Keep the wound bandaged until you see your doctor. Apply a sterile bandage to the wound. I got rabies and tetanus shots. Finally, keep the wound elevated above your heart to prevent swelling and infection. Is this a serious problem? How can I clean my wound from a cat bite? With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. This will help remove dirt and bacteria from the inside of the wound. This is why bite wound abscesses are most common in cats that spend time outdoors. Most cat bites occur when cat owners are bitten by their pets. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Do I seek help? The cat isn't vaccinated and my wound isn't swelling. [1] If it seems superficial, just wash the wound and cover it with a band-aid, then keep an eye out for infection as it heals. Cat Bite Abscess Healing Process. For advice from our Medical co-author, like how to prevent future cat bites, scroll down! Clean the bite site; Cleaning the wound is essential in order to prevent the risk of infection and scarring. Even if it’s nothing, making sure you don’t have anything dangerous is better that taking the risk of ignoring it in case it's not. She bit me and left a scratch bite. Cat wound healing stages Almost all the types of cat wounds undergo a similar healing process. Have deep puncture wounds from the cat’s fangs, Have damaged tissue that needs to be removed, Recommend reconstructive surgery if you have severe damage or risk of scars. Your doctor will likely do the following: Remember, it’s important to act quickly if you get a cat bite. Cat bites tend to be small puncture wounds that frequently become infected. Cats that are not used to people may react unpredictably. That will only make things worse. This article has been viewed 123,908 times. Normally, cat fights result in either gapped skin tears or deep puncture wounds from either the teeth or claws. When you're finished, apply an antibiotic cream to the bite to help prevent an infection. If a cat bites you, see a doctor as soon as possible. This will help decrease your risk of contracting an infection. unlocking this expert answer. Cat bites only account for 10-15% of animal bites reported by emergency rooms, but they pose a much greater risk of infection. ", "I was bitten by a cat, so I searched it on wikiHow and I'm satisfied with what I read.". If there is any risk of rabies infection, the health care provider will recommend anti-rabies treatment. You might want to get a tetanus shot, or just have it looked by a professional. Problem with cat bite Cat bite getting worse Cat bite infected and numbness in the thumb I was bitten by my own cat on the thumb. There was some drainage of blood and a clear fluid the first day, but now it's closed and shows no sign of infection. Be aware that cats don’t often show signs of this infection, so it may be hard to tell just by looking at it. It can be just a scratch or a cut that is as tiny as a paper cut.. A large scrape, abrasion, or cut might happen because of a fall, accident, or trauma. The bite wound abscess was hidden in this cat's armpit area but the smell of the infection was obvious. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Give your cat the antibiotics as directed. When your child is bitten or scratched by an animal, be calm and reassure your child that you can help. I treated it at home, and everything seems to be OK now. (Studies show that 50 % of cat bites become infected) I have been bitten by cats, dogs, horses, hamsters, eagles, turtles, and even taloned by an owl during my career. Determine the severity of the bite, then act accordingly based on the information above. Beware of bleeding. I have a deep wound from a cat's fang. Antibiotics will likely be given by your vet to treat the abscess. Cat Bite On Hand Protocol Cat rabies is unusual in home cats that have been tested and vaccinated. “Hands, joints and tendons are at greatest risk.”. Call your doctor as soon as possible to help cut the risk for infection. Then, apply presure with a clean towel to the injured area to stop any bleeding. Therefore, a cat should be treated by a veterinarian as soon as the possibility of an abscess is identified. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. How to Treat a Cat Bite . Your skin may be torn from your body. Pre-bite questions: The vet is going to ask a series of questions. At this point, it is likely to look raw and may no longer be actively draining pus. They can cause serious infection and should be treated immediately. A few weeks later, they will develop a slowly enlarging lymph node or gland in the same area. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8f\/Treat-a-Cat-Bite-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Treat-a-Cat-Bite-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8f\/Treat-a-Cat-Bite-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid673276-v4-728px-Treat-a-Cat-Bite-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"