How and what to treat a cat bite
Cats are one of the most popular pets. They are considered family members and are allowed to live in the yard, and even in a house or apartment and even sleep in the same bed with the owners. But, despite such mutual love, there are "disagreements" between pets and owners. The result of this is most often a cat bite or long scratches, which give a lot of experience to the owners, especially if the children are affected. What you need to know about cat bites and complications after them? This and other questions will help to understand the following information.
Fluffy and muzzling
Domestic cats are very wayward animals. They completely depend on the person, but all their kind and behavior always prove the opposite and allow themselves to love. Those who start fluffy beauties, it's a pleasure to do, because purring creatures bring a lot of joy.
Advantages of cats in front of other domestic pets are obvious:
- They are perfectly trained - cats perfectly remember the "house rules" of an apartment or house, they know what can and can not.
- Do not require walking outside. Cats can go to the toilet on the tray, and special fillers allow you to completely get rid of unpleasant odors.
- It is not difficult to feed them. Most tailed darlings are unpretentious in food and eat dry food, which is sold in any store. Also they perfectly transfer products from a diet of owners.
- Give positive emotions. It has been scientifically proven that stroking a cat under the sound of its mum causes calming nerves and normalizes the work of the heart rhythm. In addition, even with an adult beauty you can always play and watch how she sports, charging with a positive.
Why can a cat bite?
At first glance, it may seem that from life with a furry favorite one benefits. But do not forget that the cat - the animal is very independent and possessing character, besides a descendant of experienced predators.
If she does not like something or is afraid of her, she can defend herself or warn her of danger. For this, nature rewarded the purr with sharp claws and strong, thin teeth. In what situations do they use them?
It's fair to say that a normal healthy cat, especially a domestic cat, will never bite or scratch for no reason.
Most often, such a problem as a cat's bite affects children: they mercilessly "play" with the animal, often ignoring their desires and mood. Also, a pet can bite if:
- is impregnated to it;
- people want to take a cat in their hands, which he does not know;
- causes him pain or discomfort;
- encroaches on his food.
Yard cats are less predictable, but they can attack and bite people for the same reasons. The exception is sick animals, which in case of rabies can bite without irritating factors.
Features of cat bites
Physiologically, a cat can not inflict dangerous wounds on the teeth, as it is capable of making another, larger pet. But from this, the cat's bite does not become more enjoyable.
The cat family has very thin, but sharp enough teeth. Therefore, if the cat bites, the wound immediately becomes not extensive, but rather deep.
Another feature of cats is the large number of microbes and bacteria living in the oral cavity of the animal and its saliva. Hence the peculiarities distinguishing the bite of a cat: the consequences of it are much harder than the trauma itself. In the deep wound from the teeth penetrate various microorganisms along with cat's saliva. As a result, in more than half of cases, the bites of cats are accompanied by complications - inflammation of the wound of varying severity.
But severe consequences can be avoided if you know what to do if a cat is bitten.
Correct wound treatment
A proper treatment of the injured area is the guarantee that the consequences will be minimal and the edema from the bite will not develop.
First of all, the wound should be washed with running cool water and soap, preferably economic. After that, carefully treat with a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, and the procedure must be repeated several times. After a while, it is necessary to wash the wound again with running water and soap, and then lubricate the edges with a drying alcohol solution: iodine, fucorcin, brilliant green.
You do not need to pour alcohol solutions into the wound - it will not bring any benefit, but it will only burn damaged tissues.
Depending on how deep the cat's bite was, the consequences can be different: from redness and swelling to an extensive inflammatory process.
What does folk medicine offer?
Traditional opponents of traditional disinfectants can offer natural antiseptics in case a person has received such a trauma as a cat's bite. Treatment in this situation should be under the constant supervision of a specialist, and at the first signs of worsening it is urgent to see a doctor.
For the initial treatment of the wound, you can use the alcohol infusion of herbs. An excellent antiseptic and wound-healing effect has a tincture of calendula.
