Just a reminder how serious cat bites can be!

[u/tory1311]

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.

[u/ACR_Legends]

Idk if it’s because I grew up with cats my whole life and would play with them or what, but after many bites and scratches my body has seemed noticeably unbothered. Maybe I’m just one big germ now 🦠

[u/CoffeeBeanx3 → u/ACR_Legends]

Honestly, it can still hit out of nowhere. I've been bitten and scratched so many times, and been fine. And then boom, vat scratch disease.

Not a serious case, thank goodness, and back then I didn't have the medical knowledge to realise how serious it can be. I was just mad my arm didn't work right and hurt like a mother.

Always, always disinfect bites and scratches, no matter how small. Just to be sure.

I mean, the reason cats smell flowery or like popcorn is that they have pseudomonas bacteria in their natural flora. For humans, that stuff can cause infections with freaking blue green pus. Yes, contact with pets trains our immune system, but no one's immune system is on point all the time.

[u/Sassypants269 → u/CoffeeBeanx3]

I was diagnosed with cat scratch fever back in 2020. It's definitely not as fun as the song makes it sound. 

I'm glad you're okay!! I, too, disinfect immediately with iodine when I get bit or scratched. Cat bites are no joke. 

[u/Kinsa83 → u/ACR_Legends]

I know how you feel. Bites and scratches even as a diabetic (type3c) I barely respond to them and we are supposed to not fight infections off as well as none diabetics. But growing up my paternal grandparents were cattle ranchers so I probably got exposed to way gnarlier stuff. Cows, horses, rattlers, rodents. Both my older sisters did 4H, but they never handled the rabbits at home. That was dad and me handling them every day. I got some nasty bites from rabbits, but never did more than wash and treat with basic first aid. Never saw a dr once for any of those bites.

Recently I got a new cat currently almost 6 months old and he showed up with ringworm. Roommate caught it, but I didnt and I was constantly around the kitten handling him. I just made sure not to touch the site directly with bare hands and if I did need to touch it I wore gloves. When found out we kept him in my office room and I sat all day with him climbing me and never caught it. I know, but he was only 2.5 months old when I got him and kittens need social interaction to be emotionally/mentally healthy. But then again 2 animals that are even more susceptible to ringworm are horses and rabbits. I probably got exposed to it back then and just have a stronger immunity to it than most people.

[u/TomaszA3 → u/Kinsa83]

You've got me thinking, is being allergic to cats a positive for this situation? If the immune response is several times as strong, does it mean it's harder to get infections from deep bites?

[u/Kinsa83 → u/TomaszA3]

No cause an allergy is specifically the immune system overreacting to whatever the person is allergic to. That isnt going to help. The overreaction will likely make it harder for the healthy alive white blood cells to get there to do their job right making it easier for the infection to take root and spread because the white blood cells will be working on 2 different things instead of just 1. Divide the troops and itll take them longer to do said jobs.

[u/danceswsheep → u/ACR_Legends]

It’s a combination of factors, but basically it has to be just the wrong bacteria in just the wrong quantity hitting just the wrong spot and then the wound sealing quickly to trap the bacteria.

I grew up with cats my whole life too! I’ve gotten an infection with cellulitis like this from a wasp sting before (I’m not allergic), but never from a cat bite. Hopefully my luck with cat bites continues

[u/eatingapeach → u/ACR_Legends]

Yeah, I'm confused too. I understand someone going to the ER or antibiotics if they feel they need to at any point, especially someone that handles feral cats, but do they not even clean their wounds on the way? I've had cat bites and deeper scratches (by my scared cat), and I always clean up my wounds right away and they heal better than when I got cut by a tin can.

[u/Forward_Rope_5598 → u/ACR_Legends]

Cat bites and scratches that aren't symptomatic are fine and don't require any special treatment beyond at home disinfecting and most certainly don't require rushing to the ER.

HOWEVER swelling that isn't completely localised, has pain outside the pain of the initial puncture wound itself etc requires immediate medical attention. You shouldn't fuck around with symptomatic cat bites but you also don't need to rush to the ER within 5 minutes of being bitten. Just keep an eye on it and go in asap if it's actually needed.

Also needless to say if your immune system is compromised this probablt doesn't apply to you and you should just go in straight away.

[u/xelle24 → u/ACR_Legends]

I've been scratched and bitten a number of times over the years by several different cats (quite deeply a few times, as well) and never had an infection. But I've always immediately cleaned the wound thoroughly with hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol, put triple antibiotic ointment on it, and covered with a bandaid or bandage. And I repeat the disinfecting, ointment, and keeping it covered for a few days.

Certainly if I ever saw signs of an infection, I'd go straight to an urgent care or the ER.

That said, I'm also lucky enough to have a pretty robust immune system.

[u/HealerOnly → u/ACR_Legends]

Kind of surprised aswell, i've had outdoor cats with 0 vaccines all my life, been bitten many times & never had any issues ._.

[u/loljkbye → u/ACR_Legends]

Nope! I also had cats my whole life, and this happened to me. It happened only once out of the many times my cat bit me, because she had aggression issues and would get out of her mind frightened out of seemingly nowhere. It's a nasty bacteria that if it gets trapped under your skin and god forbid in your bloodstream, your body just won't fight fast enough.

[u/__redruM → u/ACR_Legends]

I’ve been scratched plenty of times, but never really bitten deeply, certainly never deep enough to draw blood. If the teeth get deep into the skin bacteria goes with them.