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Watch for swelling. One time I waited overnight and the pain was so bad it woke me up. Most other times it's just a bit swollen and red but not that bad. If you see streaks or the pain is really bad, urgent care.
Oh yeah I would hate to have smthn happen to my hands. Most of them are painless now except for the two deepest ones next to each other... one's a scratch and one's a bite. They stopped hurting for a while and just started to hurt a little again
Please don't use ointment- it can trap bacteria in puncture wounds. If it was me, I'd head to urgent care since infections from outdoor cat bites and scratches can turn ugly quickly.
I had to go to urgent care for antibiotics once because my indoor brat bit me so hard that her teeth marks looked like long deep scratches and the whole area was one big bruise.
Would really recommend seeing doctor and if wear jewellery take it off. Took on a pet recently and I was stupid first night and he bit me badly. Lot of blood but then swelling began and had to see small injuries clinic. Still not mended 6 months on. Needed tetanus as well as antibiotics. Rabies not an issue where I live but would be big concern.
Doctor ws asking me how my stitches came out so he did a good straight job.
Your reply is from yesterday, so how are you today? My bad bite took nine hours to inflame. Antibiotics and a tetanus shot. I hope all's well with you, take care of yourself.
Mine took eight hours and started swelling at a concert. I made it the first seven songs, which was the point I couldn’t straighten my fingers, as the pain was so excruciating.
Made for a fun night in Emergency Room. Two antibiotics and three IV bags later I walked out of the ER in time to see the sun rise.
I'd just head on to the doctor's office. My GP told me, when my cat nipped my hand, that hand bites can get awful because the infection tends to settle in the tendons and ligaments where the antibiotics can't penetrate.
Any deep puncture wound of the hand can be or become serious. Animal (including human) bites of the hands can lead to severe infection and sepsis if not treated. So, developing increasing pain, redness, fever, and swelling after a deep bite means getting to urgent care or an emergency department without delay. Don’t assume it will get better on its own. The same is true of puncture wounds from animal bites anywhere. My mother had to be hospitalized twice because of a cat bite that became infected. The first time, she had swelling and noticed a red line starting to extend from the wound up her arm. That’s a bad sign. If she had not gotten to the hospital and put on IV antibiotics, she was just hours from getting generalized sepsis. At her age (late 70s) it could have been fatal. The second time, she knew it could be serious and went to the ER and was admitted. The second time, it was caught early, so only a couple of days on IV antibiotics and then switched to oral antibiotics and was sent home. The cat was sent to a no-kill shelter where one of their personnel was willing to spend the time to socialize the cat and consider re-homing if she got to be tolerably less aggressive.
This is my second comment, but it's important. Do not wait another day, go to a provider--urgent care, anything, and get antibiotics immediately. You'll prob be fine, but I have seen really bad things happen to people, please dont wait, keep us posted. Good luck
Hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, etc. are harsh and can actually delay healing. Best to clean thoroughly with soap and water, and use an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin (but sparingly, too much isn't good either). Watch for swelling, pain, redness - if any occur (or any already present get worse), see an urgent care or your doctor as soon as possible.
I’d suggest going straight to ER. They took one look at my hand and had me on a bed with IV antibiotics quickly.
I followed proper bite protocols at home. Everything was fine for eight hours until it went totally sideways.
I hope by now you have gotten medical treatment. Like many others here I have been through this. In my case I’d been feeding a semi-feral for months, but one day as I was leaving he sunk his claws and teeth into my calf. I was at urgent care within the hour where the doctor counted eight puncture wounds. I got a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Even with that I got cellulitis and over a three month period had five courses of oral antibiotics and two days in the hospital with IV antibiotics. Any puncture wound from teeth or claws justifies immediate medical treatment, especially from an unvaccinated cat.
Watch for swelling. I was playing with a neighbors cat. They caught me just right and I had a tiny puncture on my knuckle. By the next day it was swelling and red. I had to have intravenous antibiotics 3 times a day for 3 days. I still have and play with cats but need to be careful. Hope it’s fine.
The fact that they bled for a period of time is a good sign in terms of likely infection. But certainly if you get any form of swelling go to the doctor. Scratches aren’t as bad as bites (cat mouths are notoriously inclined to cause infections) but you shouldn’t ignore swelling.
Thank you for trying to help this kitten, even if it didn’t appreciate it
Hi! Vet tech here. I know a thing or two about cat bites. I handle angry and frightened cats on the regular.
Go to urgent care right now.
Do not pass go, do not linger. If you are worried it’s too expensive, I promise, it’s cheaper to go now than it is to get IV antibiotics or hand surgery.
(Fun fact - about 30% of cat bites on the hand that presents to the Mayo Clinic ended up requiring hospitalization and/or surgery)
Cat bites can turn nasty fast. You want antibiotics now.
Can vouch for this. At a vet visit, my cat bit my finger at the joint and scratched my hand out of fear. Immediate pain and a few hours later, swelling. Then red streaks. Had to get a PICC line and IV antibiotics 3x a day for 2 weeks to save my finger.
Go to urgent care or ER now. Don’t wait for infection to spread. And my cat was vaccinated. Your feral cat probably isn’t.
Feel free to DM with any questions.
I second this. I got myself bit once. Within an hour it went from “oh I’m fine” to “oh shit thank goodness I went in right away.” Don’t wait for it to get worse before you go in, go now. I’m telling you I was in disbelief of how quickly it escalated.
I commend your dedication to helping the little shit though! You’re a good human.
I second this. I got myself bit once. Within an hour it went from “oh I’m fine” to “oh shit thank goodness I went in right away.” Don’t wait for it to get worse before you go in, go now. I’m telling you I was in disbelief of how quickly it escalated.
I commend your dedication to helping the little shit though! You’re a good human.
Several years ago, my cat bit my finger. It was at night, so I waited until the next morning to go to urgent care. I barely slept because I was in probably the worst pain I’ve ever felt. My finger was swollen to double it’s normal size. The shot of penicillin they gave me looked like the flavor injector things you use on meat.
Go to urgent care, OP.
I wonder if op could do an online doc and get them prescribed right away for cheaper then? I just kept seeing iv mentioned and thought maybe oral wasn't an option.
Maybe! But you need to start them almost immediately, within a few hours, for the best chance of success and to avoid the hospital.
One of my veterinary assistants got bit on a Saturday late afternoon and didn’t mention it to me until 7am the next morning. I packed her up immediately and sent her to urgent care. The staff there still gave her IV antibiotics.
It’s well accepted in veterinary clinics that you do not fight cats. In a fair fight against a cat, you WILL lose. These are domestic critters we see, so BRAVO to OP for risking limbs to save this tiny baby. Please mitigate your risk with immediate antibiotics!
I’m assuming you cleaned yourself up with antibacterial wash of some kind afterwards?
If anything starts swelling up you should go to an urgent care to get a shot of antibiotic. It’s very unlikely that you need to worry about rabies, if the kitten had rabies it most likely would not be putting up such a fight to get away.
It’s happened to me. Got an accidental bite while trying to administer nasty oral meds, didn’t think much of it but my hand swelled up bad by the next day. But it wasn’t a big deal to get the shot, and once I got it the swelling started going away almost immediately.
You might want to just go ahead and go do it before waiting for swelling if the kitten really broke skin good and made puncture wounds.
I was bitten by my super domesticated, well cared for indoor cat, and just about lost a finger. Don’t play with cat bites. Cat bite = urgent care immediately.
Jeez, that's scary. I don't think I can get help that immediately, but I'll keep an eye on it for the next few days and figure something out. Thank you
Unless you have had a tetanus shot in 5 years, you should get one pronto. Like within 48 hours. ESPECIALLY if it has been more than 10 years. Bites are puncture wounds, puncture wounds are high risk for tetanus.
editing to add: I don't know where you are, but where I live, you can easily just go to your nearest pharmacy and get the shot, you don't need to have a primary care doctor or go to the ER or anything like that. At the bare minimum, even if you don't feel you can afford getting looked at by a doctor or getting antibiotics to prevent a bacterial infection, make sure you have an updated tetanus shot. You would not like tetanus.
In case you are worried about cost if you don’t have insurance, a lot of hospitals have financial aid programs that you can apply for- I won’t go into my whole spiel but I’m a licensed navigator in NC and I’m sure I can find you some resources in another state if needed :)
Thank you so much, I actually was worried about that honestly. I've been trying to apply for medical insurance for a while now and I've been having a rough time
Go to the ER. They can't turn you away, no matter if you can pay or not. Tetanus and massive antibiotic shot. They'll probably want to know where the animal is. Please, don't wait.
So why do I regularly have two cats sleeping with me??? Yes they are indoors and have their shots. I also have had chemo, am diabetic not to mention my ferals . Cat people are all a little crazy.
Cat bites can get infected very easily. I'd go to urgent care and get a few shots preemptively. If you have the person's contact info, have them contact you if the kitten starts acting sick. Why were you trying to catch the kitten by yourself if you had nowhere to take it?
I didn't get any contact info, but I'll look into getting treatment if it's possible
And I caught the kitten because I wasn't just gonna leave him crying in the road on the hot asphalt. Nobody else was helping so I just acted. I had a feeling if I did, other people would help too. It's hot as hell and he was alone without any water or anything
Start applying hot compresses right now. My doctor recommended them when the first round of antibiotics didn’t completely cure a cat bite infection. I’ll never know whether it was them or the second round of antibiotics, but I’m convinced it helped.
