Quick Tips For Taking Care of A Cat Bite

Cats for the most part are pretty gentle creatures, most of the time. But unfortunately like most animals, their feathers get ruffled so to speak. For example, stray and feral cats that are not used to human contact. And will on occasion react violently toward a person that tries to make contact, pick them up or tries to pet or comfort them.

And before you you see it coming, your wrestling with that screeching angry cat who you were only trying to give love to, but it would rather scratch your eyes balls out. What you are then left with, are some rather nasty bite marks for your trouble.

However, most cat bites come from cats you are most familiar with. Perhaps your cat doesn't feel like taking a bath. Or isn't in the mood to be gently petted and takes an unexpected bite out of your tender flesh. Or perhaps one of the kids is playing too rough and the cat takes a nasty bite out of your little tyke's face.

It is estimated that one million people are bitten each year by cats. And if you have been bitten, you know cats have a really hard bite. They strike fast, and bike deep.

Listed below you will find some quick tips to follow if you have been bitten by a cat. It is always a good idea to contact a medical facility if you are not comfortable taking care of the bite yourself, or if it is deep and the wound is bleeding badly, or the bite looks like it might require stitches. You can't be to cautious, having a serious cat bite checked out is more often than not in your best interest, especially if it's a stray.

Cat bites can become very easily infected. They usually are deeper than they appear and can rapidly turn into an infection. You may also need to get a tetanus shot if you haven't had one in 5-10 years. Because it is another viral disease that must be avoided because it is fatal.

• Wash and rinse the cat bite thoroughly with a mild soap and hot water. Completely and thoroughly clean the wound area to make sure all the saliva and blood are washed away. Rinse sparingly with peroxide solution.

• Apply pressure with a clean washcloth to the bite area to stop the wound from bleeding.

• Put a bandage or apply a sterile piece of gauze to the wound.

• Keep the wound area elevated if possible. Keep it above heart level to slow the swelling and prevent any infection that may occur.

• Apply a good triple antibiotic ointment at least twice a day.

Report the incident to an animal control office or police if the cat was a stray or feral. It may have been infected with the rabies virus. It is extremely rare for domestic animals to have rabies, but if animal control can't find the animal and you show signs of rabies you may need to have a series of rabies shots as soon as possible. Every precaution should be taken with a stray or feral cat.

If for some reason the cat bite becomes infected you should call your doctor as soon as possible. Signs of infection may include extreme redness, hotness in the bite area, tenderness, swelling, oozing, or bleeding. These are serious symptoms and should be taken care of promptly. Once you are bitten, it is a good idea to take all necessary precautions.