Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Cats are mischievous, unpredictable, and sometimes aggressive creatures. If you interact with a cat a lot, you may get scratched by it from time to time. Cats have sharp claws for self-defense, and they can sometimes cause fairly deep scratches. Properly taking care of your cat scratches will help you avoid complications from the wound.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Evaluate the cat scratching wound

1. 

   Identify your cat. It is important to have information about the cat that has scratched you. If it is a domestic cat or a cat from a close friend, it can be considered a "domestic cat". You can treat the wound yourself if it's not too heavy, and you know exactly about that cat:
   • Cats have been fully vaccinated.
   • Cats are in good health.
   • Cats are mostly indoors.

2. 

   
   
   Seek medical attention if you are unaware of the cat that has scratched you. Strange cats may not be vaccinated, so you may need preventive treatment for bacterial infections, tetanus or rabies. Especially when the scratch is accompanied by a bite (up to 80% risk of infection), you need to see your doctor for medical attention.

3. 

   
   
   Evaluate the wound. The appropriate treatment is based on the severity of the wound. Any scratching can be painful, but the depth of the wound will indicate if it's serious.
   • A superficial wound occurs in the outermost layer of the skin and slightly bleeding can be considered a skin wound.
   • A deeper wound penetrates multiple layers of skin and heavy bleeding can be considered serious.

4. 

   
   
   Decide on the appropriate treatment. A cat scratched skin wound can be treated at home. However, a cat scratching wound or a serious (deep) wound by a domestic cat should be evaluated by a medical professional. advertisement

Method 2 of 5: Treating external wounds

1. 

   Hand washing. Before handling any cat scratched skin, make sure your hands are clean and sterile. Use soap and warm (or medium hot) water to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. Be careful to wash both your fingers and under your fingernails. Then rinse the water thoroughly.

2. 

   Sponge. Use tap water to wash cat scratches and surrounding skin. Avoid using water that is too hot as this can cause more bleeding.

3. 

   Wash the skin that has been scratched by the cat. Use soap to thoroughly wash the affected skin. Try to wash both the wound and the surrounding skin (for example, if the cat scratches the arm, wash your arm instead of just washing the scratch). After washing with soap, rinse thoroughly with clean water.
   • Do not rub the scratched skin, as this could cause additional damage (bruising) to the tissues.

4. 

   Apply ointment to the scratch. Treat cat scratches with an antiseptic ointment. A synthetic antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin can be used; These ointments contain neomycin, an antibiotic that is very effective in healing cuts.
   • A synthetic antibiotic ointment can be applied to the wound three times a day.
   • Bacitracin is a good choice for people allergic to conventional synthetic antibiotic ointments.
   • There is no need to take antibiotics if the wound is a skin scratched by a cat.

5. 

   Do not cover the wound tightly. Only home treatment is recommended for cat scratched skin wounds, so they don't need a bandage. Keep the wound clean during the treatment period, but it is recommended that the wound be exposed to fresh air. advertisement

Method 3 of 5: Treating deep wounds

1. 

   Medical treatment. Deeper wounds may have a lot of bleeding and require antibiotics to prevent infection, even if the cat is fully vaccinated. Usually you will be prescribed Augment 875/125 mg orally twice daily for 7 to 10 days.
   • Before getting medical attention, you may need first aid at home.
   • It is imperative that you see your doctor after taking the following steps to treat the wound.

2. 

   Stop bleeding. If the wound is bleeding heavily, use a clean towel to apply pressure. Press firmly against the bleeding site and hold until the bleeding stops. You may also need to keep the wound higher than your head.

3. 

   Clean the injured skin. After washing your hands thoroughly, gently wash the affected area with soap and rinse with clean water. Do not rub it when washing it because the wound may bleed again.

4. 

   Pat the wound dry. Use another clean washcloth to completely dry the wound and the surrounding skin.

5. 