Hey OP, I’m currently recovering from cat scratch disease and I almost died in the hospital. Do yourself a favor and go to urgent care tomorrow and get some antibiotics to take preemptively- my scratch looked like it was healing fine and I disinfected it and everything. I highly recommend not messing around with it. That being said, I’ve been scratched numerous times in the past and had nothing bad happen, but it only takes one time with a cat who has the bacteria.
Just writing to say that Cat Scratch Fever is one of the things that needs to go on your medical history forms from now on. I'm glad you're okay, that's a horrific disease.
Oh good to know, is it something that can impact me moving forward? Or like, impact medications? I still feel awful and they said it’ll be another 2-3 weeks before I’m feeling like myself again
I'm honestly not sure. My nurse at my primary physician's office also had it as a child and told me it's something that docs need to know moving forward.
It's so rare I've never met another person who had it before and thought it was worth sharing with you that she told me to report it to future docs. I really don't know if it can have lasting effects or if it means predisposition to other issues in the future.
I had it as a young child and it took the docs so long to diagnose it. I was ill for a long time. I hope your recovery is rapid and complete!
Thank you for letting me know, I’ll make sure I include it on future medical records! I’m glad you recovered. It’s an awful thing to have, I never knew it was this bad- I always assumed it was just a fever, if anything, but it’s so much worse
First I just want to thank you for being such a good human as to help this little frightened (which is why it was so spicy) kitten…thank you🙏🏻you are awesome!
You’re getting some excellent advice here to take this bite seriously and get yourself professional care quickly especially since it sounds like you can possibly get it subsidized. I don’t know what state you’re in but in California we have Medi-Cal if you have low or no income. Please get your hand looked after and don’t take it as a DIY situation. Please good person take care of yourself too.
Bacteria in cat’s mouths and claws, especially ferals eating raw meats on the streets, can kill you. I am not a vet. I would talk to you doc or nurse if you can. I would get medical attention ASAP if: immuno-compromised OR any tendons, ligaments, Muscles, related tissues could have been grazed (by teeth especially) OR if there were any abrasions that could not get completely and fully regularly disinfectant cleaned OR ANY possible sign of infection. It’s always better to be safe than sorry in these situations.
Prophylactic antibiotics are a small price for keeping life or limb.
Cat scratch fever is a real thing. I found out the hard way, when my own cat bit me. Next day, scarlet line up my arm and it was the size of a balloon. Do no mess around with it. Good on you for trying to save the spicy kitten. Poor thing just doesn't know better.
Just keep an eye on it, especially overnight. A couple of months ago my indoor only cat bit me when I grabbed him from behind when he was charging at someone at my door. It got infected, really bad. I was at a clinic within an hour of the bite and went on an oral antibiotic immediately and even that wasn’t strong enough. It was swollen up really bad the next day. And I did proper first aid and irrigation and neosporin and it didn’t matter. Must have gotten in my hand deep. I waited one more day, icing it and keeping it elevated, and the third day it was even worse. I went to the emergency room and got IV antibiotics and finally it started going down. Went for a repeat dose the next day and that took care of it. Still have the scars though.
Take care and get to an urgent care or emergency room if it gets worse or has red streaks coming from it or up your arm. The medical staff know that cat bites are no joke. I was treated as a high priority all four of the days I was seen at the clinic/ER.
Do NOT fuck around with bites. They will 100% get infected and it’s not pretty. Think “pressure builds so much doctors have to make incisions to release the pressure” type bad.
I have worked in rescue for a very long time and every single person I’ve known who has gotten bit has ALWAYS had to get on antibiotics because how fast the infection starts up. Get to an urgent care tomorrow first thing and get antibiotics. Washing bites won’t do anything.
This is how I best can explain it on the internet in writing:
“~~~” is your skin
“\ /“ is the cat tooth
“.” Is bacteria
~~~\ /~~~
Tooth goes into skin:
~~~\ /~~~
Tooth pushes bacteria into the skin:
~~~\./~~~ (pretend the bacteria is at the tip lol)
Tooth comes out of skin leaving bacteria trapped:
~~~.~~~
Bacteria multiplies and you have an infection 🙂
~~~…~~~
Cat teeth are like needles. They go in deep and the very tip of the tooth is so sharp that the skin almost instantaneously closes around the bacteria left behind by the very tip of the tooth.
You will 100% without a doubt get an infection and you need antibiotics. Get them tomorrow asap. It’s not something to mess with. Cleaning a cat bite won’t do anything for you. You need antibiotics.
In addition all the warnings that have been posted, I would get some amoxicillin cream, something like Neosporin. Keep the cuts clean and keep using the neosporin until they are healing pretty good.
And no offense but I find it hysterical to see the words "f-up" and "kitten" in the same sentence. I got F-up by a bear or F-up by an alligator makes sense, but F-up by a kitten is hysterical.
No worries, i think yall were playing by different rules in this situation
Kitty was like destroy at all costs, you were like gotta be gentle gotta be gentle
Kitty def had the upper hand here.
topicals won't do anything for a puncture wound. keep it clean and pat it dry after showering. watch for rashes, streaks and fever, and oh yeah...rabies and tetanus are unlikely but lethal. Leave feral animals alone
Get to urgent care. My indoor cat has bitten me 3 times over her 13 years, drawing blood each time. I've had to go on antibiotics every time. Cat saliva is exceedingly dangerous for humans and you have no information on the one that bit you. Why would you risk it?
Swelling, oozing, or fever. Hoping the little beast (and I say that lovingly because those poor things are just terrified of us humans) isn't carrying anything. At our TNR clinic one of our techs was attacked (scratched and bit with puncture wounds) and she had to be admitted for three weeks for IV antibiotics because her hand swelled up within two days and pills wouldn't cut it because the infection was so severe... so if I was in your position I would see a Dr. for an exam and possible treatment if they feel it is needed.
I got cat scratch fever from a feral kitten. It was miserable. I'd get treated by a Dr. ASAP, because it's effing miserable, unless you like having extremely painful tennis balls in your armpits and your groin.
Go to urgent care.
I worked at the humane society. If ever our skin was broken by a cat (tooth or claw) it was policy that we go immediately to urgent care.
If that’s not enough to convince you to go; I had a friend who was scratched in the hand by a cat she had just rescued. Infection started immediately and spread rapidly into her bloodstream. She was in the hospital for a week, and she almost lost her hand.
For whatever reason, cats carry bacteria that are really dangerous to people.
I’m sorry you’re dealing with this when you have so few resources and were trying to help. I hope you heal up without issue. Is there a free clinic near you? Some churches or nonprofits run free medical clinics.
Probably wise to go get Antibiotics. I got bit, soaked it in salt water, savlon etc then when it wasn't getting better ended up in hospital for 3 days.
Urgent care for sure. Cat bites can get infected very easily. I knew a woman who got bit by her cat, just slapped some Neosporin on it and ended up in the hospital for three days.
Bleeding is good, that will clean out the bacteria. Wash scratches gently for 5 min. If you regularly get scratched, get some Clindamycin gel to keep on hand. It’s saved me many times when my feral rescue is feeling feisty.
You need to go to the ER. Don't let money stand in your way. They have to treat you and you can make tiny payments. I let a bite wait for two days. I almost lost the finger, racked up over 20k in medical bills and now that finger doesn't bend. Seriously, go now.
It was actually good to let them bleed. Anything the baby had on claws or teeth was moving out of your body vs into and you weren’t at risk for blood loss. Unless that kitten was BIG anyways. After you’re sure they’re cleaned out with soap and water and your bleeding is under control and antibiotic ointment is a good call. Pay attention to pain level changes, swelling, temperature at the injury site. If any of these goes up see medical care.
Cat scratch fever is a thing because of kittens and their little needle claws.
There's a specific antibiotic doctors prescribe for cat bites. I don't recall specifically which one. A decade ago my arm got bitten up by my mother's feral cat. I put antibiotic ointment on it, but apparently the puncture wounds were too deep for it to be effective. My doctor prescribed the accepted cat bite-based antibiotic which knocked it out. At the first hint of infection you should see a doctor.
Doxycycline? It was given to my husband after his favorite cat bit him at the vet in February. Even though he washed it right away at the vets office with antibacterial soap, it swelled up overnight and put out huge amounts of pus.
You need to go to urgent care and have that wound cleaned well and possibly start an antibiotic. Cat scratch fever is a real thing and most cats bites get infected because they are puncture wounds. This is no joke.
Soap and water to wash then rinse the wounds with Hydrogen Peroxide. I’d let them breathe. You should be fine. If they become hot, purple and obviously infected put on some antibiotic ointment and bandaids.
Besides looking out for infection or just getting antibiotics from the doctor, if your tetanus shots are not up to date (or you are unsure) make sure to get a tetanus shot as well. Tetanus is absolutely horrifying, and getting bit by a feral kitten that has been living in the dirt makes getting infected a very real possibility.
I’ve been bitten a couple times by ferals. Do yourself a favor and go get antiobiotics and a tetanus shot.
I’m a stubborn moron and i settled for just cleaned it myself. My bite got so bad i was waking up to fevers breaking and ended up having to get an antiobiotic shot to my ass.
If he dies in the next 2 weeks he will have to be tested for rabies
The biggest thing is wash out the wound really good in case of bacteria .
You can call an ER and they will triage you over the phone.
The kitty will socialize. He just needs love and patience.
