bad about cats biting and breaking the skin(or is it just for outdoor cats?)]

I agree with Buttercup. I play with my kitty all the time, he is 15 years old, and he breaks the skin alot with his teeth and claws mostly, we've done this for 15 years and not once has anything ever happened to me. they always heal right up! But then again my cat has really never been outside, he is a complete house cat and has no way of getting harmful bacteria, I can see why you would want to see a doc if your cat is outside. Hopefully everything will be alright!

p.s sorry about the quote thing, I was getting so confused and the quotey thingy wasn't working for me.

Actually all of my cats are indoor only. It doesn't matter if they're indoor or outdoor cats, their mouths still carry a lot of bacteria in them. My bite was just a very small one and maybe I would've been okay without seeing a doctor but I didn't want to take a chance and then have it get worse and end up in the hospital.

[ramanth]

Logan bit my right index finger and hand and his teeth penetrated right to the bone. I washed with antibacterial soap right away and soaked it in peroxide and drove straight to the ER. (After a frantic call to Moosmom )

Even with all the measures I took and getting a round of IV antibiotics, my finger and hand still became very infected. Had to have stronger IV antibotics every 6 hours.

I'm glad your hand is okay!!

[kimlovescats]

Tracy, I'm just now reading this but I am glad it wasn't more serious! Get feeling better soon!!!

[Anikaca77]

Tracy you did the right the by going to the doctors...when I was doing a cat rescue over this past summer I was moving a feral female cat from a cage to the cat carrier and she slipped away and I have to catch her very quickly and when I got her she bite down so hard on my hand and keep kicking me on my other arm until I was able to get her into the cat carrier. ( I was doing TNR with the cats). So anyway my mom was there and helped me clean up my bite marks and later the next day my hand was swollen and I had a red rash going up my arm slowly. So they needed to put me on antibotic and I didn't know when my last tetnus shot was so the gave me one of those too. I learned my lession very well after that moment. But the cat got fixed and released and now she's not spreading any babies at least.

I hope you are not too mad with Starr.

[Catlady711]

I think it depends not only in what state you live in, but also where and how the bite happened. The one time I got bit by a cat at work, I just cleaned it up best I could, went on with my day, then went home. Next morning (of course on a Sunday when my reg. dr. is not in) my finger had swelled to over twice it's normal size and hurt like the dickens! When I went to the ER they asked very specific questions and the only one that interested them was when I said it happened at work, that made them perk up. No animal control officer was contacted, but then again I work for a vet hospital and the head vet took care of informing the owner of the cat that I had been bit and instructed him to quarantien the cat for 10 days, (of course we had the advantage of having a vaccination history of knowing the cat was current with it's rabies vaccination.

Your doctor may give you a shot(s), I can't remember what it was for. I am thinking tetanus, but that's not right, that's for metal deposits.
Sandra

Tetnus is a bacterial infection, and that is exactly the shot I recieved at the ER for my cat bite. Tetnus bacteria can live in soil and on old dirty rusty nails etc. which is probably why you thought it was for metal deposits.

FROM THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC)

Tetanus occurs worldwide but is most frequently encountered in densely populated regions in hot, damp climates with soil rich in organic matter. Reservoir Organisms are found primarily in the soil and intestinal tracts of animals and humans. Mode of TransmissionTransmission is primarily by contaminated wounds (apparent and inapparent). The wound may be major or minor. In recent years, however, a higher proportion of patients had minor wounds, probably because severe wounds are more likely to be properly managed. Tetanus may follow elective surgery, burns, deep puncture wounds, crush wounds, otitismedia (ear infections), dental infection, animal bites, abortion, and pregnancy. Almost all reported cases of tetanus are in persons who have either never been vaccinated, or who completed a primary series but have not had a booster in the preceding 10 years.