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Stray animals or pets living on the street often have a wilder disposition and can attack people in case of danger, during play, etc. Quite often the wound becomes infected, but dangerous diseases accompanying injury can be prevented.
Let's take a closer look at what to do if you are bitten by a street cat in order to prevent the development of life-threatening consequences.
If you know what to do when an animal bites you, you can avoid many serious consequences.
- Prevention of rabies
Why are cat bites dangerous?
Cat bites can provoke severe infectious processes that affect the skin and fatty tissue. The danger also lies in infection with viruses, the worst of which is the pathogen that contributes to the occurrence of rabies. This disease inevitably leads to death.
A cat bite can cause deep tissue infection
The saliva of a pet contains a large number of bacteria, which during a bite get deep into the tissue, since the cat’s teeth are long and sharp. Pathogenic microflora provokes the appearance of purulent processes, which lead to edema and the formation of infiltrates. If you do not consult a doctor in time and do not carry out antiseptic treatment, the infection spreads to surrounding tissues, increasing the risk of dangerous complications for a person’s life.
A cat bite can lead to serious inflammation
In addition, there is a high probability of damage to nerve endings during a bite, which will provoke a further deterioration in the mobility and sensitivity of the limbs. If after an incident with a cat you feel numbness in the skin, it is recommended to immediately go to the emergency room.
Attention! Cat bites that do not heal for a long time indicate a serious infectious process in the tissues.
What happens if a cat bites - video
Reason for attack
Street cats can be more affectionate than purebred apartment pets, so you should not be biased towards them. However, self-defense instincts often work in such a way that a person receives scratches and bites.
A bite can be caused by the following factors:
- human aggression, animal self-defense;
- interference in the cat’s personal space;
- fear;
- territory protection;
- trying to pet a cat;
- character traits of the animal;
- protection of offspring;
- a person's attempt to separate fighting animals;
- unpleasant sensations (for example, if you pull a cat’s tail);
- passion for the game;
- disease.
If you are bitten by a cat on the street for no obvious reason, you should seriously think about the need for rabies vaccination, since such behavior of the animal may well be provoked by this dangerous disease. The cost of delaying seeking help is death in 100% of cases.
First aid
What to do first:
- Rinse the wound under cool water for 5–10 minutes. Then treat the bite site with laundry or tar soap. After one minute, rinse thoroughly.
- Soak a cotton pad in hydrogen peroxide, Miramistin or Chlorhexidine. After this, treat the affected area and rinse again under cool water.
- The edges of the wound should be lightly lubricated with iodine or brilliant green; alcohol can also be used for these purposes, but under no circumstances should the bleeding surface be treated with the listed agents.
- At the last stage, you need to apply a bandage using a wide bandage.
Hydrogen peroxide can be used to treat a cat bite wound.
If there is minor bleeding, no measures need to be taken. In this way, all pathogenic microorganisms that could enter with saliva are naturally released. However, if the bleeding is severe, it is recommended to wash the wound according to the algorithm described above and bandage it tightly.
Attention! It is not recommended to apply various healing creams and ointments to a fresh wound. They can only be used after consulting a doctor.
First aid after an incident - video
When to see a doctor
When you need specialist advice:
- with severe bleeding that does not stop after applying a bandage;
- if numbness is felt in the affected area;
- in the presence of a laceration;
- if body temperature rises and general health worsens;
- when severe swelling forms in the bite area.
Severe swelling in the wound area after a cat bite is a reason to consult a doctor
You should also consult a doctor if pulsation is felt in the affected area and the skin becomes warm. In addition, consultation with a specialist will be required if pus and inflammation appear. The doctor will also help if the wound does not heal for a long time.
Attention! Consultation with a specialist is mandatory if the animal is outdoors or hunts rodents.
— Does the animal with rabies show any symptoms?
— Yes, a dog with rabies has certain signs that appear 12-20 days after the bite. The animal's behavior changes: it avoids people, howls, is in no mood, often angry, does not eat, does not drink water, can swallow unusual objects (a piece of wood, rags, nails). After 1-2 days he becomes aggressive, a large amount of saliva comes from his mouth, has an unsteady gait, runs away from home and often gets lost, after 2-3 days paralysis begins, and dies on the 7th or 8th day.
10 days before symptoms of the disease appear, saliva is dangerous because it already contains the rabies virus!