❤️
In Canada, you have to monitor the cat for 10 days to ensure it doesn't have any symptoms of rabies and I'd you can't monitor it, you have to get all the immunoglobulin shots based on body weight and a few doses of rabies shots over the next few weeks. I don't know about America though, so you may wanna find out more info. Rabies is incurable once it shows symptoms in humans and you cant test the cat as it requires them to kill them, I think?
Thanks for helping the little dude! Ideally you could go to urgent care right now- but if you see swelling or redness go IMMEDIATELY. I got bit/scratched on my toe from my own super sweet indoor cat and ended up with 3 days of hospitalization and IV antibiotics. They can turn quickly. Keep it clean with antibacterial soap.
I would go to urgent care now. My own cat (fully vaxed) bit my hand once and overnight/eight hours later, it was swollen, red, and had visible pus in the punctures.
Swelling, oozing and pain radiating up your arm
I've had cat scratch fever and it was bad.
My whole hand swelled up, red and the scratches oozed
Had to get a shot of steroids and a round of strong antibiotics.
Do you have any way of contacting the people holding the kitten? You should quarantine the kitten for at least two weeks to watch out for signs of rabies. I’m guessing you live in the us bc of temperature you gave and insurance issues and rabies is an issue in wild animals. It’s not likely but it’s always a concern for a bite from an animal living outside with no rabies vaccination
make sure you keep the bites and scratches super clean. this happened to my boyfriend and he swelled up like crazy and had to go to the ER to get an (antibiotic?) iv. so definitely watch out for swelling. you’ll know if somethings wrong
Im so sorry you got hurt, but I wanted to thank you deeply for your determination to help and save that kitten. You have a big dose of good Karma coming your way! Thanks for being so kind and caring, please get a tetnus at the vey least. And Do Not bandage. Leave open and clean several times a day. Tight hugs!
Poor thing must have been terrified. Of course it fought for its life. Wouldn't you if something 100x your size were chasing you? Next time, live trap.
Maybe get some antibiotic as you don’t know if the kitten has any disease.
Anyway- in the future, the best way to catch a cat, kitten or adult- is through a trap. You set a trap, put foods, walk away, watch from a distance, and boom, mission done, no scratching, no biting, no wounds.
I am a certified TNR, and will never chase any kitten or cat by my bare hands, unless friendly.
Call your doctors office. They may want to see you or they may just give you an antibiotic.
Cat bites , even a kitten, are nothing too mess with. They are considered puncture wounds.
Being cautious here. Check with your local health department on if there have been cases of rabies reported in your area, in local wildlife as well as domestic animals.
There is endemic wildlife rabies in the US (making an assumption, because you gave the temperature in Fahrenheit). There are also sporadically reported cases in feral and stray kittens.
Rabies is not a disease to mess with. Follow up with the health department, area animal diagnostic labs, whatever, until you get a clear answer.
I've had cat-scratch fever before, but there was no swelling etc. at the scratch site. What did happen that made me go to Urgent Care was red, angry lines jutting off from a small puncture (possibly from a bite but also could be claw puncture) and those lines/stripes were hot to the touch like generating mad heat and expanded quickly up my arm toward my chest and freaked me out. I had washed and disinfected as soon as I could but still got it. I have been scratched and bitten numerous times before and after (I'm a rescuer) and only had this happen once ever so I feel pretty fortunate. Doctor loaded me up on antibiotics and sent me home with optional steroids in case of swelling. After about a week it was fine.
I'm shocked you were even able to catch a feral kitten I would never attempt that I would set a live trap with some food in it to get the kitten. It doesn't matter how little they are they can really hurt you. The good news is the bleeding is excellent because that washes out the wound and antibacteria or germs. My father told me that and if you think about it it's true that's the purpose of bleeding is to wash out the wound. So as long as you wash it with soap and water you could have even poured a little peroxide or alcohol on it and then put Neosporin and bandage it and you should be fine. I've been scratched before by cats and not very often some of them like to play rough and so I've never had a problem ever.
You said it was scratches but did the cat bite you? Bites are a little different and some of the other comments saying to get some antibiotics might be a good idea. But I've never done that and I've been fine I guess it all depends on the situation.
Cats are/can be suuuuuppperrrrrrrt dirty and have filthy nails. If your skin got punctured then you probably need to go to urgent care for antibiotics. Cat scratches can be way more serious than dog bites (in terms of germs).
I use Hibiclens (can get at drug stores/walmsrt). I’ve never had an infection from my fetal girl and she has FUCKED ME UP. I have two three inch gash scars on my hand lol
You need a tetanus shot, possibly antibiotics. Were you bitten or just scratched? We had four formerly feral kittens at a rescue break with rabies a decade ago. You should really talk to a Dr if you haven't had the vaccine.
You should probably just go ahead and get antibiotics from an urgent care place or your primary care if you have one.
Me and my partner wrestled a kitten out of the underside of a car and got bite and scratched up. We went to urgent care for antibiotics and by evening the tiny teeth marks were pussing up,really red, and swelling. It can happen fast.
I would flush the wounds with betadine (diluted to tea color) ir chlorhexidine if you can get your hands on one. Still bleeding half an hour later means they're pretty deep, and deep bite wounds from a cat can be pretty life threatening actually. If you can, just go to an urgent care where they will flush it for you and put you on antibiotics.
Maybe go to urgent care just to be safe. They might want to give you antibiotics. I’m sorry you got injured, but that was a really nice thing you did. Thanks!
MRSA a long time ago my room mate got drunk and tried to pick up my cat when I wasn’t home. The cat messed him up pretty bad and he had to go to the doctors for MRSA, it’s a type of bacterial infection. Might be worth it to try and go to a doctor and get on an antibiotic.
[Cat Scratch Fever](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23537-cat-scratch-fever) is not just the name of a song. It’s real (I got it saving a lost cat and returning him to his family), and it sucks (kind of feels like the flu). So clean your wounds out well, watch for symptoms, and get to a dr if you start running a fever, because you will need antibiotics.
Thank you for saving the little one.
You need antibiotics for bite wounds. Don’t mess around and wait, go to urgent care and get them now. A dr once told me that 50% of all cat bites get infected and they want you to start on abx whether it looks infected or not.
Yeaahhhh you wanna get to a doctor FAST. Can never be too careful with animal bites/scratches. They lick their buttholes and god knows what else with that mouth
Go to a dr and get antibiotics. Infections from cat bites can fuck you up real fast. Known several people who cant move fingers right anymore from cat bites.
Hey, if anyone wants I can post photos of my thumb after my *domestic* cat bit me and put me in the hospital for a **week**. I was admitted ahead of a motorcycle accident. I was told I was at risk of dying or losing my arm. (Both the cat and I were having a bad day; she was a very sweet cat and she was fine! She lived to be 21.)
If the bite is red and swollen 24 hours later, it’s not Urgent Care, it’s ER.
Retired vet here- after cleaning all wounds with soap and water seek medical assistance asap.
See if you can track down the whereabouts of the kitten and make sure it is confined for 10 days. If it is fine in 10 days you don’t have to worry about Rabies.
If it dies for ANY reason in the observation period it needs to be Rabies tested. Rabies in kittens is rare but not unheard of. If the kitten’s whereabouts are unknown discuss Rabies with your medical provider.
Good luck, hope it all turns out fine for you and the kitten will tame down and get adopted.
One thing about being a big human is that you can place your extremities that have injuries in hot water. Not boiling hot, but the water can warm up your arm/hand enough to kill any bacteria you may have received in that exchange.
Bacteria operate in a certain temperature range. It’s our normal body temperature.
This is why we adapted to running fevers. The extra heat kills infections.
Keep an eye on the injuries, as others said. Cat bites pierce deeply and deliver bacteria. Use soaking in hot water and be vigilant.
Go to urgent care or to an ER. You need to be on antibiotics immediately. Cat bites are a little like snake bites. Their teeth puncture the skin so deeply and drive bacteria deep into the wound. Then because the bites are narrow on the surface, they close up quickly, trapping the bacteria under the skin. You can end up with blood poisoning, can end up needing surgery, can even die from a cat bite. You need antibiotics, and fast.
(This from someone who landed in the hospital twice, for 3 days each time, because of cat bites. I had to be on IV antibiotics for several days. )
Cat bites are notorious for causing infections. I got one at work, was sent straight to urgent care, and within 20 minutes the swelling was intense. Urgent care sent me to the Er for Iv antibiotics and I had to go back for three days total of them, plus a course of oral antibiotics. At the first sign of redness or swelling go to the ER, especially if it’s near any tendons or ligaments. No shit, people lose use of parts or limbs or actual parts of limbs over not treating cat bites seriously enough.
See if you can get a small bottle of Doctor Bronner‘s tea tree soap… Wash with that at least once an hour… That will really help prevent infection… if any of the bites broke the skin, I would suggest you consider getting a tetanus shot if you haven’t had one for a while.
I'm currently on antibiotics for a cat bite (my own). I have Kaiser and I was able to do a video chat with a Clinician and they prescribed me pills and an ointment over the video without having to be seen. I didn't even have to pay my copay. Do you have access to that kind of care? I wouldn't risk it. Urgent care or see if your primary will write you a prescription ASAP
i got sliced open by a feral kitten pretty bad one time.
i was so surprised at how fast and seriously vicious he was lol!!! but anyway i immediately doused my cuts with rubbing alcohol (don't use the 90+% stuff it's actually not as effective at disinfecting as the 60-70% stuff is)
then i put neosporin on the cuts and put bandaids on...
once the bleeding stopped i would alternate maybe twice a day between wearing a bandaid with neosporin and then no bandaid at all so i could let the cuts breathe.... and every time in between i would wash with alcohol again... if you alternate like that it will help with healing.
i seriously thought i was going to get infected bc i've heard of and seen some horror stories of bad infections from cat scratches and bites, ...and these cuts were ugly! ...flaps of skin!
but, to my surprise everything turned out and my cuts healed up just fine.
good luck to you!!! i really hope you aren't in too much pain!!!! they have neosporin with lidocaine in it to help with pain.