   Dressing. Deep wounds should be covered with band-aid, butterfly bandage, or clean gauze.
   • If the wound is large, pull the edges together and apply a bandage, a bandage that can help close the wound. If necessary, you can use a variety of bandages to close the wound, helping the wound heal.
   • If you don't have tape, you can cover it with gauze and keep it in place with a bandage.
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Method 4 of 5: Assess the risk of cat scratching

1. 

   Avoid infections. Some cat scratches and most cat bites can cause infection. Cleaning the wound and applying an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin or Bacitrac can greatly reduce the risk of infection. An infected wound also requires antibiotics. Signs of infection include:
   • Severe pain, swelling, redness, or heat around the wound
   • Red streaks appear from the wound
   • Drainage from the wound
   • High fever

2. 

   Prevent cat scratch disease. Cat scratch disease, the most common disease transmitted by cats, is caused by the bacteria bartonella henselae. Cats act as a source of infection, especially kittens and cats with fleas. About 40% of cats carry the bacteria at times, but show no signs of illness.
   • Some cats with cat scratch disease can develop heart disease, ulcers in their mouths, or eye infections.
   • The first sign of cat scratch disease in humans is usually a small swelling in the area where the cat scratches or bites, accompanied by swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpit, groin or neck. Followed by fever, fatigue, red eyes, joint pain and sore throat.
   • Cat scratch disease in humans can cause serious eye, brain, liver, or spleen damage.
   • People who lack resistance are at high risk of complications or even death from cat scratch fever.
   • The diagnostic method for cat scratch disease is usually a B henselae serological test, but can also be diagnosed with bacterial culture, histopathology, or polymerization chain reaction. The disease is treated with antibiotics such as azithromycin, rifampin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin or bactrim.

3. 

   Determine if you have fungal skin diseases (ringworm). Ringworm is a fungal infection characterized by round, bulging, and scaly patches of skin.
   • Skin fungus often causes itchiness.
   • Dermatosis can be treated with an antifungal ointment such as miconazole or clotrimazole.

4. 

   Assess the risk of toxoplasmosis infection. Toxoplasmosis is a parasite in cats and is spread through cat feces. You are more likely to become infected with the parasite toxoplasmosis parasite, toxoplasma gondii through the scratch of the cat, especially if the cat's claws have feces contaminated.
   • People infected with the parasite may experience fever, body aches, and swollen lymph nodes. Severe cases can damage the brain, eyes, and lungs, and are especially dangerous for pregnant women. Therefore, pregnant women should avoid contact with cat litter or cat feces during pregnancy.
   • Treatment of toxoplasmosis with anti-parasitic drugs such as pyrimethamine.

5. 

   Watch for symptoms of other illnesses. Cats can carry life-threatening germs. Contact your doctor at once if you have been scratched by a cat and have the following symptoms:
   • Fever
   • Swelling in head or neck
   • Red, itchy, or scaly patches of skin
   • Severe headache, lightheadedness or dizziness
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Method 5 of 5: Prevent Cat Scratching

1. 

   Do not punish the cat for scratching. Scratching is a normal self-defense behavior for a cat, so punishing your cat for scratching can make it more aggressive later on.

2. 

   Trim your cat's claws. You can trim your cat's nails with a regular nail clipper. Clipping your cat's claws once a week can minimize damage from scratching.

3. 

   Avoid rough play. Don't play hard with adult cats or kittens. Playing this way can encourage them to scratch and bite you and others.

4. 

   Get an adult cat. Most cats get rid of the bad habit of biting and scratching by the time they reach adulthood, from 1 to 2 years. If you are sensitive to cat scratches or scratches or lack of resistance, consider an adult cat instead of a kitten. advertisement

Advice

• Treat fleas for cats. This will not change your cat scratching behavior, but it can reduce the risk of complications such as cat scratching fever. Check with your veterinarian about the best method of keeping your cat free of fleas.
• Be sure to cut or sharpen your cat's nails.

Warning

• Always seek medical attention if you have been scratched by a foreign cat, have a deep wound, or a person has been scratched by a cat that lacks resistance.
• Avoid stray or stray cats if possible.