Cat Bite, extreme pain, swelling, numbess

Sorry to hear about your finger. I'm suffering right now. I'm on antibiotics and I'm waiting anther day fr them to kick in. If my finger is not better tomorrow I'm going to ER, I've been bit before and nothing happened. But for that John to say not to worry is ignorant. If it hurts, swells turns red and hot, go get meds right away !

Dude...if it's a deep cat bite/puncture wound from a cat, it's serious! I'm sitting here with an extremely aching forearm recovering from a cat bite. 2 visits to ER, 2nd time for swollen arm & red rash (serious infection called cellulitis); first visit of tetanus shot, wash & oral antibiotic did not work.

I washed my wound thoroughly with soap & water, then put iodine on it right after it happened. That will not help get the deeply embedded bacteria out. Cats teeth are fine, thin & long, injecting bacteria from their mouth deeply into flesh. Apparently the infection rate is very high. At the ER, they took me immediately, as it is a life threatening infection. I was told I might have to admitted into the hospital, depending on my white blood cell count. I was a little scared at that point.

This is not a bunch of "whining" people. If you had a surface bite, not too deep, you might not get infection, although you still can. You have been lucky, & have not had a very deep bite/puncture.
The information I've given here is per the St Joseph's Medical Center ER. Cat bites are taken VERY seriously by them. But.... I suppose you know better, right? F'ing id**t.

My sister in law was bitten by a cat on a Saturday..she went to urgent care, they told her she needed to be admitted to the hospital, she didn't go right away...There was a red streak going up her arm. She is not here today to tell anyone how it turned out...She went to the hospital on a Sunday night, and Wednesday she died. Anyone bitten by a cat should take it very seriously! She didn't think it was that serious either....now a family is devastated...

I was bitten by my own cat on the thumb. 24 hours later there was extreme swelling redness and pain. I went to urgent care, they looked at it, and prescribed 10 days of oral antibiotics augmentan. Three days later went back to urgent care because it was still so swollen and painful. They pricked it to release some puss but never did a culture. After the 10 days of oral antiobotics swelling and pain still there. Went to primary care and was told immediately to go to ER. Was admitted to the hospital and immediately put on IV Antibiotics. Thumb surgery and culture taken on 3rd day in hospital.
Culture came back as typical cat infection...pasterella multi da. And after xray of thumb it was determined that I now have osteomyelitis. The teeth of my cat infected the bone in my thumb. Spent a total of 7 days in the hospital with IVs and had a PICC line put in my arm so that I could get IV antiobotics at home by a home health nurse. I will have home IV antibiotics for another 3 weeks minimum followed by oral antibiotics for another 2-3 weeks. Was told I still may loose some of my thumb. Take cat bites very seriously...especially when in involves the hand. Go to ER immediately.

I was bitten about 2 weeks ago by a cat I thought was mine and had gotten out my friend called and told me my tiger cat was sitting in my drive way.My cat is an indoor cat.I run outside and my friend said it ran across the street into a neighbors yard .I find him walking on a cement wall and he allows me to get him and seemed friendly as if it were mine but I got closer to the road the cat got scared and tried jumping out of my hands and running towards the street but I managed to rustle him down but not with out more bites once to the ground he still fought as if his life depended on it because after I had him pinned between my legs and trying to to hold him down he bit me some more with everything he had My left hand had 4 surgeries pryer over the years and I saw him sink his eye tooth go down deeply in both wrists by the time my friend brought a towel to wrap around the cats body it had bitten me deeply multiple times and i could see blood all over my hands,and at that point realizing the cat wasn't mine I let go of him hoping he wouldn't run into the street. I totally love animals,and totally understood its panic, so I went home and started washing my hands, and both hands had already started swelling and throbbing, and they were hot and red. it had been about 6 min since I had been bitten. I figured I was tough I would survive although a few of my friends kept urging me to go to the ER.Instead I waited until the afternoon the next day.My hands weren't better better but they weren't worse either.The nurses didn't seem to concerned even after telling the I had just been told by my GP I am diabetic. I didn't know just then nothing about diabetics so I wasn't worried. They put me on IV antibiotics. and 2 pain meds into my IV ,checked my blood sugar and sent me home with the same told me to take them until they were all gone{2 xs/day for 10 days. during those days I cried out and sobbed often they pain was so intense. Its been about 2 weeks now and I finally can sleep without being in pain. But my right hand has 3 fingers without feeling yet they tingle often my left hand didn't get bitten as much as the right and it still has 1 wound and is mostly scabbed over with a little drainage But it was just tonight my left arm was feeling stiffer than usual and I still hadn't regained my strength back in either hands.Now I've learned more about diabetics, then now these articles about FIV relationship in cats nation wide, now I am terrified because there was no cat DNA taken and I have no ideal where the cat went..Even after reading about cats and aid related stories I am concerned still about contracting the aids virus from a cat does any one know for sure?