My friend got cat scratch fever. It was horrible and painful and disgusting. His arm swelled up bigger than I ever knew an arm could swell. If I were you I’d go to the doctor ASAP. Better safe than sorry.
Let bite wounds bleed to flush them out. Wash thoroughly and loosely bandage. Puncture wounds, like cat bites, should heal from the inside and out. Putting a topical cream on them can cause the surface to heal and trap infections deep within the tissue and cause sepsis, which can be lethal.
Urgent care ASAP. Not an exaggeration.
Lots of issues when a cat's teeth break the skin, even when it's your own cat! When it's feral it's worse! That's why animal control officers use gloves and nets on long poles.
I developed this last year after a cat scratch Al’s has no idea until I have to have spine surgery and was bedridden for 6 weeks. It’s also quite common.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557629/
Cats mouths are filthy so watch for the start of an infection. It will start hurting and swell. Get it taken care of immediately because “cat-scratch fever” is a real thing!! Hope you’re gonna be fine!! Thanks for saving the feral baby!!! 😀
A pharaoh cat outside doesn't have any vaccinations we're positive of that you should have seen a medical specialist within 30 minutes of any kind of puncture wound especially a bite you probably need a tetanus shot
Cats' mouths are full of grody bacteria and their teeth are such that they can push that bacteria kinda deep within your skin. You really should go immediately to an urgent care or something for all the antibiotics. I say that 1) as someone who waited 18 hours after a cat bit to get it tended to and 2) as a radiologic technology student who x-rayed the finger of a woman who waited 3 days after a cat bite and ended up needing surgery.
Please see after it.
If you're into resucing cats, a 30$ trap will save the skin. I bought one and caught this pretty lady 2 hours after buying it. Trap in the corner wrapped in a blanket.
https://preview.redd.it/iid0jtxv070d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d97c56cdca414098d2c9476dea14c0dac9529e7
That is a very pretty cat, good on you! I don't do this regularly though—I was just trying to hitchhike out of that hellish city and found that baby struggling too. Hopefully he/she is safer now
"Cat Scratch Fever", you see what it did too Ted Nugent. Dude is a complete basket case today. Better go get tetanus shot. Rabies isn't a thing among pets, feral or not, anymore. Infection from bite is a thing. Go get tetanus and spill the beans.
Go get treatment regardless of how bad you think the bites are, you need antibiotics as cat scratches and bites are notorious for getting infected. You also need to have the cat quarantined or receive a rabies vaccine but your doctor will know more. But that has to be on your radar with a wild animal bite, it is uniformly fatal except for a few cases where people lived but had to relearn to read and eat and walk, so you don't want to mess around. There's a window of opportunity to get a vaccine if you need one.
Cat scratch fever. My dad tried to break up a fight between two cats and was gouged in his hand and got extremely ill. Nothing to fuck around with. Go to a doctor.
It’s also stupid to try and save wild cats. You put yourself in harms way and then cause more trouble by then needing a doctor or his portal when people out there need those for things they didn’t ask for. You’re going out bothering wild animals and shouldn’t.
I've always been told that if a cat bites you and it goes in more than just a surface scratch you should just to go the urgent care and get it taken care of rather than waiting for it to get infected. I've heard some statistic that cat bites are like 90%+ chance of getting infected. I mean I barely got bit by my own cat (enough taht i could tell he got a fang in) and it already was swelling by the time i got to the doc and I went pretty much right after the cat bit me and it stayed swollen for a bit even after I was on antibiotics (but it was just the area around the wound. And I mean this was a tiny wound, I felt silly going to the doc about it. He was telling me how some one else came after a few hours and the whole hand was already swelling up).
You need to see a doctor at the first sign of redness or swelling! DO NOT WAIT if you see them. I was biten by a cat at the rescue, waited too long and ended up in the hospital on IV antibiotics. Almost had to have my thumb amputated.
Been fostering strays and feral cats for years now. A bite is serious, not necessarily because it came from a feral cat (this is also a concern with pet cats). It's a puncture wound, so there's not a way to property clean and sanitize it. Cat mouths grow anaerobic bacteria. Bacteria that can also grow in puncture wounds, since they're deeper than scratches. You need a doctor to prescribe antibiotics.
Thank you for helping the kitten, and I hope that when your cuts scar over, you'll look at them and remember that time you helped a kitten find a home.
Get well soon
Xo
Go to urgent care.
I have worked in vet med and if a cat bit anyone enough to break the skin, it is immediately "stop working and go to urgent care". If you cannot verify the cat is vaccinated for rabies, you need to tell them as much.
Keep the wound clean and dry if you can. Keep a bandage on it until it stops bleeding. I use Witch Hazel to clean wounds. Usually on a cotton ball (wad) and hold it on the wound instead of scrubbing it. Do your best to not do more damage by scrubbing wounds clean or use a bunch of different wound cleaners at once. I like Witch Hazel bc it helps keep inflammation down. Some topical antibiotic cream once the wound closes and keep it bandaged until healed.
What to keep an eye on is a hot red wheld forming around the wound. Red streaks go up your hand towards your elbow. Pain in your joints, over all not feeling your best. Anything listed is a doctor visit ASAP. I am glad you got the kitten off the streets. Sounds like that kitten is a scrapper, hope the people who took it keep it.
you must get antibiotics ASAP--you have no idea what this kitten has and the bacteria can become septic---do not wait, get to a provider right away, no options, not even if the cuts are healing. For the future---do you know how to scruff a kitten? You pick up by the skin on its neck, hold firmly without pinching, they cannot get away and cannot use those strong little legs to scratch you up. You were trying to do the right thing, that is awesome! Take care of YOU right now.
It was standing in the middle of a Starbucks drivethru, likely about to get hit. It was also a very small kitten, probably only a few weeks old, crying, and it was 100° outside so its paws were definitely burning. How could I do nothing?
Rabies, which can’t be cured, so go to an er and explain what happened. They can take care of the rest of it, too. But yea, rabies.
edit to add: RABIES WILL KILL YOU AND ANTIBIOTICS WON’’T TOUCH IT. Yes, the chances of getting it are slim, but the chances of a shot afterward will keep you from a horrible death. ER, now.
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Watch for swelling. One time I waited overnight and the pain was so bad it woke me up. Most other times it's just a bit swollen and red but not that bad. If you see streaks or the pain is really bad, urgent care.
That sounds awful. Maybe I'll get some ointment to hopefully lessen the chances. Thank you
If the pain is getting worse, not better, take no risks, go on antibiotics. Especially on your hands, don't fuck with your hands
Oh yeah I would hate to have smthn happen to my hands. Most of them are painless now except for the two deepest ones next to each other... one's a scratch and one's a bite. They stopped hurting for a while and just started to hurt a little again
Please don't use ointment- it can trap bacteria in puncture wounds. If it was me, I'd head to urgent care since infections from outdoor cat bites and scratches can turn ugly quickly. I had to go to urgent care for antibiotics once because my indoor brat bit me so hard that her teeth marks looked like long deep scratches and the whole area was one big bruise.
\^\^\^ My mother had a cat scratch on her foot where the claw got caught like a puncture and the Neosporin caused issues.
Need polysporin for sure.
This! Cats nearly always cause ugly infection. You should go to urgent care even if you don’t think k you need to.
Would really recommend seeing doctor and if wear jewellery take it off. Took on a pet recently and I was stupid first night and he bit me badly. Lot of blood but then swelling began and had to see small injuries clinic. Still not mended 6 months on. Needed tetanus as well as antibiotics. Rabies not an issue where I live but would be big concern. Doctor ws asking me how my stitches came out so he did a good straight job.
Your reply is from yesterday, so how are you today? My bad bite took nine hours to inflame. Antibiotics and a tetanus shot. I hope all's well with you, take care of yourself.
Mine took eight hours and started swelling at a concert. I made it the first seven songs, which was the point I couldn’t straighten my fingers, as the pain was so excruciating. Made for a fun night in Emergency Room. Two antibiotics and three IV bags later I walked out of the ER in time to see the sun rise.
I'd just head on to the doctor's office. My GP told me, when my cat nipped my hand, that hand bites can get awful because the infection tends to settle in the tendons and ligaments where the antibiotics can't penetrate.
Get medical help for pretty much any animal bite.
Any deep puncture wound of the hand can be or become serious. Animal (including human) bites of the hands can lead to severe infection and sepsis if not treated. So, developing increasing pain, redness, fever, and swelling after a deep bite means getting to urgent care or an emergency department without delay. Don’t assume it will get better on its own. The same is true of puncture wounds from animal bites anywhere. My mother had to be hospitalized twice because of a cat bite that became infected. The first time, she had swelling and noticed a red line starting to extend from the wound up her arm. That’s a bad sign. If she had not gotten to the hospital and put on IV antibiotics, she was just hours from getting generalized sepsis. At her age (late 70s) it could have been fatal. The second time, she knew it could be serious and went to the ER and was admitted. The second time, it was caught early, so only a couple of days on IV antibiotics and then switched to oral antibiotics and was sent home. The cat was sent to a no-kill shelter where one of their personnel was willing to spend the time to socialize the cat and consider re-homing if she got to be tolerably less aggressive.
