Bite Wounds on Cats

Although the wound that results from a cat bite may appear small, the increased number of bacteria in a cat’s mouth can lead to infections quite easily. Cats will display Cat Aggression and other aggressive behavior for several reasons. They may be playing, or may actually be fighting. Either way, do not take a cat bite lightly as it is far more likely to become infected than that of a dog bite. Any bite wound on a cat should be treated by a vet quickly.

Cats will often engage in aggressive behavior if they are grown and another adult cat is introduced to the family. Steps should be taken to make these introductions slowly with confinement of one or the other cat for short periods of time until they get used to each other.

Symptoms of Infection

• Bleeding

• Drainage

• Weakness

• Swelling

• Collapse

• Limping

Recognizing a bite wound is easy. What is difficult is determining just how serious the wound is. There is always a possibility of damage that is unseen and potentially life threatening. If the bite is in the neck area there is the potential of danger to the many blood vessels in the neck, some of which are major vessels. There can also be nerve damage due to the proximity to the spine. As in humans, the head and neck are very vascular and a bite in that area can lead to a large amount of bleeding, as well as potential eye damage

Treatment

Treatment will vary depending on the severity of the wound and the body parts that are affected. All bite wounds are painful. Your veterinarian will most likely prescribe medicine for pain and antibiotics to help with both the pain and any potential infections. If your cat has a bite wound it is best treated if veterinary care is sought within the first twelve hours of the injury.

In the case of some treatment your veterinarian may find it necessary to either sedate or anesthetize your cat. This prevents further injury to the cat and also to the person administering treatment. With the aid of sedatives, the deeper tissue layers can be examined and a better diagnosis will result.

Home Care

The most vital step you can take at home is to cleanse the wound with a cat-friendly antiseptic. This should be done with either peroxide, iodine, chlorexidine solution or a herbal formula. Please keep in mind that this is a painful wound you are trying to administer aid to, which may result in aggressive behavior from your cat. Your veterinarian should still be consulted after home treatment to prevent infection.

Cats fight as hard as they play. Often the bite wound in the cat is the result of frisky play. Nonetheless, if your cat receives a bite wound do not take the injury lightly. Expeditious care from a veterinarian is in order. If the wound is allowed to become infected, more treatment will be necessary. Excision of the lesion and debridement, cutting away dead tissue, can result in increased pain in your cat and increased expense for you. The longer you wait to have the cat treated, the greater the chances of infection are. Recovery will depend on prompt treatment.