Emergency First Aid for Cat Bites: Quick Steps

Part 1: Complications from Cat Bites

When bitten or scratched by a cat, it's crucial to promptly disinfect the wound with 2% iodine alcohol and take antibiotics as prescribed. If your health is compromised, seek medical attention immediately. Cat scratch disease can become chronic if left untreated, necessitating careful management under a doctor's supervision. Cats carry a type of microscopic egg called a coccidian cyst in their feces. If humans consume water or food contaminated with these cysts, they may experience symptoms like fever, weakness in the limbs, muscle pain, enlarged liver and spleen, and jaundice. This is why kittens are particularly susceptible to coccidiosis.

Part 2: What to Do in an Emergency if Bitten by a Cat

1. Immediate First Aid: If you're bitten by a cat, whether it's a wild, sick, or domesticated one, your first step should not be to rush to the hospital. Instead, immediately and thoroughly rinse the wound. If water is unavailable, use urine as a temporary substitute until you can find a clean source.

Quickly rinse away any rabies virus that may be present. The virus can enter the body's tissues and travel along nerves to the central nervous system, leading to fatal consequences.

2. Thorough Cleaning: Since cat bites often result in small, deep wounds, it's important to gently expand the wound to expose it fully. Use forceful pressure to squeeze out blood and pus from around the wound. Ensure a generous flow of water to thoroughly clean the area.

3. Avoid Bandaging: Do not wrap the wound; unless the wound is large and bleeding, requiring止血, it's best not to apply any medication or bandage it. Rabies viruses thrive in anaerobic conditions, so wrapping the wound could promote their growth.

4. Rabies Vaccination: Seek vaccination against rabies as soon as possible after the bite, ideally within 24 hours. While the vaccine is effective for preventing rabies in those who have not been exposed, it's also beneficial for those who have. The vaccine should be administered on the 0th, 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 28th days postexposure, with each injection being 1 milliliter. In severe cases, a doctor may administer a dose of rabies immune globulin or rabies serum after a skin test to directly neutralize any potentially infected rabies virus. Following this, you should receive regular rabies vaccinations to build immunity, typically producing antibodies within about a week.

If you haven't received a tetanus shot in the past five years, a tetanus antitoxin can be administered as an additional precaution against tetanus bacteria. After approximately three days, you can also receive an amoxicillin injection.

Important Tip: For more information on cat bites, click here to read "Can You Get Rabies from a Cat Bite?"