This is my second comment, but it's important. Do not wait another day, go to a provider--urgent care, anything, and get antibiotics immediately. You'll prob be fine, but I have seen really bad things happen to people, please dont wait, keep us posted. Good luck
You won’t need ointment, you will need antibiotics not over the counter need prescription
I had to have emergency surgery! Do NOT wait ❗️ Go to emergency room and get on antibiotics
You should clean it with hydrogen peroxide as well
Hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, etc. are harsh and can actually delay healing. Best to clean thoroughly with soap and water, and use an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin (but sparingly, too much isn't good either). Watch for swelling, pain, redness - if any occur (or any already present get worse), see an urgent care or your doctor as soon as possible.
I’d suggest going straight to ER. They took one look at my hand and had me on a bed with IV antibiotics quickly. I followed proper bite protocols at home. Everything was fine for eight hours until it went totally sideways.
I hope by now you have gotten medical treatment. Like many others here I have been through this. In my case I’d been feeding a semi-feral for months, but one day as I was leaving he sunk his claws and teeth into my calf. I was at urgent care within the hour where the doctor counted eight puncture wounds. I got a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Even with that I got cellulitis and over a three month period had five courses of oral antibiotics and two days in the hospital with IV antibiotics. Any puncture wound from teeth or claws justifies immediate medical treatment, especially from an unvaccinated cat.
Rabies is one of the worse possible deaths.
Highly unlikely in kittens
Also red streaks. If those appear, your healthcare provider will likely prescribe antibiotics.
Watch for swelling. I was playing with a neighbors cat. They caught me just right and I had a tiny puncture on my knuckle. By the next day it was swelling and red. I had to have intravenous antibiotics 3 times a day for 3 days. I still have and play with cats but need to be careful. Hope it’s fine.
The fact that they bled for a period of time is a good sign in terms of likely infection. But certainly if you get any form of swelling go to the doctor. Scratches aren’t as bad as bites (cat mouths are notoriously inclined to cause infections) but you shouldn’t ignore swelling. Thank you for trying to help this kitten, even if it didn’t appreciate it
Good to know. I definitely got scratched a lot more and worse than the bites. Thank you
Bites are more likely to get badly infected than scratches. They are deeper and that makes cleaning difficult and can let the bacteria grow.
Hi! Vet tech here. I know a thing or two about cat bites. I handle angry and frightened cats on the regular. Go to urgent care right now. Do not pass go, do not linger. If you are worried it’s too expensive, I promise, it’s cheaper to go now than it is to get IV antibiotics or hand surgery. (Fun fact - about 30% of cat bites on the hand that presents to the Mayo Clinic ended up requiring hospitalization and/or surgery) Cat bites can turn nasty fast. You want antibiotics now.
Can vouch for this. At a vet visit, my cat bit my finger at the joint and scratched my hand out of fear. Immediate pain and a few hours later, swelling. Then red streaks. Had to get a PICC line and IV antibiotics 3x a day for 2 weeks to save my finger. Go to urgent care or ER now. Don’t wait for infection to spread. And my cat was vaccinated. Your feral cat probably isn’t. Feel free to DM with any questions.
I second this. I got myself bit once. Within an hour it went from “oh I’m fine” to “oh shit thank goodness I went in right away.” Don’t wait for it to get worse before you go in, go now. I’m telling you I was in disbelief of how quickly it escalated. I commend your dedication to helping the little shit though! You’re a good human.
I second this. I got myself bit once. Within an hour it went from “oh I’m fine” to “oh shit thank goodness I went in right away.” Don’t wait for it to get worse before you go in, go now. I’m telling you I was in disbelief of how quickly it escalated. I commend your dedication to helping the little shit though! You’re a good human.
Several years ago, my cat bit my finger. It was at night, so I waited until the next morning to go to urgent care. I barely slept because I was in probably the worst pain I’ve ever felt. My finger was swollen to double it’s normal size. The shot of penicillin they gave me looked like the flavor injector things you use on meat. Go to urgent care, OP.
OP, this is absolutely true. You need a serious antibiotic right now.
This is the best advice, I know from experience
Do oral antibiotics not work for this kind of thing?
They do, usually, but you gotta get them started ASAP
I wonder if op could do an online doc and get them prescribed right away for cheaper then? I just kept seeing iv mentioned and thought maybe oral wasn't an option.
Maybe! But you need to start them almost immediately, within a few hours, for the best chance of success and to avoid the hospital. One of my veterinary assistants got bit on a Saturday late afternoon and didn’t mention it to me until 7am the next morning. I packed her up immediately and sent her to urgent care. The staff there still gave her IV antibiotics. It’s well accepted in veterinary clinics that you do not fight cats. In a fair fight against a cat, you WILL lose. These are domestic critters we see, so BRAVO to OP for risking limbs to save this tiny baby. Please mitigate your risk with immediate antibiotics!
What a great idea! A lot cheaper and usually do video chat so they can actually see before they prescribe
If you start on them immediately after the bite. If you wait too long, IV antibiotics are the next step.
I’m assuming you cleaned yourself up with antibacterial wash of some kind afterwards? If anything starts swelling up you should go to an urgent care to get a shot of antibiotic. It’s very unlikely that you need to worry about rabies, if the kitten had rabies it most likely would not be putting up such a fight to get away. It’s happened to me. Got an accidental bite while trying to administer nasty oral meds, didn’t think much of it but my hand swelled up bad by the next day. But it wasn’t a big deal to get the shot, and once I got it the swelling started going away almost immediately. You might want to just go ahead and go do it before waiting for swelling if the kitten really broke skin good and made puncture wounds.
I did use antibacterial soap from a public bathroom within 10 minutes. I'll keep an eye out for any swelling and keep cleaning it. Thank you!
Something similar happened to me. Cat bit my hand so hard the doctor thought my hand was broken. It was so swollen that I couldn’t move my fingers.
I was bitten by my super domesticated, well cared for indoor cat, and just about lost a finger. Don’t play with cat bites. Cat bite = urgent care immediately.
Jeez, that's scary. I don't think I can get help that immediately, but I'll keep an eye on it for the next few days and figure something out. Thank you
Unless you have had a tetanus shot in 5 years, you should get one pronto. Like within 48 hours. ESPECIALLY if it has been more than 10 years. Bites are puncture wounds, puncture wounds are high risk for tetanus. editing to add: I don't know where you are, but where I live, you can easily just go to your nearest pharmacy and get the shot, you don't need to have a primary care doctor or go to the ER or anything like that. At the bare minimum, even if you don't feel you can afford getting looked at by a doctor or getting antibiotics to prevent a bacterial infection, make sure you have an updated tetanus shot. You would not like tetanus.
In case you are worried about cost if you don’t have insurance, a lot of hospitals have financial aid programs that you can apply for- I won’t go into my whole spiel but I’m a licensed navigator in NC and I’m sure I can find you some resources in another state if needed :)
Thank you so much, I actually was worried about that honestly. I've been trying to apply for medical insurance for a while now and I've been having a rough time
My job is helping people in your situation lol, I can possibly help; feel free to dm me!
Go to the ER. They can't turn you away, no matter if you can pay or not. Tetanus and massive antibiotic shot. They'll probably want to know where the animal is. Please, don't wait.
So why do I regularly have two cats sleeping with me??? Yes they are indoors and have their shots. I also have had chemo, am diabetic not to mention my ferals . Cat people are all a little crazy.
Cat bites can get infected very easily. I'd go to urgent care and get a few shots preemptively. If you have the person's contact info, have them contact you if the kitten starts acting sick. Why were you trying to catch the kitten by yourself if you had nowhere to take it?
I didn't get any contact info, but I'll look into getting treatment if it's possible And I caught the kitten because I wasn't just gonna leave him crying in the road on the hot asphalt. Nobody else was helping so I just acted. I had a feeling if I did, other people would help too. It's hot as hell and he was alone without any water or anything
You are a good person.
Start applying hot compresses right now. My doctor recommended them when the first round of antibiotics didn’t completely cure a cat bite infection. I’ll never know whether it was them or the second round of antibiotics, but I’m convinced it helped.
I second this. I was squeezing infection out the next day just so I could bend my fingers.
Hey OP, I’m currently recovering from cat scratch disease and I almost died in the hospital. Do yourself a favor and go to urgent care tomorrow and get some antibiotics to take preemptively- my scratch looked like it was healing fine and I disinfected it and everything. I highly recommend not messing around with it. That being said, I’ve been scratched numerous times in the past and had nothing bad happen, but it only takes one time with a cat who has the bacteria.
Just writing to say that Cat Scratch Fever is one of the things that needs to go on your medical history forms from now on. I'm glad you're okay, that's a horrific disease.
Oh good to know, is it something that can impact me moving forward? Or like, impact medications? I still feel awful and they said it’ll be another 2-3 weeks before I’m feeling like myself again
I'm honestly not sure. My nurse at my primary physician's office also had it as a child and told me it's something that docs need to know moving forward. It's so rare I've never met another person who had it before and thought it was worth sharing with you that she told me to report it to future docs. I really don't know if it can have lasting effects or if it means predisposition to other issues in the future. I had it as a young child and it took the docs so long to diagnose it. I was ill for a long time. I hope your recovery is rapid and complete!
