Cat Bite - what to do?

[RedneckWoman]

Tonight, my husband was bitten.... by a kitten. LOL I put some oil of oregano on his wound which is a tiny cut so nothing too serious. I really do not want it to get infected. Any recommendations on anything else to do for him? Oh man, now I am freaking myself out wondering if he could have been exposed to rabies. No more kissing, huh?

 

[Henrietta23]

My mom was badly bitten and scratched by the cat we had when I was a kid. I can't remember if she was put on antibiotics or not. What made the biggest difference was a poultice she made from comfrey leaves. My dad read about it in the OOOOOLLLLD Mother Earth News. She healed very quickly.

 

[gettinaclue]

I've been bitten many times...many many many times by kitties...and all I have ever done was wash it and keep an eye out for "Cat Scratch Fever". I've never had any problems. He should be fine.

 

[miss_thenorth]

yeah, i wouldnt' be worried about rabies, unless rabies is a problem in your area, really--just b/c a cat has not been vaccinated for it doesnt mean they have it. i 'd be more worried of cat scratch fever. but again, not real worried. Just make sure it is thoroughly cleaned and keep an eye on it.

 

[buckeye lady]

Soak in warm soapy water for 10 minutes twice a day for a few days. After area is dry apply a small amount of neosporin or bacitracin. If any sign of infection call your Primary care Physician right away for an antibiotic. Cat bites can get really nasty. A kittens mouth should have less bacteria than an adult cat. I've been bitten and scratched several times by feral kittens. Never had an infection with this method.
The subject of rabies has been argued several times over on BYC.
I've said before and I'll say again-You are more likely to be abducted by aliens than to contract rabies. I personally would not go through the expense or hassle of rabies prophylaxis injections if bitten buy a kitten. I would however get the injections if bitten by a raccoon or fox in warm weather.

 

[RedneckWoman]

I was kind of kidding about rabies. It did cross my mind and I panicked for a bit but I figured if the kitten was currently rabid, we ought to know and she is acting normal.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm off to google cat scratch fever.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Cat Scratch Fever - isn't that a song?!

My DD had cat scratch fever - at least that's what the ER Dr. told us she had when I took her in for two bumps on the back of her neck. I thought they were swollen lymp nodes or something, he said cat scratch fever.

I remember thinking, "but she hasn't been scratched by a cat..." :/

 

[Henrietta23]

Cat Scratch Fever - isn't that a song?!

My DD had cat scratch fever - at least that's what the ER Dr. told us she had when I took her in for two bumps on the back of her neck. I thought they were swollen lymp nodes or something, he said cat scratch fever.

I remember thinking, "but she hasn't been scratched by a cat..." :/

The vet I used to work for once told me you can get cat scratch fever from a rose thorn.... I'd need to do some research there.

 

[rebecca100]

DON'T talk about Rabies!!!! I just watched the movie CUJO and am having issues!!!!! Scary movie!!!! Even though I do realize that it is fictional and that would never happen.......Right??????
Just joking. My mom got cat scratch fever working at a vet office. She ended up in the hospital for a short time, but was okay.

 

[patandchickens]

Cat scratch fever is lymphatic swelling from the Bartonella bacterium, makes you flu-y and often with a VERY hurty throat/tongue/neck for a few months.

You cannot get cat scratch fever from a rose thorn. What you CAN (rarely) get from rose thorns, though, is a really bad sporotrichosis which can result in permanent disability of the affected fingers/joints.

You don't want either of them, but they are different things Cat scratch fever is generally the milder of the two -- I've had it, it was unpleasant for a few months but oh well.

The other thing you can get from a cat bite is a quickly-progressing infection that becomes bloodborne and can potentially be lifethreatening, so you want to keep a sharp eye on the wound area and if you get a rapid increase in the red/swollen area, or red lines extending up the hand and arm, go to the emergency room right away, a few hours difference can be critical. This is rare but you should know to look for it.

Rabies is not much of a threat in North America, but kills tens of thousands of people in the rest of the world each year, as it probably would HERE too without our current programs of vaccination and spay-neuter.

Pat, who has been bitten by a variety of cats over the years and generally finds that hot epsom-salt soaks, honey compresses, and a lot of bad language take care of the problem