Cats may bite or scratch if frightened or their kittens are threatened so leave them alone.
Cat scratch first aid.
If a cat scratches or bites you you need to act quickly to prevent.
Clean your hands in great detail with warm or hot water for at least 20 seconds not forgetting the areas between your fingers and under the nails.
Some bites especially from cats can get infected by bacteria from the animal s mouth.
If the cat s owner is around instruct him or her to secure the cat.
Taking proper care of a cat scratch is important as it s not uncommon for a simple scratch to become infected.
By mychelle blake cat behavior consultant.
If you live or work around cats it s inevitable that you ll get scratched one day even if it s just accidentally.
Washing your hands is the first step leading to successful cat scratch treatment.
We have at any time between 10 to 20 cats with us in our home.
Depending on the severity of the scratch and whether it was accompanied by a bite the animal may need to be identified and quarantined or tested for signs of disease such.
If not move the patient to a safe location.
Whether the animal is a family pet in kids most animal bites that are reported are from dogs or a creature from the wild scratches and bites can carry disease.
Then rinse your wound with warm water and start cleaning the injured area with soap.
Any bee sting or insect bite has the potential to cause problems ranging from a minor local reaction pain swelling or itching to a more serious one hives facial swelling vomiting trouble breathing and in rare cases collapse.
The first sign of cat scratch disease in humans is usually a small swelling at the region of the cat scratch or bite followed by enlarged lymph glands in the armpits groin or neck.
First aid for cat scratches.
They can coil around you alluringly but they also can scratch and bite.
What you should do for a cat bite or scratch.
The following are common feline emergencies and instructions for first aid.
Secure the cat or the patient or both.
First aid for an infected cat scratch.
Steps to treat a cat bite.
Move one away from the other.
Henselae is transmitted by fleas and when cats scratch at them this bacterium can get trapped under their claws when the cat scratches you there is a chance that same bacterium could enter your.
If an unknown or feral cat scratches you levy recommends using the same first aid treatment but also enlisting the help of animal control or your local health department.
Our family board cats in our house.
Besides the scratch providing an opening for germs to enter your body cats sometimes carry a bacterium called bartonella henselae even though most of them don t actually show signs of illness.