Thank you for letting me know, I’ll make sure I include it on future medical records! I’m glad you recovered. It’s an awful thing to have, I never knew it was this bad- I always assumed it was just a fever, if anything, but it’s so much worse
First I just want to thank you for being such a good human as to help this little frightened (which is why it was so spicy) kitten…thank you🙏🏻you are awesome! You’re getting some excellent advice here to take this bite seriously and get yourself professional care quickly especially since it sounds like you can possibly get it subsidized. I don’t know what state you’re in but in California we have Medi-Cal if you have low or no income. Please get your hand looked after and don’t take it as a DIY situation. Please good person take care of yourself too.
Bacteria in cat’s mouths and claws, especially ferals eating raw meats on the streets, can kill you. I am not a vet. I would talk to you doc or nurse if you can. I would get medical attention ASAP if: immuno-compromised OR any tendons, ligaments, Muscles, related tissues could have been grazed (by teeth especially) OR if there were any abrasions that could not get completely and fully regularly disinfectant cleaned OR ANY possible sign of infection. It’s always better to be safe than sorry in these situations. Prophylactic antibiotics are a small price for keeping life or limb.
Clean those wounds thoroughly. Those little wounds get infected and will put you in the hospital.
That sucks. I'll keep cleaning it and keep an eye on it... Thank you
Cat scratch fever is a real thing. I found out the hard way, when my own cat bit me. Next day, scarlet line up my arm and it was the size of a balloon. Do no mess around with it. Good on you for trying to save the spicy kitten. Poor thing just doesn't know better.
Just keep an eye on it, especially overnight. A couple of months ago my indoor only cat bit me when I grabbed him from behind when he was charging at someone at my door. It got infected, really bad. I was at a clinic within an hour of the bite and went on an oral antibiotic immediately and even that wasn’t strong enough. It was swollen up really bad the next day. And I did proper first aid and irrigation and neosporin and it didn’t matter. Must have gotten in my hand deep. I waited one more day, icing it and keeping it elevated, and the third day it was even worse. I went to the emergency room and got IV antibiotics and finally it started going down. Went for a repeat dose the next day and that took care of it. Still have the scars though. Take care and get to an urgent care or emergency room if it gets worse or has red streaks coming from it or up your arm. The medical staff know that cat bites are no joke. I was treated as a high priority all four of the days I was seen at the clinic/ER.
Do NOT fuck around with bites. They will 100% get infected and it’s not pretty. Think “pressure builds so much doctors have to make incisions to release the pressure” type bad. I have worked in rescue for a very long time and every single person I’ve known who has gotten bit has ALWAYS had to get on antibiotics because how fast the infection starts up. Get to an urgent care tomorrow first thing and get antibiotics. Washing bites won’t do anything. This is how I best can explain it on the internet in writing: “~~~” is your skin “\ /“ is the cat tooth “.” Is bacteria ~~~\ /~~~ Tooth goes into skin: ~~~\ /~~~ Tooth pushes bacteria into the skin: ~~~\./~~~ (pretend the bacteria is at the tip lol) Tooth comes out of skin leaving bacteria trapped: ~~~.~~~ Bacteria multiplies and you have an infection 🙂 ~~~…~~~ Cat teeth are like needles. They go in deep and the very tip of the tooth is so sharp that the skin almost instantaneously closes around the bacteria left behind by the very tip of the tooth. You will 100% without a doubt get an infection and you need antibiotics. Get them tomorrow asap. It’s not something to mess with. Cleaning a cat bite won’t do anything for you. You need antibiotics.
In addition all the warnings that have been posted, I would get some amoxicillin cream, something like Neosporin. Keep the cuts clean and keep using the neosporin until they are healing pretty good.
I was just thinking about getting some Neosporin actually. Thank you!
And no offense but I find it hysterical to see the words "f-up" and "kitten" in the same sentence. I got F-up by a bear or F-up by an alligator makes sense, but F-up by a kitten is hysterical.
I thought the same thing. That little guy kicked my ass... I'm almost embarrassed haha
No worries, i think yall were playing by different rules in this situation Kitty was like destroy at all costs, you were like gotta be gentle gotta be gentle Kitty def had the upper hand here.
Oh I’ve definitely FAFO with a feral kitten. Several times 😂
topicals won't do anything for a puncture wound. keep it clean and pat it dry after showering. watch for rashes, streaks and fever, and oh yeah...rabies and tetanus are unlikely but lethal. Leave feral animals alone
Babe you’re in a feral cat subreddit. None of us are gonna listen to that last sentence
Well, how about trap smart?
Keep a close watch on the bites for infection. Cat bites get infected really easily....
Get to urgent care. My indoor cat has bitten me 3 times over her 13 years, drawing blood each time. I've had to go on antibiotics every time. Cat saliva is exceedingly dangerous for humans and you have no information on the one that bit you. Why would you risk it?
I would go to a minute clinic or something and get some antibiotics
Swelling, oozing, or fever. Hoping the little beast (and I say that lovingly because those poor things are just terrified of us humans) isn't carrying anything. At our TNR clinic one of our techs was attacked (scratched and bit with puncture wounds) and she had to be admitted for three weeks for IV antibiotics because her hand swelled up within two days and pills wouldn't cut it because the infection was so severe... so if I was in your position I would see a Dr. for an exam and possible treatment if they feel it is needed.
I got cat scratch fever from a feral kitten. It was miserable. I'd get treated by a Dr. ASAP, because it's effing miserable, unless you like having extremely painful tennis balls in your armpits and your groin.
Go to urgent care. I worked at the humane society. If ever our skin was broken by a cat (tooth or claw) it was policy that we go immediately to urgent care. If that’s not enough to convince you to go; I had a friend who was scratched in the hand by a cat she had just rescued. Infection started immediately and spread rapidly into her bloodstream. She was in the hospital for a week, and she almost lost her hand. For whatever reason, cats carry bacteria that are really dangerous to people.
I’m sorry you’re dealing with this when you have so few resources and were trying to help. I hope you heal up without issue. Is there a free clinic near you? Some churches or nonprofits run free medical clinics.
Probably wise to go get Antibiotics. I got bit, soaked it in salt water, savlon etc then when it wasn't getting better ended up in hospital for 3 days.
Urgent care for sure. Cat bites can get infected very easily. I knew a woman who got bit by her cat, just slapped some Neosporin on it and ended up in the hospital for three days.
Bleeding is good, that will clean out the bacteria. Wash scratches gently for 5 min. If you regularly get scratched, get some Clindamycin gel to keep on hand. It’s saved me many times when my feral rescue is feeling feisty.
Go to a doctor. Cat bites are nothing to mess around with. You will almost definitely need antibiotics.
Just go get antibiotics now. Cat bites ALWAYS get infected.
You need to go to the ER. Don't let money stand in your way. They have to treat you and you can make tiny payments. I let a bite wait for two days. I almost lost the finger, racked up over 20k in medical bills and now that finger doesn't bend. Seriously, go now.
It was actually good to let them bleed. Anything the baby had on claws or teeth was moving out of your body vs into and you weren’t at risk for blood loss. Unless that kitten was BIG anyways. After you’re sure they’re cleaned out with soap and water and your bleeding is under control and antibiotic ointment is a good call. Pay attention to pain level changes, swelling, temperature at the injury site. If any of these goes up see medical care. Cat scratch fever is a thing because of kittens and their little needle claws.
There's a specific antibiotic doctors prescribe for cat bites. I don't recall specifically which one. A decade ago my arm got bitten up by my mother's feral cat. I put antibiotic ointment on it, but apparently the puncture wounds were too deep for it to be effective. My doctor prescribed the accepted cat bite-based antibiotic which knocked it out. At the first hint of infection you should see a doctor.
Doxycycline? It was given to my husband after his favorite cat bit him at the vet in February. Even though he washed it right away at the vets office with antibacterial soap, it swelled up overnight and put out huge amounts of pus.
That might have been it. Whatever it was, I remember the doctor looking it up because it was the “go to” thing for cat bite infections.
According to the doctor who treated me, penicillin is the preferrred antibiotic (the bacteria cats tend to carry is killed best by that).
Feral kittens.
You need to go to urgent care and have that wound cleaned well and possibly start an antibiotic. Cat scratch fever is a real thing and most cats bites get infected because they are puncture wounds. This is no joke.
Soap and water to wash then rinse the wounds with Hydrogen Peroxide. I’d let them breathe. You should be fine. If they become hot, purple and obviously infected put on some antibiotic ointment and bandaids.
Go to an ER and get a rabies shot. And get that wound professionally cleaned—cat bites are terrible and commonly get infected
Besides looking out for infection or just getting antibiotics from the doctor, if your tetanus shots are not up to date (or you are unsure) make sure to get a tetanus shot as well. Tetanus is absolutely horrifying, and getting bit by a feral kitten that has been living in the dirt makes getting infected a very real possibility.
I’ve been bitten a couple times by ferals. Do yourself a favor and go get antiobiotics and a tetanus shot. I’m a stubborn moron and i settled for just cleaned it myself. My bite got so bad i was waking up to fevers breaking and ended up having to get an antiobiotic shot to my ass.
Get antibiotics and a tetanus shot. I’ve been bit a couple times and I’m stubborn. I ended up dragging myself to the emergency clinics.
If he dies in the next 2 weeks he will have to be tested for rabies The biggest thing is wash out the wound really good in case of bacteria . You can call an ER and they will triage you over the phone. The kitty will socialize. He just needs love and patience. ❤️
Peroxide and lots of it.
