CAT BITES

WHY ARE CAT BITES SO DANGEROUS?

Why is it that cat bites can be so dangerous? Over one million bites are reported in the United States yearly, most in children. Close contact with cats poses an important health risk to certain segments of the human population.

Cat bite wounds are more likely to become infected in people who are under 10 years of age or more than 50 years old. Systemic complications from bit wounds occur more commonly when the patient has underlying disease such as liver or kidney failure, diabetes mellitus, or degenerative joint disease.

Infection with human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), or treatment with immunosuppressive drugs for cancer, immune-mediated diseases or for organ transplantation, have rendered these patients more susceptible to infection with zoonotic diseases. Patients with prosthetic heart valves or joints are more likely to develop systemic or local complications from cat bite wounds. If you are bitten by a cat, contact your doctor immediately.

CAUSES OF CAT BITES

This is an endless topic to even attempt to address here, however, bite wounds usually occur in scared pets exhibiting aggression as a form of defense. Fortunately most often there are warning signs to appreciate before a cat strikes. These include the cat becoming tense, squinting, pasting its ears tightly against its head and leaning away. Unfortunately these early warning signs may occur so quickly as to leave little or no time to react.