Is Cat Bite Dangerous? Treatment And When To Get Help

Cats make wonderful pets. They are affectionate, playful and low maintenance companions. But sometimes even the sweetest cat can unexpectedly bite or scratch you.

While cat bites may seem harmless, they can actually be quite dangerous and lead to infection. 😷 This is because cat teeth are sharp and inject bacteria deep under your skin when they bite.

In this post, we will discuss the risks of cat bites, signs of infection to watch for, when to seek medical treatment and how to care for the bite wound at home.

Why are cat bites dangerous?

Cats have extremely sharp, needle-like teeth that can penetrate deep into your skin. When they bite, bacteria from their mouth gets trapped under your skin and can rapidly multiply.

Some common bacteria found in cats’ mouths that can cause infection include:

• Pasteurella multocida: Causes painful swelling, redness and pus at the bite site. Can spread to the bloodstream.
• Bartonella henselae: Causes cat scratch disease or cat scratch fever. Leads to swollen lymph nodes near the bite.
• Rabies virus: Almost always fatal neurological infection. Extremely rare in vaccinated cats.
• Capnocytophaga: Bacteria that can spread to the blood, causing septicemia. More common in immunocompromised people.

Cat bites have a high risk of infection, with some estimates ranging from 20-80%. 🤒 Bites on the hand are especially prone to infection since there is less blood flow to flush out bacteria.

In addition to infection, cat bites can also cause:

• Nerve damage
• Tendon injury
• Joint infection
• Permanent scarring

So while those tiny kitten nibbles seem harmless, it’s important to treat any cat bite that breaks your skin seriously.

Cat bite infection symptoms

Cat bite infections develop quickly, typically within 12-24 hours. Watch for these signs:

🔴 Redness, swelling and warmth around the bite

🤕 Tenderness and pain at the bite site

🤒 Fever

😣 Headache and fatigue

😖 Pus or cloudy drainage from the wound

🤢 Nausea and vomiting

🥵 Chills and night sweats

If you experience any of these, see your doctor right away as antibiotics will likely be needed. Delaying treatment raises your risk of complications.

Infection complications

Left untreated, cat bite infections can spread from the site of the bite and become serious or even life threatening. Potential complications include:

• Abscesses: Pockets of pus that form under the skin. Require drainage by a doctor.

• Cellulitis: Painful, red skin infection that spreads quickly. Needs IV antibiotics.

• Septicemia: Bacteria enters the bloodstream, rapidly causing organ damage. Medical emergency requiring hospitalization.

• Joint infections: Bacteria seeds itself in joints like the wrist, hand or knee. Surgery is often needed to clean out the joint.

• Meningitis: Infection of the brain and spinal cord that is often fatal if not treated urgently with IV antibiotics.

• Permanent disability: Tendons or nerves may be permanently damaged if the bite wound becomes severely infected. This can result in loss of function.

While healthy people recover well from most cat bites, those with a weakened immune system have a higher risk of developing life-threatening complications. Seek immediate care for any signs of worsening infection.

Infection timeline

Cat bite infections can develop rapidly:

• 1-12 hours after bite: Redness, pain and swelling at the bite site.

• 12-24 hours after bite: Increased swelling, redness and drainage. Fever may develop.

• 24-48 hours after bite: Infection worsens. Pus draining from wound, high fever, shakes and chills.

• 48-72 hours after bite: Infection spreads from bite site. Septicemia possible.

As you can see, bacteria spreads quickly from a cat bite wound. Seek medical care within 8 hours for optimal treatment of a bite that breaks your skin.

Infection treatment

See your doctor right away if you have any signs of infection from a cat bite. Most cases require antibiotics, which may be given as oral pills or through IV.

Your doctor may also:

• Clean and drain the infected wound.

• Surgically remove damaged tissue. This is called debridement.

• Flush out the wound during surgery.

• Give a tetanus booster if your vaccine is out of date.

• Prescribe pain medicine.

• Immobilize the injured hand or foot if needed.

You will need to take all prescribed medications as directed. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve within 48 hours after starting antibiotics. Delaying treatment can cause the infection to progress rapidly, so don’t take chances with a cat bite!

Other risks

In addition to infection, cat bites may cause:

🩹 Nerve damage: The bones, tendons and nerves in the hands and fingers are very close to the skin surface. A deep bite can sever these structures. This may result in numbness or impaired function of the injured area.

👎🏻 Tendon injury: Cat teeth can penetrate tendons, which attach muscles to bones. Bites over hand and finger joints often sever tendons. This requires surgery to repair.

💉 Rabies: While rare in domestic cats, a bite from a rabid cat almost always leads to rabies unless treated right away with a series of shots. Seek care if you can’t confirm the cat’s vaccination status.

🦠 Other diseases: Cats may transmit other diseases through bites and scratches, including ringworm (a fungal skin infection), cat scratch fever and tetanus. Your doctor can diagnose and treat these.

While the risk of long-term damage from a cat bite is low when treated promptly, take bites seriously so problems don’t develop.

Treatment for cat bites

If a cat bites you, take these steps for at-home care:

1️⃣ Immediately wash the bite with soap and warm running water for 5-10 minutes. This helps reduce the number of bacteria in the wound.

2️⃣ Apply an antibiotic ointment to the bite after cleaning. This helps prevent infection.

3️⃣ Cover with a sterile bandage or dressing. Change the bandage daily.

4️⃣ Apply an ice pack to reduce pain and swelling. Do this for 10-15 minutes a few times per day.

5️⃣ Keep the wound elevated above your heart as much as possible. This reduces swelling.

⏱ See your doctor within 8 hours of the bite, or sooner if signs of infection develop. Getting prompt care reduces your risk of complications.

Seeking medical help

See your doctor promptly if:

• The bite is deep, large or gaping.
• It bleeds heavily or doesn’t stop bleeding.
• Signs of infection develop.
• The cat is feral, sick or might be rabid.
• You haven’t had a tetanus vaccine in 5 years.

Your doctor can properly clean the wound, determine if you need antibiotics or a tetanus shot, and discuss rabies risks. 👨‍⚕️

Most small cat bites heal well when cleaned right away. But it’s always best to have a medical professional examine the injury to assess if additional care is needed.

Conclusion

To summarize, cat bites may appear small and harmless but they can result in dangerous infections. 😿 Any cat bite that breaks your skin should be thoroughly washed and monitored closely for signs of infection.

See your doctor promptly if the bite is deep, shows signs of infection or if you are at higher risk for complications due to health issues. With proper care and prompt treatment, most cat bites heal without causing permanent damage.