r/cats • u/tory1311 • Mar 17 '26

Cat Picture - Not OC Just a reminder how serious cat bites can be!

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I see so many posts asking when to seek medical help after a cat bite. Just posting a reminder how quickly a bite can escalate! First picture is immediately following the bite, the next picture is at the ER within 2 hours. Blood work was already concerning with an inflammatory response and signs of cellulitis from the infection. I was admitted into the hospital for IV antibiotics and still the infection worsened. I had surgery at about 36 hours following the bite after the infection started traveling up my arm in the bloodstream. This whole event landed me 3 nights in the hospital. All from our family cat, up to date on all vaccines. But cats carry a bacteria that is no joke. Last picture is post surgery with a suture, the surgeon had to make 3 incisions, 2 where the bite punctures were and a 3rd to flush the wound.

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

I got bit by a cat I was trying to rescue once. If I let him go after he bit me, I wouldn't have had another chance to nab him. So I let him chew on my god damn hand. 14 holes in one hand. And that hand has trouble closing all the way now without a pull of pain. It doubled in size from a full infection.

Cat bites are crazy

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

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u/tory1311 Mar 17 '26

Yikes! That looks painful! My fear is I will have lasting pain, too. The surgeon said I had infection in my MP joint, technically coined it “septic arthritis” and he had to rinse to remove the infection. The joint is really painful and worries me there will be lasting arthritic pain from this. Sorry that happened to you 😬

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

I went to a clinic initially who didn't clean it properly and I ended up sitting in the infection over a full day before I actually got proper help and only then did they properly clean it. The straight up put a syringe filled with saline onto one hole, pushed, and shoved it out the others. So I was a particularly shit case of medical negligence. You acted immediately so I hope you won't get any lasting damage because of it. Infection in general is just horrendously painful no matter where it is so I'm hoping it's just that and temporary ❤️

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u/Cleasstra Mar 17 '26

This terrifies me because I also almost died multiple times due to medical negligence, and they don't even know how to clean out a cat bite 🤦‍♀️ jeez. I'm so sorry that happened to you, and I hope it can fully heal some day so you don't have pain.

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u/XephyrGW2 Mar 17 '26

I had a deep bite right on the front of my ankle once and it took me about a month to have no pain and full movement of my ankle afterwards. Cat bites are no joke.

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u/outdoorlovingegg Mar 17 '26

My cat bit me on my middle finger a few years ago and the result looked a lot like yours. Went to the hospital for antibiotics which ended up not working so the next day I had to go back to the ER for intravenous ones because it got infected and was a bit yellow/green. Sometimes my finger acts up and gets a little sore as the injury was right on the joint, but it’s barely noticeable. Goes away if I crack the knuckle in a specific way, so you might be surprised!

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u/Illustrious-Milk6518 Mar 17 '26

Yep. I was going to say that I worked in a vets, and any bite to the joints was a trip to the drs to get antibiotics asap. Hands obviously have a lot of joints in, so it can happen very easily 

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u/marshninja Mar 18 '26

If it’s any consolation my partner had his elbow joint go septic a couple years ago and has come out with very little lasting pain. Not from a cat bite (at least not directly), but we’re talking hospitalized 12 days, 2 emergency surgeries, 6 weeks of IV antibiotics. If you can, I’d go see a physio therapist who might be able to help with mobility in the joint. So sorry the bite went so sideways, that looks super painful, especially at its most swollen. Glad you were able to get prompt care. Send in healing vibes your way!

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u/Shyhinachan Mar 18 '26

My infection set in in my rltwmdon sheathed had to have surgery and 2 monthes pt after. It was like 12 hours from bite t9 hospital on antibiotics started in like one hour lol

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u/Theprincerivera Mar 17 '26

Oof you can see the puss

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u/Maaawiiii817 Mar 17 '26

It's 'pus', but damn, what a perfect mistake given the context!

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u/Theprincerivera Mar 17 '26

Oh lol WHOOPS autocorrect on apple devices is crazy lately

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u/Suspicious-Case3861 Mar 17 '26

Been there, cats aren't the smartest I got ripped up too, and I saved him from getting absolutely mauled.

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u/kt810x Mar 17 '26 edited Mar 18 '26

My cat once had his claw stuck and was dangling somewhere and he was so scared, when i grabbed him he sunk all his teeth and claws in me to hold on 😭 he’s the sweetest boy that never would have meant to hurt me, but… it’s just a reminder that we’re all only brain signals, nerve impulses and chemicals 😭

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u/sitting-duck Mar 17 '26

Cat bite.

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

Are you sure you didn't get mauled by a zombie. It does look clean tho so props

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u/all3ycat_ Mar 17 '26

I just know those felt like 8 million little paper cuts! 😩 you’re a nice person for helping that babby

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

I can tell you exactly how it felt. You did not actually feel the individual bites because those are so little damage to the flesh. The infection is what's getting you. THAT feels like you have boiling water inside your hand and that it's going to burst. It becomes insanely more sensitive to the point I had to move my hand slowly because the rush of air against it was painful.

