I know it’s not okay to pet stray cats– it’s common sense that strays tend to be aggressive and are more likely to carry disease. Nevertheless, this bleeding-heart, crazy cat lady couldn’t resist the urge to pet the tortoiseshell who seemed sweet and harmless. As soon as my hand touched the cat’s haunches, she lashed out at me, sinking her sharp white teeth deep into my hand before dashing away into the bushes. I was quick to react, knowing that cat bites are dirty and dangerous. Here are the steps I took to prevent disease after being bitten by a stray cat, as advised by my local Animal Control officers and Health Department.
1. Address the wound immediately. Without hesitation, get yourself to the nearest sink to tend the wound. Even a minor cat bite can be filled with dangerous bacteria. Wash the site of the wound extremely thoroughly in very hot water. If you have any rubbing alcohol available, pour it over the wound. It will hurt, but it’s necessary for preventing infection. My local health department advised to keep the wound uncovered, so as to prevent anaerobic infection.
2. Call your local health department. Your county health department will give you information about what you need to do next. If rabies is prevalent in your area, you may need to receive prophylactic treatments for it. I learned from my local health department that rabies is not a risk from stray cats in my area, but they did want to verify that I had an up-to-date tetanus shot. Based on local epidemiology, your county health department can guide you on further action to prevent disease. They will also log the incident for further statistics and data analysis.
3. Call Animal Control. Animal Control organizations take reports of vicious animals seriously, since they can spread disease to both humans and other animals. A call to your local Animal Control services can prevent this incident from recurring. If the stray cat who bit can be rehabilitated, it may be adopted to a loving home. Otherwise, it will likely be neutered and released, or– unfortunately– euthanized. Animal Control will come to your property and set a trap to capture the animal. If you rent your home, your landlord or leasing agent may have to make the call.
4. Consider getting in touch with your doctor. It’s best to get in touch with your doctor any time you get bitten by an animal, but this isn’t practical for everyone. If you are generally healthy and don’t suffer from chronic disease or a compromised immune system, a “keep an eye on it” approach, with excellent home care, may be acceptable. However, cat bites often become infected, so it’s important to get medical care if you start to experience any worrisome symptoms, such as pain, fever, swelling, pus, or drainage. Prompt treatment can keep the infection from becoming serious.
5. Use home treatments. There are several things you can do to help keep the stray cat’s bite from becoming infected. In addition to the thorough washing after the bitten area, you should regularly apply alcohol to the wound. I also took supplements containing immune-supporting compounds such as garlic and oil of oregano. Topical antibiotics such as Neosporin can also be helpful. These home remedies can be useful both as adjuncts for prescribed care, and as replacements for prescribed treatments if the bite does not develop into an infection.
Although cat bites can be serious, they tend to be easily treatable if addressed promptly and effectively. By taking the appropriate steps to preserve your health after being bitten by a stray cat, you can minimize the likelihood of a serious infection. Talk to your doctor any time you have concerns about your health.
