The Life Span Cycle Of Vet Care For Dogs

Me...OW! What Needs to Happen When Your Cat Bites You

24 October 2018 by Leonard Wallace

Friends sometimes fight. Of course, a fight with your best (human) friend is unlikely to leave you with a potentially serious bacterial infection. You probably count your pets amongst your best friends, and while an animal isn't likely to turn on its human parent without provocation, it's not impossible (and there is also the possibility that you weren't, in fact, the one to provoke your pet). When a cat bites you or causes a deep scratch, both you and your cat can require medical attention, as the attack has the potential to cause serious complications beyond the immediate injuries.

For You

You need to take prompt action when your cat bites you.

• The wound will need to be washed (soap and water will be sufficient in the preliminary stage).
• The bleeding will need to be controlled. A band-aid can be appropriate with minor bites, but a deep bite might require medicated gauze applied to the bite with light pressure until the bleeding slows.
• You cat can be carrying a myriad of potential infections in their mouth. When they bite you, it's as though their thin, sharp teeth can be compared to a syringe which is depositing these infections straight into your bloodstream.
• Any bite needs to be inspected, and don't be lulled into a false sense of security with a puncture mark that doesn't appear to be serious. The skin might heal over the bite, and yet the damage could already have been done, and this can result in a severe bacterial infection within your bloodstream.
• See a doctor as soon as possible. They will clean the wound, administer a tetanus booster (if required) and will probably prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic. A follow-up examination might be necessary, particularly with deep bites which might be slow to heal and can cause tendon damage (depending on where the cat bit you).

But what about your cat?

For Your Cat

You might be somewhat cautious at handling your cat after an attack, but they should be taken to your local vet services provider for an examination.

• Your vet will examine your cat's teeth and claws to see if they sustained any injuries during the attack (essentially from the ferocity with which they bit you).
• If you had to be forceful in removing the cat from you during the attack (such as if they latched onto your arm or leg), your vet might also check their appendages and joints for injuries.
• Your vet might also query the circumstances of the attack. Sometimes it might be logical, such as if you had to intervene in an altercation between your cat and another animal (and your cat will be examined to see if this attack caused them any injuries which require treatment).
• Unprovoked attacks can be more problematic, and your vet might try to ascertain whether this is a behavioural change that has been brought about by a previously undiagnosed neurological condition, such as dementia.

Just as friends can sometimes fight, your cat's aggression will hopefully not result in a permanent change to the relationship between you and your feline baby.

 

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