Big cat scratch, worried:(((

[Lissy43]

My cat was hiding under my bed and being playful and she suddenly jumped out and she scratched my foot on the top in 3 places. One was quite deep and bleeding, its quite a long scratch.

It has stopped now, i cleaned it with TCP liquid but I feel sick with worry:( I feel silly but whst if I get blood poisoning:((( or some kind of nasty infection.

It shocked me and i sat crying, hubby said there is no way id get septicemia from a cat scratch, but im worried. She's an indoor cat but her nails could be dirty from her little tray:((

Can anyone calm me down?:-(

[margaret jones]

Hi Jessica firstly you will be ok you did the right thing and cleaned it with tcp a strong antiseptic , has your cat had her needles ? even if she has not she is a house cat so the chance of an infection is very rare , please try not to worry you will be fine

Maggie

[Lissy43]

She hasntad her needles coz her immune syatem is abit low, she has alot of colds so vet wont do them.

Im worried sick:(

[Peter_Scott]

Hi,
Sorry to hear you are so worried.

I have had no end of cat scratches and bad dog bites, one right through my hand, and once I was bitten by a wild dog on holiday in the French Alps I was sure I had rabies.

If the wound bled that is a good thing, it will clean it, the best way to clean a animal wound would you believe is good old fashioned soap and water. The other very good cleaner is detol diluted with water.

A few years ago I got localised tetanus very scary I had to be treated in hospital, but made a full recovery.

I really do not think you need to worry, keep the wound dry and clean, as long as it does not look red or hot, a sign of infection you will be fine.

Animal conditions as a rule can not cross between animal to human.

Peter

[sequeena]

Hi hun please don't worry :) I have had several scratches from indoor and outdoor cats and have never gotten blood poisoning.

Only today I ripped my thumb open on a jagged piece of tin can. I'm terrible for injuring myself!

You will be absolutely fine, keep the scratches clean and put a plaster on them if you wish.

A salt wash should help to keep them clean too :yesyes:

ETA: None of the cats I've owned ever had their jabs (back in the days before I knew they existed) and I was absolutely fine :)

[Lissy43]

Thank you so much for your reply, it has helped.

I had a tetnus vaccination about 8 years ago, they last ten years so i guess im ok in that respect?

With your cat scratches were they as bad as this?

[sequeena]

Thank you so much for your reply, it has helped.

I had a tetnus vaccination about 8 years ago, they last ten years so i guess im ok in that respect?

With your cat scratches were they as bad as this?

You are still covered by your tetanus :yesyes: If you are that worried I would give your surgery a call tomorrow and see what they say :)

I have had cat scratches that were extremely deep and required stitches, never once had a problem with them. Just keep them clean and dry :)

[Lissy43]

Stitches, ohhh ouch:(that deep? It bled for 5 mins but has now started to go hard/scab type healing.

I had a tetnus jab in 2003 or end of 2002, so still ok id think?

[sequeena]

Stitches, ohhh ouch:(that deep? It bled for 5 mins but has now started to go hard/scab type healing.

I had a tetnus jab in 2003 or end of 2002, so still ok id think?

Yeah my cats were fighting and one of the cats actually got a deep scratch in her eye that went down to the iris. In her fear she lashed out at me.

It's ok my thumb today bled for a long while and it's in a plaster now :yesyes:

You're ok. If it was a strange cat that had scratched you I would have told you go get some further advice :)

[Lissy43]

Cuts from a tin are very painful.

I guess i was worried incase her claws were dirty from her litter tray.

Not had a great few days anxiety wise:(

[sequeena]

Cuts from a tin are very painful.

I guess i was worried incase her claws were dirty from her litter tray.

Not had a great few days anxiety wise:(

:( I hope you feel better soon, I know how you feel about the anxiety. It can really drag you down.

Cats don't step in their own doo doo so her claws should be pretty clean :)

[Lissy43]

I was in such a tizz thinking id get septicemia from it:((

Thank u for helping me:)

[sequeena]

I was in such a tizz thinking id get septicemia from it:((

Thank u for helping me:)

Aw you're welcome :yesyes:

[Danath]

m cat willow is going to be one in october and I must confess, since we've had her i've never known a cat quite as feral as her, shes a real creature of the wild.

in short hun, she's torn me apart in the past year ive had her, ive got countless faded scratches on my hands and arms and a few fresh ones, and i'm a dirty bugger who never bothers to run them under the tap. I havent got ill yet hunni so I don't think you will.

[Lissy43]

Thank u. I have never known her to do that before, it really upset me.

The scratches were very deep too:(

[Adelle]

I ran a cat shelter at my house for 2 years. I had over 150 cats, all strays, some ill and i got MANY MANY deep scratched and bites and I never had any problems. i have scars everywhere. You will be fine.x

[Danath]

cats are easily frightened creatures and as predators i think their first reaction is to lash out if they are in distress for any reason, they're moody little creatures really :)

[anxious]

Hi there, i am going to be honest here and tell you that i did actually get a cat scratch that got infected. I was very unlucky as it was on my knuckle joint. It got very red, hot and swollen and i ended up at the chemist. He sent me to the gp who lanced it (ouch) and gave me antibiotics. I have lived to tell the tale :)
Keep and eye on it, be sensible and if you have any signs of infection see your gp. Mine was very sore (had been for days), red (& puss tmi) and eventually i got red lines tracking up my arm.
Its obvious if its a problem - honestly.
I am not trying to alarm you as i have HA too, but honestly i was VERY unlucky.

xx anx xx

[Lissy43]

Thank you, at least I know what to look out for. I appreciate your reply.

How long after your scratach was that?

Thanks xxx

[anxious]

about 3 - 4 days, it was VERY sore. Never had it happen again (have 2 cats) since. Just put antiseptic on and keep an eye out.

xx anx xx

[Lissy43]

Thank you. I am keeping an eye on it, keeping it clean and putting cream on it. x

[Anxious_gal]

the first thing you did was put tsp on it so that should really help prevent infection.

[Lissy43]

Thank you.

Saw GP today re my headaches and he looked at my foot whilst I was there. He said it looks like it is healing ok but I have to keep it clean and use antiseptic on it. If it starts to look very angry and gets any more sore, I have to go back to see him for antibiotics, but hopefully it will heal itself.

[Lissy43]

It is healing, scabing over now, but half way down the long scratch its abit pinky/red either side of the scratch. Isn't that just part of the healing process? It's not sore now.

[sequeena]

That's perfectly fine! The chunk I took out of my thumb is exactly the same :)

[Lissy43]

Ouch, lol!

Thanks x