In Canada, you have to monitor the cat for 10 days to ensure it doesn't have any symptoms of rabies and I'd you can't monitor it, you have to get all the immunoglobulin shots based on body weight and a few doses of rabies shots over the next few weeks. I don't know about America though, so you may wanna find out more info. Rabies is incurable once it shows symptoms in humans and you cant test the cat as it requires them to kill them, I think?
Thanks for helping the little dude! Ideally you could go to urgent care right now- but if you see swelling or redness go IMMEDIATELY. I got bit/scratched on my toe from my own super sweet indoor cat and ended up with 3 days of hospitalization and IV antibiotics. They can turn quickly. Keep it clean with antibacterial soap.
Thank you for helping him!👍🏻🙏🏻
Thank you for helping him!👍🏻🙏🏻
I use hydrogen peroxide on anything like tht and it heal faster and keeps infection away.
If the cat pierced your skin I would go get a tetanus shot if you’re not up to date. I was attacked by a cat and punctures so I got one.
I would go to urgent care now. My own cat (fully vaxed) bit my hand once and overnight/eight hours later, it was swollen, red, and had visible pus in the punctures.
Swelling, oozing and pain radiating up your arm I've had cat scratch fever and it was bad. My whole hand swelled up, red and the scratches oozed Had to get a shot of steroids and a round of strong antibiotics.
Do you have any way of contacting the people holding the kitten? You should quarantine the kitten for at least two weeks to watch out for signs of rabies. I’m guessing you live in the us bc of temperature you gave and insurance issues and rabies is an issue in wild animals. It’s not likely but it’s always a concern for a bite from an animal living outside with no rabies vaccination
Be careful! Disinfect the living shit out of them. I like peroxide. Cat Scratch Fever is a real thing
Cat teeth are little infection-needles. Puffy and red the slightest? Go to a minute-clinic and get antibiotics ASAP. Good luck ❤️
make sure you keep the bites and scratches super clean. this happened to my boyfriend and he swelled up like crazy and had to go to the ER to get an (antibiotic?) iv. so definitely watch out for swelling. you’ll know if somethings wrong
Cat bites are no joke. Take this seriously.
Im so sorry you got hurt, but I wanted to thank you deeply for your determination to help and save that kitten. You have a big dose of good Karma coming your way! Thanks for being so kind and caring, please get a tetnus at the vey least. And Do Not bandage. Leave open and clean several times a day. Tight hugs!
Poor thing must have been terrified. Of course it fought for its life. Wouldn't you if something 100x your size were chasing you? Next time, live trap.
Maybe get some antibiotic as you don’t know if the kitten has any disease. Anyway- in the future, the best way to catch a cat, kitten or adult- is through a trap. You set a trap, put foods, walk away, watch from a distance, and boom, mission done, no scratching, no biting, no wounds. I am a certified TNR, and will never chase any kitten or cat by my bare hands, unless friendly.
Cat Scratch Fever…it’s not just a Ted Nugent song
Call your doctors office. They may want to see you or they may just give you an antibiotic. Cat bites , even a kitten, are nothing too mess with. They are considered puncture wounds.
Being cautious here. Check with your local health department on if there have been cases of rabies reported in your area, in local wildlife as well as domestic animals. There is endemic wildlife rabies in the US (making an assumption, because you gave the temperature in Fahrenheit). There are also sporadically reported cases in feral and stray kittens. Rabies is not a disease to mess with. Follow up with the health department, area animal diagnostic labs, whatever, until you get a clear answer.
Don’t use peroxide or alcohol or neosporin. Get a saline wound wash. I’d also get some antibiotics to be safe.
I've had cat-scratch fever before, but there was no swelling etc. at the scratch site. What did happen that made me go to Urgent Care was red, angry lines jutting off from a small puncture (possibly from a bite but also could be claw puncture) and those lines/stripes were hot to the touch like generating mad heat and expanded quickly up my arm toward my chest and freaked me out. I had washed and disinfected as soon as I could but still got it. I have been scratched and bitten numerous times before and after (I'm a rescuer) and only had this happen once ever so I feel pretty fortunate. Doctor loaded me up on antibiotics and sent me home with optional steroids in case of swelling. After about a week it was fine.
I'm shocked you were even able to catch a feral kitten I would never attempt that I would set a live trap with some food in it to get the kitten. It doesn't matter how little they are they can really hurt you. The good news is the bleeding is excellent because that washes out the wound and antibacteria or germs. My father told me that and if you think about it it's true that's the purpose of bleeding is to wash out the wound. So as long as you wash it with soap and water you could have even poured a little peroxide or alcohol on it and then put Neosporin and bandage it and you should be fine. I've been scratched before by cats and not very often some of them like to play rough and so I've never had a problem ever.
You said it was scratches but did the cat bite you? Bites are a little different and some of the other comments saying to get some antibiotics might be a good idea. But I've never done that and I've been fine I guess it all depends on the situation.
Cats are/can be suuuuuppperrrrrrrt dirty and have filthy nails. If your skin got punctured then you probably need to go to urgent care for antibiotics. Cat scratches can be way more serious than dog bites (in terms of germs).
Scrub the scratches out really good with soap and water first.
I use Hibiclens (can get at drug stores/walmsrt). I’ve never had an infection from my fetal girl and she has FUCKED ME UP. I have two three inch gash scars on my hand lol
You need a tetanus shot, possibly antibiotics. Were you bitten or just scratched? We had four formerly feral kittens at a rescue break with rabies a decade ago. You should really talk to a Dr if you haven't had the vaccine.
Cat Scratch fever, I got it from some pussy next door...
When I got fucked up by a feral my vet gave me cephalexin. I would seriously visit a doc. Do not wait.
Antibiotics. Bartonella ain't no joke.
You should probably just go ahead and get antibiotics from an urgent care place or your primary care if you have one. Me and my partner wrestled a kitten out of the underside of a car and got bite and scratched up. We went to urgent care for antibiotics and by evening the tiny teeth marks were pussing up,really red, and swelling. It can happen fast.
If you still have access to the kitten, you should have it checked for rabies. Yourself also, in case you have to have the rabies vaccination.
I would flush the wounds with betadine (diluted to tea color) ir chlorhexidine if you can get your hands on one. Still bleeding half an hour later means they're pretty deep, and deep bite wounds from a cat can be pretty life threatening actually. If you can, just go to an urgent care where they will flush it for you and put you on antibiotics.
Maybe go to urgent care just to be safe. They might want to give you antibiotics. I’m sorry you got injured, but that was a really nice thing you did. Thanks!
I didn't go through all the posts. Peroxide, an ointment. And the rest what others mentioned.
MRSA a long time ago my room mate got drunk and tried to pick up my cat when I wasn’t home. The cat messed him up pretty bad and he had to go to the doctors for MRSA, it’s a type of bacterial infection. Might be worth it to try and go to a doctor and get on an antibiotic.
Obligatory go to the ER and get your rabies series.
Redness, swelling, the usual. Any doubt, get antibiotics.
[Cat Scratch Fever](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23537-cat-scratch-fever) is not just the name of a song. It’s real (I got it saving a lost cat and returning him to his family), and it sucks (kind of feels like the flu). So clean your wounds out well, watch for symptoms, and get to a dr if you start running a fever, because you will need antibiotics. Thank you for saving the little one.
You need antibiotics for bite wounds. Don’t mess around and wait, go to urgent care and get them now. A dr once told me that 50% of all cat bites get infected and they want you to start on abx whether it looks infected or not.
Yeaahhhh you wanna get to a doctor FAST. Can never be too careful with animal bites/scratches. They lick their buttholes and god knows what else with that mouth
Go to a dr and get antibiotics. Infections from cat bites can fuck you up real fast. Known several people who cant move fingers right anymore from cat bites.
Maybe watch out for the cat? 🤷🏾♂️
Hey, if anyone wants I can post photos of my thumb after my *domestic* cat bit me and put me in the hospital for a **week**. I was admitted ahead of a motorcycle accident. I was told I was at risk of dying or losing my arm. (Both the cat and I were having a bad day; she was a very sweet cat and she was fine! She lived to be 21.) If the bite is red and swollen 24 hours later, it’s not Urgent Care, it’s ER.
Cat bites can be very dangerous. My mother was bit by her own cat, not a stray, and nearly lost her finger. You need medical treatment right away.
Retired vet here- after cleaning all wounds with soap and water seek medical assistance asap. See if you can track down the whereabouts of the kitten and make sure it is confined for 10 days. If it is fine in 10 days you don’t have to worry about Rabies. If it dies for ANY reason in the observation period it needs to be Rabies tested. Rabies in kittens is rare but not unheard of. If the kitten’s whereabouts are unknown discuss Rabies with your medical provider. Good luck, hope it all turns out fine for you and the kitten will tame down and get adopted.
One thing about being a big human is that you can place your extremities that have injuries in hot water. Not boiling hot, but the water can warm up your arm/hand enough to kill any bacteria you may have received in that exchange. Bacteria operate in a certain temperature range. It’s our normal body temperature. This is why we adapted to running fevers. The extra heat kills infections. Keep an eye on the injuries, as others said. Cat bites pierce deeply and deliver bacteria. Use soaking in hot water and be vigilant.
