5 Ways to Treat Cat Bites and Scratches

1. Control the Environment

If you or a family member gets bitten or scratched by a cat, the first thing to do is control your environment. Make sure the victim is removed from the animal so no more injuries occur. Most of the time, a cat that attacks will quickly hide; but if the feline feels she or her babies are being threatened, she may continue to attack. If you can't remove the cat from the vicinity, then remove the victim to a safe place.

2. Stop Blood Loss

Stopping the loss of blood is critical if the victim has a serious animal bite. Apply pressure to the wound until it stops bleeding. If the blood loss is severe, call for emergency medical services and continue to apply pressure until professional medical staff is on the scene. For most cat bites and cat scratches, you'll only need to apply basic first aid to stop bleeding from superficial wounds.

3. Clean and Disinfect the Wounds

Use soap and water to thoroughly clean all of the cat bites and scratches. You can disinfect wounds using peroxide or an over-the-counter product such as Bactine or a triple antibiotic ointment. If you do this, wash with soap and water first to clean the area thoroughly. The use of antibiotic ointments helps prevent wounds from getting infected, speeds the healing process and helps minimize scarring; for these reasons, it should be a part of your first aid kit.

4. Don't Let That Cat Escape

Once you've applied basic first aid to the wound, you need to find out if the cat is healthy. Cats can carry a number of infections that are harmful to humans if left untreated, including rabies. If you can determine the health of the animal, you can save the victim from a painful series of rabies shots. Contain the animal if you can do so safely, or talk to the cat's owners to make sure the feline is healthy and vaccinated.

5. Keep it Clean and Covered

By keeping a close eye on the scratch, you'll see if it worsens and requires medical attention, or if it's healing properly and you can continue treating it at home. Apply fresh antibiotic cream and keep the wounds covered. Use a bandage or gauze and tape to keep dirt from getting trapped in the wound. Dirt can cause the wound to become infected and irritated, which causes pain and increases the chance of scarring. Check the wound daily for infection, then wash it before you replace the bandage.