What do you do when u get scartched by a kitten?

Question

I was feeding these kittens in my compound and after they were done they started meowing really loudly so i gave them my fingers which smelled of chicken (i know that was stupid) so one kitten ended up putting a finger in her mouth which got scratched, alittle bit of blood came out. but i washed the wound well and put iodine over it and then saniplasted it. What do i do? Will i get rabies if i dont get the tetanus injection...it was just a kitten,right , it cant get me rabies can it?

Answer 1

If the cats don't have rabies, you will not get it.
You did good...relax!

Answer 2

Rabies is very rare in domestic pets these days. Most who are infected are usually feral who have come into contact with wild animals that are infected with the virus. Therefore you are safe from this particular disease. However, some people get what's called Cat Scratch Fever if they are bitten or scratched by cats. The saliva in a cats mouth can produce swelling and sometimes if bad enough will require a trip to the doctor to be treated with antibiotics and a tetanus shot (if you haven't had one in the past 10 years). For now keep the site wound cleaned with only anti-bacterial soap and water. DO NOT use any hydrogen peroxide as when the area bubbles the bacteria actually is pushed back into the wound causing the skin tissue to not heal correctly. Any medical doctor can confirm this information as well as a vet too. Anyhow, Iodine and neosporin are fine, however the best is the antibacterial soap and water. If the area becomes very swollen and painful please see a doctor for treatment.

Answer 3

a tetanus shot does nothing for rabies..it is for tetanus. Did it bite you or scratch you? A bite would have more bacteria than a scratch. In either case, wash the area well and put a disinfectant on it. It should be fine...very unlikely the kittens have rabies. Rabies is pretty rare nowadays, and if some animal with rabies did bite the kitten causing a wound big enough to transmit rabies it would most likely have died from that wound or it would be very obviously sick and infected from the wound. Think you are okay.I have been scratched dozens of times and I am still here.

Answer 4

If you cleaned it out well you should be fine. Tetanus is not the same thing as rabies. You are probably vaccinated against tetanus (the vaccines last up to 10 years); however, if you are concerned about rabies, you can go to the doctor and get 3 shots of rabies antibodies. You could also have the kitten tested for rabies but I believe they have to kill the kitten to do this. :( The kitten probably doesn' have rabies though. Your biggest concern should be "cat scratch fever" which is just an infection in your blood from bacteria on the kitten's nails. This type of infection often causes a serious fever, red lines on the extremity that was scratched, chills, and fatigue. It will also require some very strong antibiotics. If you get any signs of infection, go to the doctor.

Answer 5

Make the wound bleed. Use peroxide several times. Some people are very allergic to cats and break out. No, the tetanus shot will not prevent rabies but the kitten probably doesn't have it. Use neosporin or an antibiotic ointment after cleaning and do this for several days until it is healing. A rabid cat will be acting weird and you should call animal control if you see one. Stay away from any animal that is acting bizarre like biting air ;and foaming at the mouth and frantically trying to eat "stuff", acting aggressive towards inanimate objects and such. Good luck and remember, they are just kittens and this is what they do.

Answer 6

It's commedable that you are feeding the stray cats. BUT...
you should keep your hands out of their mouths. You didn't get scratched you got bitten. Yes kittens can carry the rabies virus and getting a tetanus shot will not help you if you contract rabies. Keep an eye on the kittens, if they start to act like they are sick and won't eat or drink you should call your doctor immediately. You may have to get the rabies vaccination. The vaccine only works if you get it before You develop symptoms of rabies. Oh yes rabies is fatal if not treated. That goes for animals and people. Please be very careful. This is not a prank answer. If you are not sure and want more information try WebMD or you can call your doctor and ask or call your local hospital.
LL

Answer 7

First, make a face and look at your finger, then say "Ouch!", then put a band-aid on it and have someone kiss it.
But really, tetnus has nothing to do with rabies, the kittens have to have be bitten by a rabid animal and kittens cannot even be vaccinated until they are like I believe 6 weeks old? Im not sure about that. So long as your finger shows no signs of infection, you should be good to go.
For your piece of mind, call your local hospitals 'dial a nurse' or information line or even a vet and get information on how you get rabies or tetnus.

Answer 8

don't be silly. you won't catch rabies. i have 5 cats 2/5 are kittens. they scratch all the time time. just treat it like a regular wound. clean it. use neosporin and then bandage it to protect it. if it starts to get infected, seek medical attention

Answer 9

I got scratched & bit by my own cat, so I used to clean the wound with mouthwash (they kill germs & bacteria), used an ointment or medicated chapstick and patched it up. All my scars have healed or disappeared.

If you don't trust the answers here, make an appointment with your doctor.

Answer 10

Cats have a certain type of bacteria in their saliva that can cause infections. I recommend seeing a doctor just in case. I work at a pharmacy and the other day a woman came in that was bitten by her OWN cat (which is an indoor cat, no sort of outdoor diseases). Her hand was so swollen it was twice the size of her other one. I would really recommend not risking it, and see a doctor. They can prescribe antibiotics if they think it's infected.

Answer 11

If you have a compound and you don't know what to do about a little scratch, u really need to get out of your situation.