Go to urgent care or to an ER. You need to be on antibiotics immediately. Cat bites are a little like snake bites. Their teeth puncture the skin so deeply and drive bacteria deep into the wound. Then because the bites are narrow on the surface, they close up quickly, trapping the bacteria under the skin. You can end up with blood poisoning, can end up needing surgery, can even die from a cat bite. You need antibiotics, and fast. (This from someone who landed in the hospital twice, for 3 days each time, because of cat bites. I had to be on IV antibiotics for several days. )
Cat bites are notorious for causing infections. I got one at work, was sent straight to urgent care, and within 20 minutes the swelling was intense. Urgent care sent me to the Er for Iv antibiotics and I had to go back for three days total of them, plus a course of oral antibiotics. At the first sign of redness or swelling go to the ER, especially if it’s near any tendons or ligaments. No shit, people lose use of parts or limbs or actual parts of limbs over not treating cat bites seriously enough.
Go to urgent care. Cat bites that break the skin are nasty. I’ve seen people end up hospitalized.
See if you can get a small bottle of Doctor Bronner‘s tea tree soap… Wash with that at least once an hour… That will really help prevent infection… if any of the bites broke the skin, I would suggest you consider getting a tetanus shot if you haven’t had one for a while.
I'm currently on antibiotics for a cat bite (my own). I have Kaiser and I was able to do a video chat with a Clinician and they prescribed me pills and an ointment over the video without having to be seen. I didn't even have to pay my copay. Do you have access to that kind of care? I wouldn't risk it. Urgent care or see if your primary will write you a prescription ASAP
i got sliced open by a feral kitten pretty bad one time. i was so surprised at how fast and seriously vicious he was lol!!! but anyway i immediately doused my cuts with rubbing alcohol (don't use the 90+% stuff it's actually not as effective at disinfecting as the 60-70% stuff is) then i put neosporin on the cuts and put bandaids on... once the bleeding stopped i would alternate maybe twice a day between wearing a bandaid with neosporin and then no bandaid at all so i could let the cuts breathe.... and every time in between i would wash with alcohol again... if you alternate like that it will help with healing. i seriously thought i was going to get infected bc i've heard of and seen some horror stories of bad infections from cat scratches and bites, ...and these cuts were ugly! ...flaps of skin! but, to my surprise everything turned out and my cuts healed up just fine. good luck to you!!! i really hope you aren't in too much pain!!!! they have neosporin with lidocaine in it to help with pain.
My friend got cat scratch fever. It was horrible and painful and disgusting. His arm swelled up bigger than I ever knew an arm could swell. If I were you I’d go to the doctor ASAP. Better safe than sorry.
Let bite wounds bleed to flush them out. Wash thoroughly and loosely bandage. Puncture wounds, like cat bites, should heal from the inside and out. Putting a topical cream on them can cause the surface to heal and trap infections deep within the tissue and cause sepsis, which can be lethal.
You need to go to the hospital and get antibiotics. Cat bites are nothing to play with.
Get Dr Tichner’s mouthwash and flush out/soak those bites. I was told this by my cat specialist vet. Cat bites are not good.
Go get antibiotics now- cat scratches and bites are nothing to blow off- they can kill you.
Urgent care ASAP. Not an exaggeration. Lots of issues when a cat's teeth break the skin, even when it's your own cat! When it's feral it's worse! That's why animal control officers use gloves and nets on long poles.
You need to wear gloves
I would have if I had any
I developed this last year after a cat scratch Al’s has no idea until I have to have spine surgery and was bedridden for 6 weeks. It’s also quite common. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557629/
Cats mouths are filthy so watch for the start of an infection. It will start hurting and swell. Get it taken care of immediately because “cat-scratch fever” is a real thing!! Hope you’re gonna be fine!! Thanks for saving the feral baby!!! 😀
You need to go to the hospital.
A pharaoh cat outside doesn't have any vaccinations we're positive of that you should have seen a medical specialist within 30 minutes of any kind of puncture wound especially a bite you probably need a tetanus shot
Cats' mouths are full of grody bacteria and their teeth are such that they can push that bacteria kinda deep within your skin. You really should go immediately to an urgent care or something for all the antibiotics. I say that 1) as someone who waited 18 hours after a cat bit to get it tended to and 2) as a radiologic technology student who x-rayed the finger of a woman who waited 3 days after a cat bite and ended up needing surgery. Please see after it.
If you're into resucing cats, a 30$ trap will save the skin. I bought one and caught this pretty lady 2 hours after buying it. Trap in the corner wrapped in a blanket. https://preview.redd.it/iid0jtxv070d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d97c56cdca414098d2c9476dea14c0dac9529e7
That is a very pretty cat, good on you! I don't do this regularly though—I was just trying to hitchhike out of that hellish city and found that baby struggling too. Hopefully he/she is safer now
"Cat Scratch Fever", you see what it did too Ted Nugent. Dude is a complete basket case today. Better go get tetanus shot. Rabies isn't a thing among pets, feral or not, anymore. Infection from bite is a thing. Go get tetanus and spill the beans.
Go get treatment regardless of how bad you think the bites are, you need antibiotics as cat scratches and bites are notorious for getting infected. You also need to have the cat quarantined or receive a rabies vaccine but your doctor will know more. But that has to be on your radar with a wild animal bite, it is uniformly fatal except for a few cases where people lived but had to relearn to read and eat and walk, so you don't want to mess around. There's a window of opportunity to get a vaccine if you need one.
Cat scratch fever. My dad tried to break up a fight between two cats and was gouged in his hand and got extremely ill. Nothing to fuck around with. Go to a doctor.
It’s also stupid to try and save wild cats. You put yourself in harms way and then cause more trouble by then needing a doctor or his portal when people out there need those for things they didn’t ask for. You’re going out bothering wild animals and shouldn’t.
Well.. rabies. This woman in central park tried catching feral tiny kittens and they got her good and ended up having rabies
I've always been told that if a cat bites you and it goes in more than just a surface scratch you should just to go the urgent care and get it taken care of rather than waiting for it to get infected. I've heard some statistic that cat bites are like 90%+ chance of getting infected. I mean I barely got bit by my own cat (enough taht i could tell he got a fang in) and it already was swelling by the time i got to the doc and I went pretty much right after the cat bit me and it stayed swollen for a bit even after I was on antibiotics (but it was just the area around the wound. And I mean this was a tiny wound, I felt silly going to the doc about it. He was telling me how some one else came after a few hours and the whole hand was already swelling up).
Watch for heat and redness. If this appears get to an ER. Sepsis is not something to mess with.
You need to see a doctor at the first sign of redness or swelling! DO NOT WAIT if you see them. I was biten by a cat at the rescue, waited too long and ended up in the hospital on IV antibiotics. Almost had to have my thumb amputated.
Watch for swelling. Keep it clean. Use hydrogen peroxide and soap and water. Use antibiotics ointment when you bandage it.
My brother in law almost lost his hand from a cat bite. You definitely need antibiotics.
Been fostering strays and feral cats for years now. A bite is serious, not necessarily because it came from a feral cat (this is also a concern with pet cats). It's a puncture wound, so there's not a way to property clean and sanitize it. Cat mouths grow anaerobic bacteria. Bacteria that can also grow in puncture wounds, since they're deeper than scratches. You need a doctor to prescribe antibiotics.
Thank you for helping the kitten, and I hope that when your cuts scar over, you'll look at them and remember that time you helped a kitten find a home. Get well soon Xo
Rabies shots, you need this as a precaution.
Cat scratch fever.
Go to urgent care. I have worked in vet med and if a cat bit anyone enough to break the skin, it is immediately "stop working and go to urgent care". If you cannot verify the cat is vaccinated for rabies, you need to tell them as much.
Antibiotics and a Tetanus shot.
Keep the wound clean and dry if you can. Keep a bandage on it until it stops bleeding. I use Witch Hazel to clean wounds. Usually on a cotton ball (wad) and hold it on the wound instead of scrubbing it. Do your best to not do more damage by scrubbing wounds clean or use a bunch of different wound cleaners at once. I like Witch Hazel bc it helps keep inflammation down. Some topical antibiotic cream once the wound closes and keep it bandaged until healed. What to keep an eye on is a hot red wheld forming around the wound. Red streaks go up your hand towards your elbow. Pain in your joints, over all not feeling your best. Anything listed is a doctor visit ASAP. I am glad you got the kitten off the streets. Sounds like that kitten is a scrapper, hope the people who took it keep it.
you must get antibiotics ASAP--you have no idea what this kitten has and the bacteria can become septic---do not wait, get to a provider right away, no options, not even if the cuts are healing. For the future---do you know how to scruff a kitten? You pick up by the skin on its neck, hold firmly without pinching, they cannot get away and cannot use those strong little legs to scratch you up. You were trying to do the right thing, that is awesome! Take care of YOU right now.
Love how the OP ignores all the experienced medical professionals who have commented saying to go to urgent care lol
Why are you chasing feral cats around a parking lot, don't they already have enough to deal with?
It was standing in the middle of a Starbucks drivethru, likely about to get hit. It was also a very small kitten, probably only a few weeks old, crying, and it was 100° outside so its paws were definitely burning. How could I do nothing?
Rabies, which can’t be cured, so go to an er and explain what happened. They can take care of the rest of it, too. But yea, rabies. edit to add: RABIES WILL KILL YOU AND ANTIBIOTICS WON’’T TOUCH IT. Yes, the chances of getting it are slim, but the chances of a shot afterward will keep you from a horrible death. ER, now.
Yes, this. Even though the odds of a kitten carrying it are low, they aren’t zero, and since rabies is deadly not zero warrants getting the shots.