Treatment for cat bites
Treatment of a wound after a cat bite is complex. In this case, first of all, you should contact a specialist who will administer the vaccine against rabies and tetanus. This measure is necessary if the animal is outdoor or often walks and has contact with other pets, as well as rodents. If the vessels are severely injured, the doctor may recommend suturing the wound.
To speed up the healing of damaged tissues, it is necessary to combine medicinal treatment methods with traditional methods.
Drug therapy
Complex drug therapy can reduce the risk of complications and speed up the healing process of damaged tissue several times. To prevent suppuration, antibacterial medications are most often prescribed, such as: Amoxicillin, Amoxiclav, Ceftriaxone and others. These drugs are used for up to 5–7 days in doses recommended by the doctor and depending on the nature of the wound.
Amoxiclav destroys pathogenic microflora
To speed up healing, Levomekol ointment is also used, which has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect. The drug prevents wound suppuration and is used at least 2 times a day for a week. After lubricating the affected area, it is important to apply a gauze bandage. Also, Vishnevsky ointment is often used for treatment, which quickly relieves the inflammatory process.
Levomekol has an anti-inflammatory effect
At the last stage of therapy, D-Panthenol cream is used, which helps restore the skin and prevents scar formation. It is recommended to use this remedy 2-3 times a day for 10 days. You should not bandage the bite site.
D-Panthenol accelerates tissue regeneration
Attention! Under no circumstances should you cover the affected area with adhesive tape, as this can increase the risk of wound suppuration.
One day my mother was severely bitten by a domestic cat. The wounds were so deep that the hand was swollen. I had to seek help from a doctor who prescribed painkillers and antibacterial agents. The wounds on the arm took about a month to heal, and the treatment was lengthy. The tumor subsided gradually, and the bite marks themselves took a very long time to disappear. It’s good that there were no scars left because my mother used a healing cream.
Folk remedies
Effective folk recipes:
- Tincture of calendula. It is best to purchase it in a pharmacy in ready-made form. This product can be used to treat the edges of the wound, but not the bite site itself. Calendula has an antibacterial effect and eliminates the inflammatory process. It is best to treat fabrics using a cotton swab 2 times a day for 3–4 days.
- Chamomile decoction. You will need 2 tbsp. l. dry raw materials, which need to be poured with 400 ml of boiling water and boiled over low heat for 20 minutes. Then let it brew for another hour. Then filter the liquid through gauze and use it to wash damaged tissues 2 times a day for a week. This remedy will speed up the healing process and prevent suppuration.
- Sage tea. You will need 1 tbsp. l. raw materials, which needs to be poured with 300 ml of boiling water and left for 2 hours. Then strain the liquid and use it to wash the bite site 2-3 times a day for a week. The infusion has an anti-inflammatory effect and produces an antiseptic effect.
Attention! Traditional methods of treatment do not replace drug therapy, so these remedies can only be used in combination with medications.
Ingredients for traditional medicine recipes - photo gallery
Calendula tincture has an antibacterial effect
Sage produces an antiseptic effect
Chamomile eliminates inflammation
Possible complications
The most dangerous complication that can occur after an animal bite is blood poisoning. This is possible when the infection gets into the deep layers of tissue. Sepsis can be fatal, so neglecting treatment is not recommended. Another serious complication is infection with tetanus and the rabies virus. Both pathologies are not amenable to therapeutic correction. In addition, tendons and muscles may be injured, resulting in limited motor activity of the affected limb.
Attention! With advanced purulent processes, mandatory drainage and rinsing of the cavity is required. To avoid such a consequence, it is important to begin antiseptic treatment immediately after the incident.
How to protect yourself from infection if bitten by a cat
The risk of contracting rabies from the bite of a sick cat can be minimized by pre-exposure immunization. It is recommended for people who are at risk:
- work in disadvantaged areas;
- tourists who prefer outdoor recreation;
- animal shelter workers;
- workers of medical and veterinary laboratories who may come into contact with live rabies virus;
- researchers who have contact with wild animals or bats.
Some countries provide pre-exposure immunization to children who live in areas affected by rabies.
Such vaccination is not widespread, as it is an expensive method and can cause side effects that negatively affect human health. Therefore, when prescribing this type of rabies prevention, an objective assessment of the risk of infection is carried out, taking into account the complications that the administration of the vaccine may cause.
