Bartonella: Why You Should Treat a Cat Scratch Quickly
Published November 30, 2010
One of the greatest joys in my life is being owned by two incredibly loving and devoted cats, Hubble and Hush Puppy.
They follow me from room to room. They love being groomed. They don't even mind having their ears cleaned.
When it's nail-trimming time, both of them they enjoy receiving their every-two-week pedicures. They stretch out on their backs, lying peacefully in my lap purring with pleasure as the sharp tips of their claws are removed.
But a few weeks ago, I must have missed a scheduled nail trimming session, which ended up being disastrous. While Hubble was drifting off to kitty dreamland lying on my lap, something startled him. I'm not even sure what it was.
He awoke suddenly, leaping into the air like a coiled spring and accidentally catching my bare arm with his too-long hind claws.
Since there appeared to be no broken skin, but just two parallel lines slowly turning black and blue, I didn't give it a second thought and neglected to clean it thoroughly.
Two days later it was sore and turning an angry red.
Within a week it was not only hot to the touch, but also quite swollen. It was definitely time to seek medical attention. I am now on antibiotics and our coffee table, with its huge compliment of ointments and bandages, resembles a miniature hospital emergency room.
I could have simply avoided what has turned into a rather expensive, painful production.
Had I just liberally washed the scratch with warm soapy water, applied an antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin, and covered it with a Band-Aid that breathes (not waterproof), and watched it carefully for any sign of infection, I would not be getting tested for Bartonella -- a type of bacteria that can be caught beneath a cat's nail.
Bartonella infections are also knows as Cat Scratch Disease or Cat Scratch Fever in humans.
Annoying as all this was, I should point out that some people think that declawing cats is necessary to prevent cat scratches, but I certainly don't. The majority of these accidents are caused by human error and/or frightened kitties. And since declawed cats often resort to biting defensively, those injuries are far more dangerous.
What tips can you add for treating cat scratches? Leave a comment and share them.
Image Source: Jo Singer
Shortly after retiring as a social worker and psychotherapist, I discovered my "writer's voice"…
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Comments (7)
I have been luck to never have cat scratch fever.....I have however had a bit wound that was bad. My daughter' cat wanted to be petted and after a few strokes he whirled and bit me right to the bone. I immediately went to the doctor and she checked me over gave me a tetanus shot and medication. I also had to prove a rabies vaccination. No problem but it was very painful.
I work as a veterinary assistant. I am subject to a number of fractious cat patients (read "scared")and have suffered my share (more than my share) of cat scratches and bites. Cats are fearful in a vet hospital, and special care is required to treat them without further scaring them. I've found that if I let a scratch bleed for several minutes before washing with antiseptic and covering the wound, it will heal much faster and not get infected. As a senior, my skin is very thin and fragile and tears quite easily. It's another story with the cat bites that I have received over the years. They nearly always get infected, so as soon as a bite occurs I am off to the urgent care clinic for immediate treatment.
Love the comments, agree 100% with Ruth, and wish you a speedy recovery, our friend! (O) This can happen with anyone, actually -- human nails are notoriously germ-laden, as are, of course, human mouths, so no one is above that kind of thing! and no one would dream of de-nailing or de-toothing a human! Anyway, do get better soon! And lots of love to Hubble and Hush Puppy
I wash the wound and then pour peroxice over it immediately. I don't get bitten or scratched a lot, but I do take action on the occasion it does happen.
I'm with Barb, mine usually bleed (a lot) so I don't even mess with washing them TOO much. Heck after having as many cats as I've had, I'm probably immune to anything they might carry! I was bitten by an outside cat once that resulted in my hand being the size of a softball within hours...and THAT one I scrubbed and scrubbbed and even went to the doc. And since the cats stay in...and I do try and keep their claws clipped...except Honey Bear, she's like trying to trim the nails of a daggone mad lion. And I have the scars to prove it! LOL
Thoroughly wash the scratches, if bleeding squeeze to remove any germs, rinse thoroughly, spray with antiseptic spray and all will be well. I had many scratches as a vet nurse and no infection from them. However I did have a very bad hand from a cat bite, not a declawed cat as of course we have never done that cruel surgery in the UK, but I know declawed cats do bite and they bite hard and who can blame them ! I wouldn't worry about cat scratch fever Jo, it's very rare and as your cats never go outside you'd have to be very unlucky to have it.
Since scratches usually result in blood for me, I always wash them with soap and water but don't do anything else. The one time I did get an infection from one of my cats it was from a bite that broke the skin.