If you get severely scratched by a cat, is there a possibility of getting quite ill from it?

Question

i figure that the cat's claws have fecal matter on them and the matter could get into my blood steam if the scratch is deep enough

Answer 1

You can get Cat Scratch Fever from cats that still have their claws and that use litter pans. Cat scratch fever is a lot like having the flu but it won't go away. At least not till you see a Doctor for antibiotic's.

Answer 2

Yes there are several ways. I have worked with and kept cats for 30 years. Their teeth are more likely to cause an infection than their claws...keeping in mind 4 punctures or 4-5 rips. Claws hurt and bleed but don't cause the deep embedded bacteria infection that teeth will. However, I am not a physician and proper medical care should be sought when in doubt, and there are disease such as Cat-Scratch Fever. I think doxycycline is a standard treatment. Deep punctures, especially of the hand need treatment with antibiotics.

Answer 3

If you washed the scratches with soap and water you should be fine. If they were really deep, then I'd pour some hydrogen peroxide over it just in case. But I don't worry about fecal matter, cats use their toes, not claws to cover their poop, and a lot of outdoor cats won't cover anyway. The claws stay inside their sheaths and aren't exposed.

If you have any qualms, just go to a clinic and get the antibiotics shot they give for animal bites.

Answer 4

The real danger usually lies in a deep puncture wound from a cat's canines and it's not so much a question of the cat's germs but the staph germs always being on the surface of your skin which are forced deep into the body by a bite. In that case it is imperative to see a doctor if there is obvious inflammation at the bite site.

So most scratches are relatively superficial. I've had a good number of them and they may look red and angry for a day or two and then go away. So cleansing with warm soap and water, one application of H2O2 will usually prevent a serious infection.

Answer 5

It the cat is a kitten, 3 mo of age or less, you can get Cat Scratch Disease. I got it, but mine was a mild case. This happens if the kitten is this age AND is flea ridden, which most kittens are.

Cat73 has NO IDEA where Cat Scratch Fever comes from. I had it and I researched it as well as the fact that I had to be treated for it. You do NOT get it from the feces. That's a different illness.

Older cats are well known to have a lot of germs under those nails, and cat scratches can get infected. This is not unusual.

You can also get sick from contact with the cat feces in the litter box.

Answer 6

There is a possibility of infection from a severe scratch but bites are much more serious and dangerous. The best thing with a scratch is to wash thoroughly and use an antibiotic cream.

Answer 7

There is a possibility of infection, but you tend to see that more with bites. Just keep the scratch clean and watch it for signs of infection. I wouldn't worry too much, though.

Answer 8

I'm not really sure. Its probably possible, but I don't think its very likely if you put medication on it b/c me & my mom have been scratched & bitten really bad & we are both allergic to cats & neither of us got sick from it.

Answer 9

scratches are open to infections (which is what cat scratch fever is...)
but you can get an infection in tiny cuts ect...so yes you can get very sick, but you also could from scratching it on a nail ect

Answer 10

Yes you can get sick, cat's are filthy.