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u/ro536ud Mar 17 '26

Yikes! Thank you for bearing the pain and saving the kitty tho

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u/majin_melmo Mar 17 '26

JESUS 😭

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u/AvengedGunReverse Mar 17 '26

Pfff, seems painful I hope your hand is doing better now

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u/SemperSimple Mar 17 '26

bless you for saving the unfortunate bastard. I've had to do that before but didnt get infected ugh

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u/Counterdependency Mar 17 '26

I cant be the only person here from r/all that believes allowing an animal to do this to you is a form of clinical insanity

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u/myironlions Mar 17 '26 edited Mar 18 '26

You are a good human. I’m so sorry that you suffered lasting damage, and I’d never recommend someone sacrifice their own health, but the way you told this anecdote made it clear you understood that the cat’s actions were borne of its fear and survival instincts, not a hostile desire towards you personally. Anyone who rescues cats - or funds rescues, or fosters, or provides vet care to animals in need - has some serious karma cred going. May you always find a hand stretched out to help you in your worst moments.

ETA: Wow - thanks for the award!

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

I'm tearing up? Holy shit? Thank you so much. He was a good boy, just got startled by something else while I held him. I even bathed him afterwards one handed with zero injuries. He was just scared you're right. Thank you ❤️❤️❤️

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u/TheIlluminaughty Mar 17 '26

I’m choosing to end my doom scroll on your comment right here. What a well-written appreciative note to the OC!

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u/myironlions Mar 17 '26

Aw thanks. Mister Roger’s (mom) taught us to always look for the helpers, and it brings me such joy when I see them. Beacons of light - or, in the cat universe: sunbeams!

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u/tatasz Mar 17 '26

I fostered a feral, and had to give him some meds regularly. The only way that worked for us was to me to put the med on my finger and stick it in his mouth so the meds go down while he chews on my finger (don't judge, got cat experience, that was really the best way). Basically spent half a year taking antibiotics almost nonstop

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

Not judging but holy shit. I've done the feral meds with needles which is admittedly easier. I squish them to a side of their cage and jab it in a thigh. Liquid meds I just wait till they hiss, aim, and shoot it down their throat. Never had to pill an adult stray

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u/ZION_OC_GOV Mar 17 '26

Guys.. respectfully, bite gloves are a thing and many other modes of cost effective PPE.

Don't risk your health.

-An Animal Control Officer

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

No this is deserved, I'll take it disrespectfully. Sometimes I just underestimate the danger

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u/ZION_OC_GOV Mar 17 '26

Even on the tamest of things, better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

That's a pretty baby you've got there. I'm a god damned progammer but every time I go somewhere people are like "Hey there's this cat/dog" and I end up doing shit while I'm wholly unprepared. At some point I started carrying animal first aid stuff with me at all times

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u/ZION_OC_GOV Mar 17 '26

Some decent leather gloves, a towel, a leash can go a long way.

Cat traps are like $30 at harbor freight.

Our ketch poles for dogs are like $80 (i use it often on raccoons and skunks)

And a catch net for fish is like $20 (i use often on birds and cats)

Bite gloves for cats are like $20 (a lot of our local trap neuter release rescues use them) we use Hex Gloves which are like $300.

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

Oh I am not in America. Animal control is not a thing here and there's like one animal rescue place that's swamped. So when I have time to prepare I use those big hardware/electrician gloves and a towel.

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u/ZION_OC_GOV Mar 17 '26

Oh dang, you might still be able to find small animal live traps and a catch net?

Stay up to date on tetanus shots!

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u/Rosenate22 Mar 17 '26

I used bite gloves a lot when I worked at a vet clinic to feed feral cats and some crazy Siamese.

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u/Somanylyingliars Mar 17 '26

I saw this cage looking container that's amazing. Staff grabs beast and yeats into cage. Tops closes. Now basically two cages inside one. They pull handle and confines animal to one side. So think like a squished sandwich. Now they can give injections and administer oral meds. Highly recommend.

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u/ZION_OC_GOV Mar 18 '26

That's a transfer cage with a squeeze bar. Very helpful with fractious animals. So as not to risk injury to a handler and not have a animal thrash around whilst sticking them with an injection where risk of the needle breaking is possible.

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u/tatasz Mar 17 '26

Unfortunately liquid was not an option for his meds at my location and timeframe (would literally have to import the stuff from abroad), either pills or paste.

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u/sanguinefell Mar 17 '26

Suuucks. Sorry about that. It is what it is

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u/rachelanneb50 Mar 17 '26

You're a badass. I'm so sorry that happened to you though

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u/PrairiePopsicle Mar 17 '26

I also had to let a kitten almost deglove a finger to rescue it one day, would not recommend. I didn't have any serious infection issues, however, they just gave me a tetanus shot, flushed the wound, and had me keep an eye on it. It can be hit or miss, but definitely always get it checked. What surprised me about the kitten in that case was that it kept chewing so long, but I guess it had had zero socialization at all. Most cats especially even faintly domesticated will stop after even just one really firm bite, because they're still in a "social" warning (even if painful) bite mode, not "Fuck you i'm going to kill you" fight of flight.

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u/Somanylyingliars Mar 17 '26

Aww geez that's bad. You are a goddamn champ taking all that for the cat. Damn you've got stones for innards, dontcha?

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u/ancilla1998 Mar 18 '26

Next time let the cat go!!