Hi.  My cat bit my first knuckle of my index finger on my right hand.  It has been 5 1/2 years so i think it is permadent injury. Luckily i am retired as i would not be able to work. 

Within 12 hours after the bite, I had an infection line above my wrist.  I was treated with antibotics and then debriement surgery. 

My knuckle is always red and swollen.

I waited a year and then went back to the ortho MD.  They took x-rays and MRI and found nothing wrong. They concluded there was nothing more they could do and he referred me to the pain clinic.  So, i have the pain meds but try not to use unless i can't sleep.  They were going to do a nerve block from my neck, but it scared me so i didn't follow thru.

I need to be very careful or the knuckle swells up and very painful.  I tried to swim laps in the Fall and i ignored the pain but had to stop after 4 times, and the pain was extreme for months. I thought about something to immobilize the joint to swim, but didn't know who to consult.

Does anyone know why this still hurts?  I am thinking that the infection caused some nerve damage.

And anyone have a thought on treatment? It would be great if somehow the nerve could be blocked right at the knuckle.

Sometimes i think i would like to just have the finger removed, but the doctors think i am nuts for suggesting.  But i am living with significant pain.

thank-you.

I too have been scratched and bitten many times over the years from various cats. This time it no joke. He scratched me between my index and middle finger and it has gone septic. I went to the emergency room within 3 hours after calling a nurse who suggested I go. I washed thought with soap and water, but it continued to swell. At the hospital I got ano I V antibotic, tetanus booster and augmentin. After 2 days I continue to see more redness and swelling. Just took anot her dose of augmentin. If not better in the morning, I need to go in. This can get serious quickly.

I just did, major cat bite same foot, have a nurse everyday for 3 days on iv anitibiotics if not hospital time so i don't lose my food

Learn how to spell, proper grammar and how to form coherent sentences.

I just had to reply. I've been bitten several times by cats. I always make it bleed as much as possible then I always do two things hey used to recommend but no longer do. I boil it out with peroxide and clean area with alchow ONE time. Then I keep it clean and often use antibacterial cream if necessary and watch it. If it's a really deep bite and starts getting hot or swelling and extra tender I will call for antbiotics. Otherwise I just watch it. I do the same for deep cat scratches.
My last cat bite was different. I did something really STUPID that I know better than to do. I broke up a serious cat fight between two of my cats. Really stupid! I picked my Puff up by the tail out of the fight ( not my normal treatment ) and held him next to me. The mistake I made was turning my back on Grey Kitty who wrapped his paws around my ankle and bit DEEPLY with his big mouth. It really hurt. I cleaned it as usual and watched it. By the next morning it was hot and red and the red was traveling. My ankle was swollen. I knew this was NOT A BITE TO BE MESSED WITH. Dr and Augmenten (which makes me sick) but by evening it was worse. The area was hugely swollen! A 31/2 -4" area very hot and so painful I could not walk on it. I was rubbing it and a huge amount of black blood and green puss poured out 6 to 8 kleenex full. It would slow and all I had to do was touch it 2 to 3 in away from the one open puncture wound on edge and it would begin again. I kept it covered be caused it drained continuously. Twice a day I "milked" it of all the infection I could get out. Took a second round of antibiotics before drainage became clear and ceased . Only one puncture wound openned and drained. I guess I was fortunate it did. It went clear down below skin layer to the milky white layer. Still doesn't look great everybody says but from what it looked like I think it links great.
I guess my point is SOMETIMES you need to see a Dr aND not wait. A lady a few days before me waited until her bite on her hand made it impossible to use. The swelling. The redness had begun to travel up in streaks up her arm. Not a good thing. You are very right though, most cat bites don't need Dr , ED, and antibiotics. You just need to clean it thoroughly and keep an eye on it. Most of the above replies were Dr and antibiotic. NEcessary. Cat bites aren't something to mess with. Just use common sense.