Also in order to decontaminate the place of bite, the tincture of chlorophyllipt is perfect - this remedy perfectly fights with a lot of staphylococcal bacteria that can easily penetrate into the wound with the saliva of the animal.
In order to remove the swelling from the bite, you can apply warm compresses or baths of chamomile, marigold, oak bark. These herbs have a wound-healing and soothing effect.
What are the possible complications?
The danger of injuries of this kind depends most often on their source - the cat. If there was a bite of a domestic cat that undergoes regular vet inspections, clean and healthy, the consequences of the incident will be minimal. In this case, a minor inflammation and a prolonged and sometimes debilitating wound healing process can be a complication of the trauma.
If the cat's bite happened in an unfamiliar environment - on a visit or on the street, then the matter may be much more serious. Street animals are carriers of various microbes and infectious diseases, the most serious of which is rabies.
If you have such a nuisance, you need not panic and remember what to do if a cat bites.
When is medical care needed?
After the cat has bitten, it is necessary to carry out independent processing of wounds and to supervise over them. Emergency medical care should be treated in the following situations:
- It is impossible to stop the bleeding at the site of the bite yourself.
- Large vessels, muscles, or ligaments are injured. A characteristic sign of this can be severe pain while moving in the affected area.
- Significant swelling, cyanosis at the bite site.
- Increased body temperature and worsening of general condition against a background of non-healing wound.
If, in time, the wound does not heal, and the soreness and inflammation only progress, there are signs of purulent inflammation, then the likelihood that the infection has joined is high. What to do with this development? How to treat a cat bite? Treatment in this case should also be prescribed by a doctor. For our part, we note that in such situations, it is rarely possible to avoid the appointment of a course of antibiotics.
Can I get rabies?
In a situation where a pet is simply showing character and biting its masters "for order", one can not worry about rabies.
But if on the street for no reason you attacked, bitten or scratched a cat, you need to be worried. Aggressive individuals who rush at people can not focus their eyes, do not control salivation, are very similar to those affected by rabies. The disease is rare, only animals act as carriers, but its danger to man should not be minimized.
Rabies after a cat bite can not be diagnosed immediately. The task of a person after the attack of a stray animal, especially one that looks unhealthy, consists in an immediate referral to the doctor.
The specialist will not only correctly treat the wound, but also offer serum against rabies, which is injected with a course of three vaccines at monthly intervals. Such a precautionary measure will avoid a serious ailment.
Is it necessary to examine a cat?
Usually, after an animal attack, a person is concerned about his own state of health and does not think about the source of his problems. And in vain!
A cat that showed aggression and attacked a person must be isolated and safely delivered to the nearest vet. It is this specialist who must examine the animal for rabies and decide its future fate. The veterinarian is given ten days during which the cat is placed in quarantine.
After this time, the expert decides whether a healthy animal or not. In the latter case, the cat has to be put to sleep to protect others.
Can I avoid cat bites?
Any danger can always be prevented with less effort and health. In order not to suffer from the cat's teeth and claws, it is necessary to follow simple rules, and in particular to teach them children.
- You can not touch, iron, tease homeless animals. Unfamiliar cats and dogs need to be avoided.
- Do not take food from a cat.
- Do not fret and do not yank the animal beyond measure.
Domestic cats usually do not show aggression without objective reasons. And most often such a cause, and later a victim of a bite and a scratch become small children. Kids do not understand that the pet does not want to indulge, dress up, play with the tail. The task of the parents is to inform the children that the animal can not be tormented and forced to play, no matter how fluffy and sweet it may look. 
Injuries from pets are a common thing. Usually they do not represent any danger. Much more serious are the injuries received from homeless animals.
A person is stronger than cats and dogs. But he must not forget that animals also have their own character, feelings, experiences. They need to be respected properly, and then the problem of bites and scratches will disappear by itself.