Cat bite information?-this is really long :(

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jul 07, 2005 11:21 pm

Hi anyone out there

I was attacked by my cat tonight. I think perhaps while she was sitting on my lap, when I shifted, her tail caught between the desk and chair arm. Not sure, but all of a sudden she turned on me. Bit me and scratched the hell-0 of me.

I've been reading a lot on the net about possibility of infection within 12 hours sometimes. Is this true does anyone know? I've been scratched by her before, as well as the other cat, but never bit.

It happened so quickly, but I think one wound on my hand is from her nails, it's longer and very deep, bled a lot. The one on my finger though was on the joint of my finger closest to the tip, and I think there's another ,but neither bled much. Think I can wait it out is my real question?

I washed it with soap and then put triple antiobiotic ointment on it. It doesn't hurt, a little stiff is all.

Thanks for any advice.

Patrushka · Post by **Patrushka** » Jul 07, 2005 11:26 pm

I would say to get it checked out, Jane.

I don't know about the time factor but a friend of ours was bitten by a cat and developed a very bad infection.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jul 07, 2005 11:39 pm

Do you think it's okay to wait till morning. There is such varying info on the net. I don't know what to believe. With no insurance, I'm thinking it'd be okay to wait till morning, wouldn't you? or maybe even to see if anything develops? I just was concerned with the puncture wound that didn't bleed hardly at all

Danged cat! She's something else. I'm not even sure if that was the problem or not.

patsue53 · Post by **patsue53** » Jul 07, 2005 11:51 pm

Poor Jane

Cat scratch fever can be pretty nasty. If you washed it well and put triple antiobiotic ointment on it I'd say you've probably got a good chance of escaping any problems but at the FIRST sign of infection (heat, redness, swelling, pain, pus) get to a doctor. I've been scratched pretty good a few times and never gotten sick from it but a friend had her whole hand swell up like a balloon and had a fever for several days.

Good luck.

Patrushka · Post by **Patrushka** » Jul 08, 2005 12:11 am

Pat has given you great advice, Jane.

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Jul 08, 2005 12:37 am

Because cat's teeth are so fine and pointed, they can put a lot of bacteria deep where it's reall hard to flush out.
Maybe because I'm not a cat person, I would be very concerned about infection. Don't wait! JMHO

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jul 08, 2005 6:30 am

Thanks you 2. I did wait till this morning, and will call the docs this morning when they open to get an appt. Feel kinda of foolish in one way, as these cats are indoor, have had them at least 5 years and been scratched,with nary a problem. But this morning after I washed the wounds, I did find 2 more areas that didn't bleed, so I didn't know they were there! Geepers creepers. She was so quick, and the one I think was her nails that was so deep bled and hurt like the dickens so badly, that I wasn't really sure where I'd been bitten and or dug with her nails on the hand. She's always had a tender tail since a wee one, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't her fault, but result of her sudden, so I can't blame her.

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Jul 08, 2005 7:09 am

I'm probably a bit late with my opinion, but if it were me, I'd wait and see. I know of many people (myself included) who have been bitten and scratched by cats with no ill affects. I don't know that the Dr. would do anything without signs of infection, unless you've had a history of problems before. I do know one gentleman at my church who has had cat scratch fever twice, so maybe he's highly susceptible to it?? Same thing happened to him as mentioned before.....redness, swelling, etc ...and he had to be admitted to the hospital for IV anitbiotics for a couple days the first time it happened. Apparently he had waited too long to seek treatment. The second time it happened he went to the Dr. at the first sign of infection.
It's really a personal decision. For me, I'd wait to see ...for others they'd go to the Dr. right away. You know your body and how it reacts to things better than we do, so use your best judgement. And good luck!

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jul 08, 2005 7:26 am

That's just it, I've had scratches many times of course, from playing, and applying ointments and such, but just NEVER a bite. I've read and heard so many horror stories, I didn't know what to believe. I'm going to wait it out and see, thanks.

Of course without ins, I just know it'll show signs after 4Pm today and I'll end up paying ER fees if it does get infected! Danged Murphy's law right

Thanks again.

janet · Post by **janet** » Jul 08, 2005 10:38 am

OED is right, it's the bite you should be concerned about more than the scratches. A deep puncture wound that seals itself up at the surface and festers down deep can be very dangerous. Is your cat current on rabies shots? Cat bites are way more "dirty" than dog bites.

You may not "show signs" until it is very expensive to fix...especially if the infection goes into the joint. (jmho) Maybe call your vet and ask him/her what they would recommend if you still haven't done anything by now.

And consider this, bleeding is good in this case...it flushes out the wound. Because the bites did not bleed makes them even more of a concern.