Yes I had a reply to John Kumar ski. His advice is dangerous and I hope he doesn't guilt people into falling his misinformed advice!! I have had many cats over the years. They used to recommend peroxide and alcohol but no more. I still use it ....once...the first time. My vet said it wasn't harmful to only use it the first time but only that once because it destroys healthy tissues. I have only had to go to Dr twice for my cat bites and the last one on my calf really did a number on me. Took two rounds of Augmenten and twice daily squeezing of a 3 to 4 inch area to drain bloody mucus. It's healing get but slowly. It looks bad to everyone but me. I know what it looked like before!
Cat bites and scratches are nothing to mess with!
I'm always getting scratched and years ago my husband died got cat scratch fever in the lymph glands in his groin area he was really annoyed since I'm the one with the cat scratches!
Guest, I know you posted over a year ago. I hope you receive this and you're having no issues with your calf cat bite.

I am allergic to cats and was bitten by one. Pain, swelling, redness, streaks and hot to the touch. I went to Convenient Care. They gave me antibiotics, Tramadol for pain, and Benadryl. I ended up going to the hospital in the middle of the night the pain was so bad.

I do not have health insurance so for most of my life I have been able to take care of most minor medical issues myself. In this case my cat got skunked, and it was in his eyes. I put him in the bath with only about an inch of water and poured tomato juice over his face, while holding the scruff of his neck. He promptly bit me quite hard on both arms. One went into my very bony right wrist, the other was on the more fleshy part right above my wrist on the left arm. Blood was pouring out of both bites and I felt close to fainting from the pain. Dang cat bites really hurt! I finished drying him off, (yep I did). Let him out and then let water run over the wounds and let them bleed for a few minutes to help wash out any bacteria. Then I poured hydrogen peroxide over the wounds, and then rubbing alcohol. I then washed out the wounds a bit more and patted them dry, (they were still oozing) and but antibiotic cream on them and took my first antibiotic pill. Ciprofloxacin. My family knows I do not have insurance, but they all do, so we always have some useful items around like this. I have a enough for 7 days so I will take them. Do not bandage them up! Cat wounds are small and bacteria gets trapped. Bleeding and oozing is good. It all stopped within two hours.
The one arm is fine now and neither bites are bleeding now or red. But my wrist feels like I fell on it. It hurts. There is zero swelling or redness. I am sure that biting straight into my bony wrist hit the bone or a tendon or muscle and it will hurt for awhile. Also I work on the computer so that is not helping it I am sure. What I have done for myself sounds like more than the doctor and emergency room would of done from what most of the comments in here say. A visit to the emergency room costs around 1k where I live! Insanity. Obamacare caused me to lose my catastrophic illness only insurance plan, but I would not gone before anyway. I pay cash for doctor visits. In this case if anything seems wrong in a few days I would just go to my regular doctor and pay my usual 95. for an office visit.
If you get a cat bite, follow what I did. If you do get an infection then take the next step for those high cost hospital visits if you must.

There are no deaths reported in the year from cat bites when you say your sister in law died from a cat bite. That is straight up fear mongering. Google the stats on humans who die from cat bites. They don't. Worst case scenario they get hospitalized for infections, they don't die.
If you clean out your wound properly, take antibiotics and your wound area starts swelling and turning red, then you should go to the doctor. Also I could find no cat bite deaths at all in the WHO organization website for animal related deaths. Dogs, yes, snakes, yes, sharks, lions, spiders even, but no human deaths from cats.

Totally agree. Use common sense. If you clean it and do all the things we have suggested and it turns red, swells up and especially has pus, get yourself to a doctor.