Cat bites are ‘nothing to trivialize’

On Behalf of | Jan 24, 2013 | Dog Bites & Animal Attacks |

It’s not just aggressive dogs you’ve got to worry about. In fact, you might have more to worry about if you’re bitten by a cat than if you’re bitten by a dog. As Marie Joyce writes for the Washington Post, a cat named Sammy put her in the hospital for four whole days.

“A cat bite is nothing to trivialize,” said a program manager with the Human Society of the U.S., primarily because cat bites become infected in 50 percent of cases, because many cat bites penetrate deep into the skin, injecting harmful bacteria.

There’s a one-in-two chance, according to an infectious-disease doctor Joyce quotes, that your cat bite wound will get infected, which means you should get prompt medical attention.

Here’s what happened after Sammy bit Joyce:

  • Puffy arm
  • Couldn’t move her fingers well
  • Skin was hot to the touch

But instead of seeking prompt medical attention – which would have resulted in Joyce getting much-needed and required antibiotics – she attempted to treat the bite wound herself.

But it didn’t get better.

After roughly $15,000 in medical treatment, Joyce turned out fine, but for others, especially those with underlying medical conditions, an untreated cat bite can result in septic shock and death.

Our law firm often handles injury cases resulting from dog bites and other animal attacks. To learn more about our practice, please visit our San Antonio animal injury page.

Source: Why cat bites can be more dangerous than you think