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jul 08, 2005 11:59 am

Well, I called the docs office and low and behold, they are closed on Fridays, beginning today! Good grief! They are only there on Mon-Thur from 9-4 now! Guess they don't get many that work in there I suppose with those hours!

I'll keep it clean and watch it and see what happens. Thanks everyone for you input, but my fate has been sealed.

Ginger · Post by **Ginger** » Jul 08, 2005 12:23 pm

Jane,
I really think you will be okay. She is an indoor cat, so except for the litter box her nails should not have alot of dirt etc on them, she also should have fairly clean teeth (for a cat) since she does not feed on wild animals, birds etc.

Watch like mentioned, if you feel hot or feverish or the wounds begin to pus or feel hot and or red go the Doctor.

I am not sure about where you live, but you might check out after hour clinics. You might also call your vet and see what he/she says. Often times vets carry the same type of anitbiotics that DR's do.

Ginger

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jul 08, 2005 12:26 pm

I did call the vet office. They said if I hadn't had a tetenus in the last 10 years (which I'm sure I have), then I should get one of those. Doesn't make sense to me, as she IS an indoor cat. But perhaps it's the same staff or type of infection that causes tetenus? Nutty town I live in that's for sure!

janet · Post by **janet** » Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm

From one source:
"Statistics show that 80 percent of all cat bites get infected. The most frequent type of bite is a puncture wound. If a cat bite bleeds fairly well, your chance of infection will be greatly reduced. The bleeding actually flushes some of the infectious saliva out of the wound. But, with their rather long pointed teeth, a cat bite is more frequently a puncture that doesn't bleed very much, or at all. If the bite is in a joint, such as a finger knuckle, your injury can prove to be even more serious with the possibility of inflammation and bone infection."

From another:
"The bacterial species most commonly found in bite wounds include Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas sp, and Streptococcus sp. P. multocida, the root cause of pasteurellosis, is especially prominent in cat bite infections. Other infectious diseases from animal bites include cat-scratch disease, tetanus and rabies."

And:
"Tetanus is an acute, often-fatal disease of the nervous system which is caused by bacteria called Clostridium tetani. This bacteria is found throughout the world as a normal element in the soil and in animal and human intestines."

While the rabies virus cannot live outside a body (can be a dead body though) for more than a few seconds, the tetanus bacteria occurs naturally inside your indoor cat. Thus the need for you to have a tetanus shot.

Ginger · Post by **Ginger** » Jul 08, 2005 1:40 pm

Check out an after hours clinic and get that shot! I was bitten by a dog several years ago, and had to get one so I am good for another couple of years, although my Dr. told me you should still get one every five years if you have animals, or work around machinery etc that can cause cuts or punture type wounds.

Ginger

janet · Post by **janet** » Jul 08, 2005 2:44 pm

We've always gotten them every five years, too, Ginger. It's one of the few things I still pester my kid about and she's lived on her own for more than a decade!

And I'm sure any doctor would automatically give a booster in the event of a puncture wound...especially if it's been more than a few years since the last shot.

I know of a case where a woman was put in a full body cast for months because the tension in her muscles due to tetanus was breaking her bones. She stepped on a broken acorn shell barefoot...and didn't go to the doctor.

Personally, I think all gardeners should go the five year route just to be safe. Just think about how often you get dirt (ok, soil) in a cut or wound while working outside.

Ginger · Post by **Ginger** » Jul 08, 2005 2:51 pm

So true! I never fully understood what Tetnus was until I was bitten by the dog. I always associated the shot with stepping on nails and such, and thought it was the rust etc that caused Lockjaw type illness, but she explained that it is in the dirt, so anything that has been in the dirt, or has dirt on it can carry the tetnus.

I really try to wash my hands a million times a day even when working in the garden. I can't stand to wear gardening gloves because I want to be able to "feel" the dirt

Ginger

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jul 08, 2005 5:06 pm

Oh jeepers creepers! Now you've got me worried

I don't want my little ol' bones cracking! A body cast! One would die in this heat with that! Might as well bury me now! No wait...........that would horrible too! Ugh.......shoot, shoot, shoot. Why didn't the vet lady tell me this. I certain I've had one in the last 5 years, b/c when we redid the side garden, I caught my hand while hammering in the timbers on a piece of rust on the side of a 1/2 barrel and couldn't rememeber when I had one, so I should be good to go on that.

mooie · Post by **mooie** » Jul 08, 2005 9:53 pm

When did we all start worrying about horrible things that can happen if???? Jane, if you get some swelling/and or pus, take some action. Otherwise keep on moving down the road. Life is too short. The good Lord isn't going to take you til he's ready anyway. Just my thoughts tonite...

mooie

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jul 08, 2005 10:08 pm

Thanks mooie. After this week, I might be ready for him before he's ready for me! Whew, thank heaven for FRIDAY! YEAH!!!!!!!!!