Cat Bite Trauma?

[Catty1]

Ok, I don't want to make a big deal out of this...

Made arrangements for Cole to be shaved on Thursday morning. The woman came to my place, I got trannies from the vet, and discussed what dosage to be given when. Cole was to get 1/2 tab of Acevet 1 hour before the grooming.

A ways into the process, I gave him another 1/2 tab. The groomer had been bitten twice. Me - four times, not including the three fast repeated chomps that Cole gave my fingers. He was freaked out at being restrained and shaved.

He got done...I had several puncture wounds, and a tooth went right through the nail on my little finger into the cuticle area of the nail bed. There was a separate puncture on the other side of that finger. Two of the bites had left me in tears, as much from the shock as the pain. I wasn't expecting this, especially with the sedation.

I was seeing my doc later that day for something else, and mentioned the bite. He wrote me a scrip for antibiotics, told me to soak that finger in a shot glass of hydrogen peroxide for 15 minutes, and that if there was ANY sign of infection in the next 48 hours, to get the scrip filled.

Next morning, the nail was ok as far as swelling - but my right index finger and below the thumb were very swollen and stiff. I started taking the meds.

It's Sunday - and somehow I still feel weird. I break into a few tears much more easily. Cole is fine and acting the same, but part of me is reacting to him differently...like there is something else there besides Cole. I still give him head scritchies and he purrs...

Anyway, it really isn't that bad and the swelling is going down. But this hasn't happened to me before with my own cat. Years ago, I got two good chomps in the forearm from a boarding kennel cat (and had the same reaction).

Am I imagining this or can cat bites cause a person to be a bit off-centre for a while?

Thanks.

[catmandu]

I have been nipped at by Tubster Panther if he gets excited by my excessive petting, so it may be a Black Cat thing!!!

We pray that you and Cole are Best Buddies again soon.

[Scooter's Mom]

In April 1996, I was holding my brothers' cat Toby and petting him. Suddenly, Toby didn't want to be held anymore. But instead of squirming or just getting down, he chomped down on my arm. Sunk his teeth ALL the way in. I still have 4 teeth mark scars.

I had to go to the ER and get a tetanus shot. The bite was really severe.

My brothers' girlfriend (who technically owned Toby) wanted to put him down. I would have felt awful about that... so I convinced them to get him 1) updated on his shots and 2) neutered. It totally mellowed him out. He was a loving cat before, and even more after. However, I rarely touched him again. He made me nervous. I even lived with my brother for awhile after my divorce in 1998, and Toby still scared me.

I think it's normal to be leery. Please try to remember how stressed out and frightened he must have been, too. I hope things return to "normal" soon.

(hugs)
Crystal

[Freedom]

Candace, yup been there, done that, and oh YEAH felt that way too!

First, physically: soak any and all the bites in the hydrogen peroxide. It draws out any bacteria which may have gone in with the tooth. Feel free to soak a second or even a third time, spaced out over say 24 hours, if need be.

Then, wrap it, put a bandaid on it, something to help w/healing. If you have Neosporin, put a bit of that on.

The tearing, that has 2 components, as I understand it. One is that the body has had a huge shock and the teariness is a part of that.

The other is, you feel a loss of trust in your own cat. How COULD he?! How DARE he? Can I pet him? Can I stroke him? What if I touch his feet? Do I dare? What if I rub his chin, will I even put my fingers that close to that suddenly HUGE POWERFUL MOUTH? For me, that part of lasted anywhere from 2 days to a week.

Try to hang on to the How DARE he part, as that is anger, which is better than the poor me side of it.

Do some things to comfort and console yourself, and / or to have some fun, get yourself smiling and laughing.

HUGS, my friend.

[jennielynn1970]

I was bitten by Jorgie when I tried to crate him to be groomed. It all went badly really quickly. Dave was moving the crate in front of Jorgie and I had Jorgie in my hands. Well, he bit me and bit me and bit me... it was horrible. I didn't get a really horrible reaction, but I still kinda look at him sideways and wonder if he'll do it again. I'm supposing he will because he has a fear of people and does not like to be touched.

When I had Ally Cat here, omg, the bites she gave me. She was one traumatized cat, and I was a traumatized foster. She bit me so severely, my had swelled up, my arm swelled up, it was horrible. I had to go to the ER get a shot of something strong, and then still take really strong meds along with that for 20 days. It was unreal. I never trusted her after the first bite and I sure didn't trust her after numbers 5 and 6. Still feel badly for her, RIP Ally.

[katladyd]

Ming gets savage every time he goes to the vet. He has opened up several vets and their assistants. Now, when I take him to the vet, I have to hold him while he is examined an if he stays overnight, I have to come to the back and retreive him from his cage. Yes, he has attacked me and opened some very deep wounds on me from both his claws and his teeth. I have never let that bother me at all. I understand that he was scared and that was his reaction to fear. Really, it is the only defense they have, isn't it? He is a complete love bug at home and I have never thought twice about playing with him or petting him. Cole was scared, NOT vicious, and the incident should be seen as that. He still loves you, trust me on that.