Cat Bite, extreme pain, swelling, numbess

I was recently was bitten by my cat, a few minutes later it started to hurt a bit and started to get stiff and now I can't straiten my hand what should I do? And can you reply fast, like withen a few hours, thank you!

 

Run to your Primary Care and get antibiotics, NOW!
My cat play bit me and in less then 4 day I was infected!
Please get internal meds not external!

If you have any sort of bad reaction to a cat scratch or bite you need to get medical attention ASAP.

I've been scratched and bitten dozens of times with nothing but the normal red line along the scratch or around the tooth marks but I always watch it closely to see if it appears to be getting any worse than that. I have no interest in losing a hand or arm because I didn't take care of it.

 

I got bitten by my own feral pet cat this past Thursday morning. She escaped for the first time since we brought her in from minus 30 degrees a year and a half ago.

We found her in the bushes in our yard. She bit me once on each hand as my wife had the cage in front of her and I tried to push her in. As soon as we finally trapped her and got er in the house, I washed both my hands and poured rubbing alcohol on the wounds. All I had was rubbing alcohol.

A few house later while at work, my hands started to swell up. I went to a clinic where they gave me a tetnus shot. I then went to the hospital a few hours later where the emergency team gave me an antibiotic IV. Today I went for my second one. Tomorrow morning I have to get another. My hands are still swollen, and I still have the IV needle stuck in my arm, taped down so that they don't have to stick a new one in every day.

A cat bite is SERIOUS. As soon as you get bit, GO DIRECTLY TO THE HOSPITAL, AND TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED. They will put you on an antibiotic drip....it's the only solution along with a tetnus shot.

Update: My infection is gone but now may have an odd side effect. My hand arthritic with Trigger Finger in middle and ring finger. I can't make a fist and if I want to knit or crochet I have to tape the two fingers together. I'll be going to a othropedist and I fear the infection my have damaged the tendons and possible surgery. I was told 5 years ago I may need surgery on my middle finger but now the time table may have changed. I'm glad I ran to the doctor and the pills worked but I had not idea about secondary problems. Still, cat bites, run. The run as fast as you can to get help. My cat is still a darling but she better keep her teeth away from me!

Thanks for listing the antibotics you were given. It helps being that I am in southern Mexico and have to tell the people at the pharmacy here in this small village which one I want.

I must say I am not so happy to be part of this "cat bite" family. Not quite a week and finally had puss break through the nuckle this morning. Pain went down to somewhere around child birth as I have heard it described..

I used peroxide and triple antibiotic, some above say no, I had an old perscription for ciprofloxacin HCL 500mg in the frig so took it the second day as I realized this was serious. Also had 3 one day doses of something in spanish that I don{t have here. Started with 2-tabs of the old stuff for 3 days and then went up to 3 a day. Now I am not sure if the old stuff is good, 1 year past date.. soo I am looking for another at the pharmacy. Now I just have to get the name for them in Spanish and I hope to be pain free in a month or so as it seems..

I am happy that I came to this thread since I was getting worried about losing my finger, now I see that my expeiance is typical. I never have a wound infection for more than a few days... Never had a cat bite before though.

i was also bitten by a cat, it happened to be my own, but spent 4 days in the hospital due to how badly it got infected, and it got infected within a couple of hours after he bit me. i would say go to a hand surgeon, or neurologist, to try to figure out what might be going on with your hand. good luck

Go to the ER. I had a bacterial infection. I had had a tetnaus shot earlier in the year and antibiotics. I had to take more meds but it cleared up but I have Trigger Finger in middle and ring fingers. The infection exacerbated the arthritis and damaged the tendons. I may have to have surgery to relieve the triggering.
ER, NOW!

Thank you in advance for any advice...I have had my cat Charlie since he was a few weeks old.  He is a strictly indoor cat, that never ventures outside.  He hasnt had any shots....He also has a bad attitude problem and gets very fiesty.  Yesterday morning he was in one of his moods so I sprayed him with a spray bottle - bad idea.  The minute I turned he came and attacked my foot.  It happened so fast that I didnt even see it, but boy did I feel it.  I have about 6 puncture wounds - a few of them bled pretty well.  I dont know if he also bit me, or if its only scratches.  I immediatly after cleaned the wounds with peroxide and alcohol.  I know I should have used soap and water but I was in a hurry and im regretting it now.  I woke up today and as I stepped out of bed I felt pain in my foot.  I looked down and seem that the small puncture wound was now swollen and the redness was covering about 1/3 of my foot.  I held a warm cloth over the scab and after it softened was able to squeeze some pus out...gross I know.  I then cleaned it with antibacterial soap and have been applying neosporin to it.  Im wondering if maybe this will get better or will this require antibiotics?  I would love to just go to a doctor, but I do not have any medicial coverage what so ever and being allergic to penicylin usually means that other antibiotics are expensive.  Please, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

The pus would indicate an infection. The swelling and redness over 1/3 of your foot is not good. I think you should get it looked at by a professional.

Does your local hospital or ER have any low income adjustments in their billing? Most do. Most will adjust the bill if you don't have insurance but you have to ask and sometimes be persistant.

 

Thank you for the reply....no my hospital does not. But we do have a free clinic, I am going to go there in the morning. I will have to pay for my antibiotics - but this is a situation where I would rather be safe than sorry. I will post my update :) Thank you

Does your town have a Minute Clinic or the sliding scale clinic. I guess I'm lucky my husband has health insurance but my cat bite has caused me to have surgery on two of fingers instead of one. My cat, the Diva still does play bites but I push her back gently and scracth her under her chin. I hope all goes well for you and you won't need an operation. I'll pray for you!

same 3 bites scratches 25 puncture wounds 4 weeks ago they put me off time and again go directly to hospital cat bites can actually kill if untreated something in thier siliva when it hits our blood stream is toxic im back in hospital in am pain huge was on home care 3 weeks came back go yell at someone make them take you seariously ask for clavex

Well its been a few weeks and I can onfidently say that the problem is solved!  I wasnt able to go to the doctor, although I did try.  (We have a "free clinic" that is first come first serve and 1 minute after they opened all the appointments were taken - they are only open 3 days a week.)  What I did though, is sterelize a needle and open up the wound.   A lot of pus came out and I cleaned it throughly with soap and water, then peroxide.  I then applied neosporin and bandages.  Each morning I would continue this (minus the needle) and the infection is finally gone.  No more redness, the swelling is gone and no more gross "yellow" on the bandage.  Lesson learned though and I will be more careful next time.

What? My husband just got bit by our indoor cat when he was cleaning him from some bowel issues. Same issue with hand swelling arm, we went to Emergency room, said 85% of cat bites get infected, and they gave him IV of antibiotics on the spot, as well as a big antibiotic pill by mouth. Said keep arm elevated, and he had to go back this morning for them to check, can be serious.. so someplace else!!!