13/08/2022
If you (or anyone you know) gets bitten by a cat, you need to take it seriously! ☝🏼
Cat bites can be dangerous both to other animals and to humans. In their mouths, all cats carry a large number of bacteria that are capable of causing tissue infections in bite wounds.
What to do if you’re bitten? 😺
The wound should immediately be washed under running water🚰. Avoid 🙅🏻♂️ scrubbing the wounds vigorously, or using strong disinfectants or other chemicals, since this may harm tissue and delay wound healing.
You may clean the wound with a mild salt 🧂 solution, made by mixing 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of table salt in 2 cups (500 ml) of cooled boiled water.
Control bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound using an absorbent dressing or bandage.
You should see a doctor 👨🏻⚕️ as soon as possible. Most cat bite wounds are small punctures that drive pathogenic bacteria deep into the skin. Left untreated, a serious infection can develop within twenty-four to forty-eight hours 😱
Do you REALLY need to see a doctor?
Yes! If you have been bitten and the skin has been broken, it is important to get it checked and treated.
It is strongly advisable to see a doctor 👩🏼⚕️ as soon as possible in order to have the injury properly treated.
Your 🧑🏼⚕️ doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics 💊 in order to reduce the risk of infection developing at the site of the bite or elsewhere in the body. Some wounds may need to be sutured (stitched) while others will be left open to heal. A tetanus 💉 booster may also be recommended.
Cat scratches can be as serious as cat bites, because cats constantly lick 👅 their claws and the claws carry germs from the cat's mouth.
People and animals have bacteria in their mouths which can easily lead to an infection if a bite breaks the skin. As long as cat bites are treated the wound is generally not serious but, if not treated, it can quickly become infected 😬
Please look after yourself 🙏🏻
